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City guide

Varadero, Cuba

Varadero, also referred to as Playa Azul, is a resort town in the province of Matanzas, Cuba, and one of the largest resort areas in the Caribbean. Varadero Beach is rated one of the world's best beaches in TripAdvisor's Traveler's Choice Awards since 2019, ranking at number 9 as of January 2024.

Type City

Why go

  • City in Matanzas, Cuba.
  • Served by Kawama Airport (VRO).

History

Varadero, also referred to as Playa Azul, is a resort town in the province of Matanzas, Cuba, and one of the largest resort areas in the Caribbean. Varadero Beach is rated one of the world's best beaches in TripAdvisor's Traveler's Choice Awards since 2019, ranking at number 9 as of January 2024. Common activities include fishing and excursions to Matanzas, Cárdenas, and the Península de Zapata.

Restaurants & places to go

Salsa Suárez
Restaurant · Features: vegetarian options, air conditioning · 103 Calle 31, Varadero · salsasuarezvaradero.com
Indoor
Restaurante snack bar Vernissage
Restaurant · restaurant · 1ra Avenida, Varadero · varadero36.com
Indoor

157 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →

Airports

Juan Gualberto Gomez International Airport (VRA) 27 km to the centre
Matanzas, 04, CU — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 8 airlines (Air Transat, Air Canada, Air Berlin, Arkefly…) · direct flights to 9 destinations incl. Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Cancun, Duesseldorf… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Serves Havana (La Habana) (97 km) — the low-cost way in
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 8 airlines, 9 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Kawama Airport (VRO) 10 km to the centre
Santa Marta, 04, CU — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Colón Airport 59 km to the centre
Colón, 04, CU
Outdoor
Mieles Agricultural Airfield 24 km to the centre
Merceditas, 04, CU
Outdoor
Martí Agricultural Airfield 41 km to the centre
Martí, 04, CU
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

Varadero, Cuba
Varadero, Cuba
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Kawama Airport (VRO); 6 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Varadero, Cuba. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Air Charter Service
Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
ExecuJet
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Flexjet
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Global Jet
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Jet Aviation
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.