Search Homes in Mexico
Member Login
Veracruz (State)
Attractions
Veracruz offers a world unto itself and so broad an array of things to do can hardly be summed up in just a few paragraphs. The unique Caribbean culture of Veracruz draws visitors from around the world to experience a cuisine, music and style of living that is intense, easy going and approachable.
The city of Veracruz offers a multitude of attractions. The Plaza de Armas is one of Mexico’s oldest and most happening city squares. Surrounded by some the most dazzling architecture like the Municipal Palace and the Cathedral, the plaza is located in the city center. Not too far away the Jetty Promenade was built in the early twentieth century and still allows strollers to watch activity on the wharfs. The small Island of San Juan de Ulúa is home to the Castle of San Juan de Ulúa, an impressive fortress that became the front door of the first city in New Spain and thus for all of the Spanish Americas. In the south of the city, the Bulwark of Santiago is a similar site that is sure to please history lovers and those interested in the early colonial period. The Island of Sacrifices is a site with terrific ancient and colonial history laid bare. Ancient rituals were performed here by the Totonaca inhabitants, it later became a colonial shipyard and today hosts an enormous lighthouse. The Veracruz Aquarium, the largest in Latin America, is not to be missed. It hosts about 3000 marine species in 25 pools, tanks and aquariums.
Outside the city, Veracruz’s smaller towns and the capital, Xalapa, offer something for everyone. Boca del Rio, at the mouth of the Jamapa River, just south of Veracruz city, is a fascinating fishing town, with excellent seafood caught fresh and an ancient history. Far less touristed, Acayucan is a small city with a history going back more than 3,000 years. Minatitlán, is a petroleum center on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, where watching the river traffic is just one of the charming ways to pass the day. And these are just a few of many, many pueblos and villages.
In the north, towns like Papantla and Poza Rica offer plenty of things to see and do. El Tajin is a spectacular ruin of pyramids and an entire ancient Totonac city. The famous Fliers, Indian dancers, spin upside down while suspended from a pole some 25 meters (80 feet) tall. The region is famous too as the world’s main producer of vanilla.
The capital, Xalapa (HA-la-pa), is a major university town well worth a visit. A major point of entry for the region’s eco-tourism industry, Xalapa is just 60 miles (100 kms) inland from Veracruz on Highway 140. Coffee plantations and tourism are the mainstay in Xalapa where cooler temperatures at a slightly higher altitude bring a lot of visitors as does a truly excellent museum of Anthropology.