Cuisine and restaurants of Varadero
In Varadero, cuisine of different nations is presented, but you can only get to know the exceptional spirit of Cuba in traditional local restaurants. It is customary to start the day with fried butter toast and a strong espresso with milk. By the way, it is not forbidden to crumble crispy toast directly into a cup of coffee.
At lunch, the inhabitants of Varadero prefer a simple snack. Lunch in the form of “empanados” – a chicken sandwich with Cuban bread – precedes a hearty evening meal. Well, the day usually ends with “heavy” meat and fish dishes.
The main gastronomic delight of tourists is seafood. Restaurants offer first-class lobsters, mussels, shrimp. And, of course, lunch is incomplete without Cuban rum. Liberty Island gave the world the famous cocktails Mojito, Daiquiri, Cuba Libre, etc., so it would not even be polite not to try them “at home”.
In inexpensive cafes, a tourist will be served lunch for 10-15 CUC. A pizza or a plate of pasta costs about 5 CUC, and you can eat a lobster for 8 CUC. Dinner for two with drinks in a mid-range restaurant will cost 50-70 CUC.
There are several elite establishments in Varadero. The bill for food and wine will be about 100 CUC for two, but this is expensive even by the standards of Cuba, so there are few such restaurants here.
The most unusual city cafes are hidden in the shady alleys of the Josone Park. Here you can dine, for example, in a cave (the place is called La Gruta del Vino) or on a veranda above the surface of the pond (Dante). And after – sit with a glass of something in the Beatles Bar, next to the park.
Entertainment and attractions
Attractions in their usual sense are difficult to find, but entertainment in Varadero is enough for everyone. Tourists usually walk in the Josone and Todo en Uno parks, explore the caves in the Varaikakos nature reserve, visit the Dolphinarium or play golf.
Varadero is proud of its golf club. This is the only 18-hole complex in the country, the cost of the game starts from 80 CUC. The main building is the Xanadu mansion. This is the name of the villa of the famous millionaire E. I. Dupont, the founder of the DuPont company, which is also a hotel and a city landmark. Once upon a time, this technically sophisticated house (it had an elevator and telephone connection) began the development of the resort.
From Varadero, you can go on an excursion to other Cuban regions or to the Boca de Guama crocodile farm. About 100 km from the city, about halfway between the Autopista Nacional highway and Playa Larga beach, a society of toothy reptiles awaits guests; you can even hold small crocodiles in your hands. And then, forgetting about tenderness, try real crocodile meat.
Much closer, just 15 km from Varadero is the town of Cardenas, with a large concrete crab at the entrance and a curious museum – the sugar factory of Jose Smith.
Return to the arms of Varadero in the evening for some reckless Cuban fun. Discos and dance shows are held everywhere in hotels and clubs; anyone can get here for 10 CUC. The most popular dance floors rumble in Casa de la Musica, Internacional hotels, Tuxpan. You can dance to live music in the Calle 62 cafe or Mambo Club, and Cuevos Los Pirates is famous for its location – the club is built in a cave.
5 things to do in Varadero
- Do sand therapy on the beach. And forget about everything.
- Dance with the local amigo.
- Play golf or its mini-version.
- Dine at Al Capone’s house on Avenida Kawama.
- Swim with dolphins.
Varadero for children
The Cuban resort is welcoming to young tourists. Many hotels provide children’s zones, where neither a three-year-old nor a skeptical teenager will be bored. The main thing is to clarify in advance the conditions of residence, the availability of a children’s menu.
Tired of beach and hotel animation, little travelers will not refuse to visit the dolphinarium. Here it is allowed not only to watch the dolphin show, but also to swim with them after the show. (off. site).
For quiet walks, Josone Park is suitable. But even here the kids have where to spend their energy. For a small fee, they can ride a camel or train, and those who are older can go around the pond on a catamaran or play mini-golf. Nearby is another small park with carousels and children’s cars.
Weather
Varadero has a temperate subtropical climate. You can come here at any time of the year, but – taking into account some features. The wet season lasts six months, from May to September. Rains can be abundantly watered or sparingly sprinkled. High temperature and humidity are offset by mild sea winds. July and August are vacation time for Cubans, the beaches become more crowded. The cheapest time to go here is in September and October, as hurricanes are most likely in autumn. The element rages here not every year, but if the danger arose, be prepared for serious destruction and evacuation. See CITYPOPULATIONREVIEW for weather information.
It is best to relax here in winter or off-season (November and April). There are many tourists, but the weather is more stable. In winter, the ocean warms up less and cold snaps occur, but they last only a few days.
