VARADERO
there until 1963. It is currently one of the most visited places in Varadero, it has several restaurants and bars, a beautiful lake with geese where you can take a ride on water bikes, and with a tunnel below 1st Avenue that leads directly to the beach.
DELFINARIO DE VARADERO (DOLPHINARIUM)
Autopista km 11, Tel 045 66 8031
Located in a coral lagoon 400 m from the Chapelín Marina, it is an interesting attraction that offers two daily shows and where you can swim with the dolphins.
Museo de Varadero 2 (Museum)
Calle 57 and Ave. de la Playa, Tel 045 61 3189
It occupies a mansion type bungalow that was once the summer resort house of engineer Leopoldo Abreu. Opened on December 5, 1981, it treasures collections of history, natural sciences, numismatics, decorative arts and archeology. It exhibits more than 2,000 years old archaeological remains, personal objects of billionaire Dupont, pieces related to the literacy campaign and to the most important traditions of the locality such as rowboats regattas.
3 MANSIÓN XANADÚ
Carretera las Américas km 8 ½, Tel 045 66 8482
Located on the rocks of San Bernardino, it was designed in 1927 by architects Evelio Govantes and Felix Covarrocas in classic Spanish style. Inspired by a poem describing the luxury of Kublai Khan's palace, its construction was financed by multimillionaire Alfred Irénée Dupont de Nemours, who between 1920 and 1950 bought almost the entire stretch of land of the Hicacos Peninsula. Currently, the Las Américas
Restaurant is located in this place with an exquisite cuisine proposal and excellent views of the Varadero Golf Club.
4 VARADERO GOLF CLUB
Carretera las Américas km 8 ½, Tel 045 66 7788
The only 18-hole 72 par golf course in the country, located in San Bernardino, where Alfred Dupont once installed a 9-hole golf course for his personal recreation in an exclusive area of 180 hectares and a few meters from the coastline. The center was designed by archi-
tect Le Furber, president of the Canadian company Golf Design Services, in a combination of styles among palms, ponds, and bridges. It regularly hosts several tournaments such as the classic “Torneo de Golf por el día de la Hispanidad.”
Centro de Convenciones Plaza 5 América (Convention Center) Autopista Sur km 11 ½, Las Américas, Tel 045 668509
The installation offers the visitor a high integration of facilities, services and technology. Modern and functional, the center has professional organizers of congresses, translators, room officers, technical teams and support staff. It has 10 meeting rooms with various capacities and a 500-seat plenary hall. It also stands as the largest shopping center in the area.
RESERVA ECOLÓGICA VARAHICACOS (ECOLOGICAL RESERVE)
The reserve, which covers 450 hectares, is located on the eastern end of the peninsula and is characterized by cave dwellings such as the Cueva de Ambrosio, the Cueva de los Musulmanes, used as a burial site by the aborigines of the area, and the
Cueva del Pirata (Autopista Sur km 11/Tel 045 667415), today turned into an interesting nightclub with a unique show of its kind in the country.
CÁRDENAS
A city founded in 1828, which was rapidly developed as a sugar port, it occupies an important place in the history of Cuba because it was the first site where the Flag of the Solitary Star was hoisted in 1850, on the initiative of the annexationist leader Narciso López.
MUSEO OSCAR MARÍA DE ROJAS (MUSEUM)
Ave. 4 East, between Echeverría and Martí, Tel 045 52 2417
Founded in 1900, it is an exquisite museum considered among the oldest on the Island. It has 14 rooms that show the history of Cuba from the pre-columbian era to the present day. It has a room dedicated to José Martí and to the independency wars.
PARQUE COLÓN (PARK)
Calle Céspedes between 8th and 9th It is dominated by the Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción,a
neoclassical building that has at its front a statue of Christopher Columbus with an orb at its feet. The church, built in 1856, is also marked by the beauty of its stained glass windows and the sobriety of the building.
RESERVA DE LA BIOSFERA CIÉNAGA DE ZAPATA (BIOSPHERE RESERVE)
Located in the south of the province of Matanzas, it is one of the most unique territories of the island, declared a Ramsar Site and Biosphere Reserve. It groups several types of marsh ecosystems that are moderately
or slightly modified by human action. It is the largest wetland of the Insular Caribbean and therefore the habitat of a rich flora and fauna with a high level of endemism. With many natural places of interest, it has an important role in the history of Cuba.
COMPLEJO TURÍSTICO BOCA DE GUAMÁ (TOURIST RESORT)
One of the biggest attractions of Ciénaga de Zapata, it has a restaurant and a bar, as well as 47 independent cabins built of wood and guano on the inner islet of the Laguna
del Tesoro. On its margins is the Aldea Taína, a sculptural ensemble made by the Cuban artist Rita Longa, with 32 pieces representing Cuban aborigines in their daily activities.
Another of the attractions of Guamá is the Crocodile Breeding Farm (Phone 045 91 5666), considered the most important of the Island. It has a population of above 4,000 specimens of Cuban and American crocodiles. Visitors may appreciate the creatures from a close distance and learn about their life cycles.
PLAYA LARGA AND BAHÍA DE COCHINOS
A small fishing community located at the end of the Bay of Pigs, it was one of the main mercenary landing sites during the attack on Playa Girón in 1961. It is considered one of the best beaches in this part of the Caribbean. It has the small hotel
Villa Playa Larga with rental of kayaks, water bicycles and other equipment for water sports.
To the east of Playa Larga, there are beaches of white sand around the bay, beginning with
Caleta del Rosario, a small cove with splendid waters for swimming. This route is characterized by the presence of cenotes of fresh and crystalline waters suitable for baths and dives like the Cueva de los
Peces, one of the largest with 70 m depth.
PARQUE NACIONAL CIÉNAGA DE ZAPATA (NATIONAL PARK)
With about 490 417 hectares, it protects the most important wetland of the Island, with its diverse ecosystems. Zapata has more than 900 species of Cuban flora, 171 species of birds, 31 of reptiles and 12 of mammals,
including the dwarf hutia (Mesocapromys nanus), endemic to Zapata, and manatees. Man- groves, crocodiles and alligators inhabit their lagoons.
It is an exceptional place for birdwatching, such as the Zapata rail (Cyanolimnas cerverai), the “Zapata sparrow,” the ferminia (Ferminia cerverai) and the Cuban parrot, as well as migratory birds from North America. It also have controlled fishing sites.
PLAYA GIRÓN (BEACH)
Located on the east side of the Bay of Pigs, it is the last of the white sandy beaches ideal for fishing and diving. It is a site of great historical importance, worldwide known on account of the American invasion of 1961. What was all the route of the invasion is today signaled with pedestals and inscriptions that identify the places where a big battle took place on April 17, 18 and 19, 1961.