The name comes from two different versions: - Ships accidentally stranded at the sand banks and the sand banks were used to run ashore the vessels and repair them.
Inhabitants in Varadero rises to 1954 and its natural beauties are made of endemic flora and fauna in the zone.

The territory was inhabited by aborigine Initial Potter Communities  that have left evidences in fifteen archaeological sites spread all over the Peninsula, and the most remarkable spot is the Ambrosio’s Cave with 72 pictographies. The first Spanish man to get in touch with the peninsula during colonial times was Sebastián Ocampo during his travel around the island made in 1508.

The exact date of the Spanish travelers’ arrival to the place is not known, there are only references from this period in a map from 1540 which shows the present territory of Varadero, then known as Hicacos due to the abundance of this fruit in the place.

The first Spaniards who settled in the region mostly dedicated themselves to cattle raising, cutting of wood to supply the Royal Armada and salt extraction. This last one turned out to be the first important economic activity and since 1555 turns out to be one of the main ones on the island.

In 1759 the King issued a warrant proclaiming the levy in favour of the Royal Treasury Department, the region would be visited by corsairs and pirates, diverse piracy acts such as the one took place on February 22, 1829 when the North American vessel “Attentive” was run into.

In the year 1815, the first small village was founded in the vicinity of Paso Malo, made of farmers’ houses. Its inhabitants were descendants from the Havana man Braulio Carrillo de Albornoz and from the Captain of the "Amalia" ship, Mateo Macedonio Suberville. They all together with Cárdenas and Camarioca neighbours offered the first mass on March 1816 with the priest from Guamacaro with an improvised altar, the region was since then known as the Cueva del Muerto, (The Dead’s Cave)
Nearly 1819 the neighbours from the Peninsula were forced to transfer the primitive settlement more towards the east (between the present 30 and 49 streets) due to the mosquitoes plagues. Already in 1840 the vacationers’ movement in Varadero begins then a village was built, mostly used during the summer. 
In this time of the year, Varadero was regarded as the fifth neighbourhood of Cárdenas. And it is not until June the 1st, 1883 when a community society is created for the development of the locality and which was popularly known as The Decenviros.

On December the 5th, 1887 the Cardenas’ City Hall officially passed the foundation of Varadero, mostly dedicated to the families’ recreation.  During the independence wars, Varadero served as a landing place for the independents’ expeditions; among which we can mention the ones led by Carlos Agüero (April 3, 1884), Enrique Collazo (March 19, 1896) and Ricardo Trujillo (June 20th, 1896). The forces of the Cardenas Brigade also stayed there, making the hoisting of the Cuban flag possible and the national Anthem be sung, both for the first time in the locality. 

On August 19, 1898 at the place known today as the Parque de los Festejos (The Festivities Park) the brigade remained here for four months, receiving the visit of General Pedro Betancourt in the place. With the instauration of the neo-colonial Republic a great outcome begins to take place with the presence of roar crafts races. Since 1910, the presence of vacationers increased as well as the urbanization of the city, together with the penetration of the North American capital.

With the development of the Second World War, the national bourgeoisie could not travel abroad therefore investments increase here for tourist goals until the 50 decade, where there were already fifteen hotels, several guest houses, and night clubs and games facilities. With respect to the political scenario, we may say the creation of the Popular Socialist Party was outstanding.

Since 1955 and during the insurrectional struggle, several cells from the 26 of July Movement are organized, which gathered workers from the tourist, construction and commerce sectors. The zone served as shelter for provincial and national leaders of this organization, among them Enrique Hart Dávalos. When the Revolution triumphed and in an early date such as January the 8th, 1959, Commander Fidel Castro heading the Victory Caravan enters Varadero staying at the International Hotel.

On November 20, 1959, with the issuance of Law 639, the National Institute for the Tourist Industry is created. The beach is then for the people’s enjoyment and this is how the 8 000 locks park was built, also the Granma neighboorhood which together with the Fishermen and January the first neighboorhoods turned out to be the initial social works in the locality.

Needless to say that one of the noblest tasks of the Revolution was the Literacy Campaign, being Varadero the place designated as a National Camp, where members of the Conrado Benitez brigade prepared. The advancement arrived in April 15, 1961 and grass roots organizations of the zone cooperated with the task, fitting the 8000 lockers park for their care, also the Oasis and Kawama neighbourhoods etc.
 Fidel met with some part of this army on May 14, 1961 from "Retoños Martianos" Child Caring Centre, second of its type in the province, women find a way out to the problems of baby sitting and join work life.

In 1976, with the new administrative and political administration, Varadero turns out to be a municipality; Bodies of the People’s Power are created which foster a social development in the locality. In the 80 decade, the first hotels for national and international tourism are opened: "Siboney" and "Atabey".

Since 1989, with the beginning of the Special Period (Economic Crisis), important changes take place in the concepction, structure and functions of tourism. Therefore, Varadero became the main tourist pole of the island.

Now, Varadero counts with a whole figure of 12142 rooms, gathered in 41 hotel facilities, from them the 14% are 5 stars, 63% 4 stars and 23% of three and two stars.  The city shield contains the most outstanding elements from our history and it was passed during a solemn session of the Municipal Assembly of the People’s Power in 1995. The Vascular Bridge towards Varadero named General Carlos María de Rojas, a wonder of nature which occupies the Hicacos peninsula; a place which could only be reached by sea until half of the Twenty Century or crossing an old bridge which settled a poor communication between one side and the other of the Paso Malo Lagoon.

With the tourist boom of the 1940 and 1950 decades, the access highway to the beautiful resort needed to be repaired; also a revival process and urban development according to the demands of national and foreigner visitors took place. Dredging Works begin in 1941 for the construction of a canal to connect the Paso Malo Lagoon with the north canal. As a complement of the cleaning up and rehabilitation works of such a lagoon and fulfilling what it was decided within Law-Decree 352 from 1952 by the Minister of Public Works, then led by architect Nicolás Arroyo who formed part of the plan of Public Works promoted by the dictator Fulgencio Batista and in conspiracy with the national bourgeoisie and North American interests, the canal construction began which would link the so cited lagoon with Cárdenas Bay.

The canal would have 5.1 Km length and 40 metros width and 15 depth feet as a whole. The distance between Cardenas and Varadero would be reduced in 22 kilometres and communication by land would be settled by means of the construction of a vascular bridge which would link the region with the White Highway (Vía Blanca).
The bridge would have two parallel ways with 28 feet of pavement each one and three wide highways flowing in each direction. Its full length is of 282 feet and it is made of two twin bridges which can be simultaneously lifted to ease the crossing of vessels until 40 feet breadth and 15 feet draught. It has a height of 16 feet over the lagoon level then 80 % of the ships could cross without interrupting the land traffic.

A light and hearing system was joined to warn about the lifting mechanical movements. On October 21, 1956, the great civil engineering work was inaugurated with the presence of the president of the Republic and the company builders: the Arellano and Mendoza S.A. Company.  The vascular bridge, "General Carlos María de Rojas" – combatant of our independence – is majestically erected at the entrance of the famous resort which links and separates the peninsula with the rest of the territory at the same time. Since then, it has been the focus of traditions such as the shrimp fishing crafts race contests. In its spine cord, you can appreciate the literacy campaign slogan, a Historical Epic of the Revolution.