Cuba Guide
Varadero and Matanzas
Bars and cafés
1 El Anzuelo on the beach e/ 59 y 60 Serves cocktails like mojitos, daiquiris and piña coladas for $2CUC a pop.
2 Bar Benny Camino del Mar e/ 12 y 13 This beachside bar sometimes hosts live music on the front patio, while the tiny cellar-style interior boasts a set of photos of Cuban musician Benny Moré.
3 Bar Mirador Mansión Xanadú, Autopista Sur Km 7 A sophisticated shining bar with an ornate wooden ceiling supported by black pillars, located at the top of this splendid mansion and featuring views along the coastline.
4 Bar Terraza Complejo Mediterráneo, Ave. 1ra esq. Calle 54 Unpolished pseudo-50s-style diner bar with about as much local flavour as you can realistically expect in Varadero.
5 Casa del Habano Ave. 1ra e/ 63 y 64 Upstairs at this excellent cigar shop is a dinky, stylish, balconied bar which makes a good place for a quiet drink. Closes by 10pm.
6 Coffee Shop 25 Ave. 1ra esq. 25 A 24hr café with a shady patio that's one of the only places in Varadero specializing in hot drinks (albeit a small selection).
7 El Galeón Hotel Dos Mares, Calle 53 esq. Ave. 1ra One of the most characterful bars in the town, set just below street level with a stylish varnished-wood finish and a slight Mediterranean feel. A good place to come if you want to avoid the trappings of most hotel bars – this is just a straight-up, laid-back place to get a drink.
8 La Gruta del Vino Parque Josone This novel little restaurant has a wide selection of wine and actually works better as a bar, sinking back into a tiny cave on the far side of the lake in Parque Josone. There is a patio out front where you can sip your drinks right at the water's edge.
9 La Sangría Ave. Kawama esq. 5 Food is served at this spot overlooking Laguna de Paso Malo, but the real appeal is the relatively late closing time, theoretically till as late as 2am.
10 Piano Bar Centro Cultural Artex, Calle 60 e/ Ave. 2da y Ave. 3ra A sleek little bar, suited to something more refined than the karaoke that it hosts most nights of the week. Avoid the singing by leaving before 11pm.
11 Varadero 1920 Parque Josone An open-air bar propped above the banks of the park lake, and one of the most laid-back spots for a drink in Varadero.