True enough, visiting Cuba is like travelling back in time. It is amazing to see that even it’s the 21st century, Cuba consistently remained vintage, yet, somehow slowly catching up with the modern world. When visiting Cuba, the first place that comes out to many is Havana, but, there are other interesting places to visit aside from Havana while in Cuba.

It is time to give a little spotlight to Matanzas, a hidden charming town between Havana and Varadero. Matanzas has a lot of equally quaint vintage delights to offer like Havana, ans yet oftenly skipped by many tourists to discover.

Saying that, if you are looking for a break from touristy hype during your vacation in Cuba, Matanzas can provide you that break. Personally, I like that type of break while on a vacation, to have a moment wherein you can blend into the crowd and have a sense of being a local even just for a couple of hours.

Entering Matanzas, I noticed that it is such a pretty quaint place with waterways dividing the town. Walking along the street, it was interesting to know that Matanzas is known for its Afro-Caribbean culture, poets and the birthplace of rumba.

Just like other small towns, the heart of Matanzas is the Parque de la Libertad where people gather around and unwind. Surrounding the park, you’ll see the movie theater, casino, hotel, museum, restaurant and the town hall. 

It is also evident the cleanliness of the area and how well the town center is maintained, which makes the park inviting. Of course, you will not miss the beautiful sight of vintage cars honking around as you enjoy your down time by the park.

On a tourist standpoint, the reason I think of why this town is often missed by tourists is possibly by the lack of apparent tourist attractions, however, the town’s remarkable, poetic, and historical background compensate for that.

Walking around in this town, you can really feel and see what is like really to be living in Cuba and the difference between the highly maintained and staged tourist districts. Matanzas may not be the cup of tea for many tourists, but, it is a best contender for someone who wish to  break the daily routine of an all-inclusive vacation and have a peek to the daily life of an average Cuban. I enjoyed my visit to Matanzas, as I learned a little more about Cuba.

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Con mucho amor,

Imelda❤