Cárdenas
A historic sugar port town south of Varadero, where horse-drawn carriages fill the streets. The first Cuban flag was raised here, and it has one of the best history museums in the province.
Cárdenas lies about 18 km south of Varadero. In the 19th century it was a busy sugar port, known as the “City of Carriages.” Horse-drawn carts are still a main form of transport today. In 1850, Narciso López raised the Cuban flag here for the first time. The city center has a statue of Columbus, one of the earliest in the Americas, and a cathedral. The Oscar María de Rojas Museum is one of the oldest museums in Cuba. Its collection includes colonial-era carriages, coins, and butterfly specimens. It is a good choice for a half-day of everyday Cuban life away from the tourist areas. Note: cash is widely used, and small Cuban peso notes are more convenient.
Opening hours
All day; museum about 09:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Parque Josone
- Museo Municipal de Varadero
- Varadero Beach
- Mansión Xanadú (Dupont Mansion)
- Delfinario de Varadero
- Cueva de Ambrosio
- Varahicacos Ecological Reserve
- Cueva de Saturno