Park & Garden
Parque Josone
📍 Parque Josone, Varadero, Cuba
4.4/ 5.0
★★★★☆
Introduction
Parque Josone is a green pocket at the heart of Varadero, created in 1942 by Spanish immigrant Jose Iturrioz and his wife Onelia—the name fuses the couple's first names. Across roughly nine hectares of tropical grounds, a calm lake anchors the center while peacocks stroll beneath royal palms and swan-shaped pedal boats drift by. Two venerable restaurants, La Campana and Dante, anchor the town's culinary memory, and at dusk Cuban son bands play lakeside as local families and visitors share the iron chairs.
✨ Highlights
1
A couple's namesake
Josone splices Jose and Onelia together—the estate's whole love story lives in its name.
2
Swan-boat lake
Rent a swan-shaped pedal boat for a slow twenty-minute loop; children adore it.
3
Two-table legend
La Campana serves Creole classics while Dante handles pasta and lake views.
4
Peacocks and palms
Peacocks amble along the walkways with no hurry, giving photographers an easy subject.
5
Lakeside son at dusk
Live bands often play toward evening; one mojito buys you a full set of Cuban son.
🛈 Practical Info
→Admission：Entry is free; meals, pedal boats, and pools are paid separately
→Hours：Roughly from 9 a.m. until late, busiest around dinner—confirm on site
→Reservations：La Campana and Dante fill up in high season, so book a table a day ahead
→Getting around：Everything is walkable on smooth main paths suitable for strollers and wheelchairs
→Mosquitoes：Biting insects get active by the lake at dusk; apply repellent before you settle in
→Payment：Restaurants usually take convertible currency or cards, but keep some cash as backup
💡 Tips
• Arrive after 4 p.m. for cooler air and combine dinner with the lakeside music in one go.
• Pedal boats are charged by time—agree on the rate and deposit before pushing off.
• Dante's lakeside terrace is small; an hour before sunset you can usually still snag a table.
• The park is genuinely free, so politely decline anyone at the gate claiming otherwise.
FAQ
Any practical tips for visiting Parque Josone?
Arrive after 4 p.m. for cooler air and combine dinner with the lakeside music in one go. Pedal boats are charged by time—agree on the rate and deposit before pushing off.
Information on this page is compiled from public sources. Opening hours, ticket prices and other details may change — please verify with official sources before your visit.
