Matanzas,
A Not-So-Hidden Gem

Hard to come up with something other than the Cuban flag and coat of arms. Amazingly, those supreme national symbols were created by Matanzas natives Miguel and Emilia Teurbe Tolón, and the flag was hoisted for the first time in Cárdenas, also referred to as Ciudad Bandera (Flag City), a historical town in the province of Matanzas.

Paradoxically, the influence of Matanzas on the identity of the nation has gone largely unsung. With the incredibly strong Afro-Cuban traditions here, one might think that the Orishas planned for the city to only reveal herself, in all her splendor, to those ready to do more than just scratch the surface.

Ciénaga de Zapata

The marshlands known as the Ciénaga de Zapata (“Zapata Swamp”), to the south of the province of Matanzas, are included in the International List of Important Marshes, compiled by the Ramsar Convention. With more than 1738 square miles covered by forests, mangroves, pastures and coastal vegetation, there are more than 900 native vegetable species, 172 bird species, 31 reptile species, 12 mammal species and a considerable number of fish, amphibians and insects. It was in the Ciénaga de Zapata, formerly a hiding place for pirates and smugglers of black slaves, where the famous and ill-fated Bahía de Cochinos invasion took place. The Ciénaga de Zapata is the largest and best-preserved marsh in the Caribbean basin.