Top choice
A gorgeous ruin lying truly abandoned in the middle of small-town Cuba that's heavy with atmosphere and still shines (despite the mildew) with a perceptible beauty. Between the 1920s and 1950s, this grand building functioned as an expensive bathhouse and hotel. These days it hosts birds' nests, weeds and – who knows? – the ghosts of guests past.
There's no entry fee and barely any other visitors. Just slip inside and enjoy the magic on your own while you still can.
4.64 MILES
Enhance your taste for bucolic provincial life away from the razzmatazz of Matanzas Province's north coast at this ecological farm 14km northeast of San…
21.53 MILES
For a mappable view of mildewed Matanzas on one side and the broccoli-green Valle de Yumurí on the other, climb 1.5km northeast of the center up Calle 306…
20.37 MILES
Imagine. You're tramping through Matanzas' tatty streets wondering whether the 'Athens of Cuba' moniker is just a local joke when you stumble upon this…
15.06 MILES
Cuba's second-oldest museum (after the Museo Bacardí in Santiago) offers a selection of weird artifacts, including a strangulation chair from 1830, a face…
23.22 MILES
Everything east of Varadero's small stone water tower (it looks like an old Spanish fort, but was built in the 1930s) once belonged to the Du Pont family…
16.4 MILES
Boat trips on the Río Canímar, 8km east of Matanzas, are a truly magical experience. Gnarly mangroves dip their jungle-like branches into the ebbing water…
17.73 MILES
Your closest bet for shore snorkeling in the Varadero area is Playa Coral, on the old coastal road, about 3km off the Vía Blanca, halfway between Matanzas…
21.12 MILES
If you're set on sightseeing in Varadero, ensconce yourself in this pretty green oasis. These landscaped gardens date back to 1940 and take their name…
0.74 MILES
Looming above San Miguel de los Baños are the steep slopes of Loma de Jacán, a glowering hill with 448 steps embellished by faded murals of the Stations…
4.64 MILES
Enhance your taste for bucolic provincial life away from the razzmatazz of Matanzas Province's north coast at this ecological farm 14km northeast of San…
15.06 MILES
Cuba's second-oldest museum (after the Museo Bacardí in Santiago) offers a selection of weird artifacts, including a strangulation chair from 1830, a face…
4. Museo Casa Natal de José Antonio Echeverría
15.09 MILES
This museum with temperamental opening times was where student leader José Antonio Echeverría was born in 1932. Echeverría, a rebel leader not dissimilar…
15.12 MILES
The newest of Cárdenas' three museums offers a keenly curated if propaganda-heavy overview of the history of US–Cuban relations inspired by the case of…
15.12 MILES
In a city of lost glories, Plaza Molocoff is one of the grandest yet most disfigured sights. This whimsical two-story cast-iron market hall with a…
7. Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción
15.37 MILES
Cárdenas' twin-towered cathedral was built in 1846, though it looks older. The main ecclesiastical building of Cárdenas, it is noted for its stained glass…
15.83 MILES
No, not just any old flagpole. Follow Av Céspedes past Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción to its northern end and you will see this flagpole is attached…