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City and municipality in Veracruz, Mexico
Photo: Ralf Roletschek, GFDL 1.2 via Wikimedia Commons
Veracruz is a large city in the state of Veracruz in Central Mexico. The locals call their city "Puerto" (port) to differentiate the city from the state of Veracruz. The Port of Veracruz remains the core of its economy. It is also famous for its nightlife, and its spacious downtown area near the harbor (zocalo) comes alive with music and dancing with a strong Cuban influence. Highlights are the annual carnival celebrations around February when the party atmosphere is particularly raucous and hotel rooms become difficult to find.
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Last fortress of the Spanish Empire, later used as a prison during Porfirio Díaz's government, known as one of the most cruel prisons of that time, you can hear horror stories of torture. The castle is located near the piers. While it is physically quite close to downtown, it is not possible to access it on foot. You will need to take a tour or get there by taxi (this will cost around M$90).
The former house of famous music writer Agustin Lara is now a museum.
Come here for some enchanting "danzon" (traditional Cuban dance) impressions and views of the cathedral and palacio municipal. Enjoy a drink at the Los Portales, a series of porticoes and tables alongside Miguel Lerdo de Tejada Street bordering the zocalo, or, if coffee is more your thing, a coffee from Gran Cafe del Portal on the opposite side.
Traces the history of the city with dioramas and exhibits. Also functions as a performance hall for arts peculiar to the State of Veracruz.
Display of model ships and exhibits about the Mexican navy up to the present day.
Last standing part from the wall that used to surround the old city fort that was built by the Spanish in 1635 as they endeavored to repel pirates wanting to take riches of the import/export trade going through Veracruz.
House where the noted poet Salvador Díaz Mirón lived.
Old lighthouse of the port of Veracruz.
Good sea (Gulf of Mexico) views here, as well as views of one of Mexico's premier ports; just don't drop your camera in the water. Also present are statues of Alexander von Humboldt and the Centinela de la Patria.
Another museum about the city, but much more scaled-down compared to the one above.
Heritage park of Veracruz and location of performances sometimes, but not a safe place to go at night.
A cultural center that is the center of performing arts and merrymaking.
Instituto Veracruzano de la Cultura / IVEC
A museum with rotating exhibitions built inside a lovely old convent.
The largest carnival in Mexico, hosted around February each year and lasting nine days with six major parades along with large public concerts, parties, special events and promotions in just about all the city's restaurants, bars and nightclubs.
Acuario de Veracruz
One of the best aquariums in Latin America. It has an impressive collection of different fish and sharks in the Gulf of Mexico. They have a dolphin show at 11:00 and 13:00. You can also see manatees here.
Veracruz's beach with brownish-grey sand. An opportunity to work on your communication skills with touts and persistent vendors.
Blvd. Manuel Ávila Camacho skirts Veracruz's waterfront.
Professional baseball stadium, home of El Aguila de Veracruz, who play a 114-game schedule each spring and summer in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol. Catch a game if you're in town during a home stand. Tickets start at M$180.
PADI and SSI certified dive shop offering courses, equipment rentals and sales and offering dive trips to the reefs and nearby islands including Antón Lizardo.
Full service dive shop offering a range of PADI-certified courses. Arranges dive trips to nearby reefs as well as shipwreck dives with Nitrox for divers with advanced certifications.
Full-service dive shop offering PADI and SNSI certified courses, from basic Open Water Diving to Divemaster. Can arrange dive trips and local lodging for foreign visitors.
Try the lechero, or espresso with fresh and creamy milk. The picadas y gorditas con huevo (fried, handmade tortillas topped with salsa and scrambled eggs) make a good breakfast. The rest of the food is overpriced.
Excellent seafood, especially the seafood cocktails and arroz a la tumbada (red rice with seafood).
It is a traditional Mexican cantina, where you can find delicious and fresh fish. Waiters usually make "rifas" of sea food salads. The ticket costs about US$3 and it is really funny.
A household name in Veracruz. Excellent seafood and service right on the beach. The restaurant does host large parties, however, and can get quite noisy.
Good ice cream sorbets. If you are very hungry, or have a companion, try a champola de guanábana, a huge milkshake of guanabana ice cream and condensed milk.
A great local bar, but be prepared for an awkward silence if you're a gringo walking in the door. Relax and be polite and the regulars will undoubtedly warm to you and try to get you to salsa dance with them. Beer and drinks are much less expensive than in more touristy bars. Also, unlike many Mexican dive bars, the clientele is coed and well-mixed. And, there's usually a late-night taco cart right outside for a snack when your night's over.
This place is almost like an institution going on two centuries or so and something that you must do when you are in Veracruz. It has an iconic drink called a lechero (unique espresso/milk blend), and supposedly you bang your spoon against your glass to get another waiter to bring some milk after you have first been brought the glass of espresso. A better explanation exists in the website link.
Clean rooms with private bathrooms, secure attached vehicle parking, two blocks from the Zocalo.
Located in downtown near the coast. Private bathroom and air conditioning. Ask for special prices.
Near waterfront, outdoor pool. Indoor parking garage available.
Basic budget hotel with central location near malecon, 100 meters walk to Zocalo. Good hot water, clean rooms. Dated decor.
Great hotel, reasonable prices, swimming pool but no beach.
Also great at reasonable prices. Rooms are in two buildingsː main hotel and separate motel-style building. On-site restaurant available.
It is just around the corner from the Zocalo. Rooms are clean, comfortable and reasonably priced.
This is a very unique property with a colorful history. It will appeal to a certain kind of traveler who appreciates old style elegance and grace, and while it is often described as a 5-star property, that rating doesn't reflect modern standards. The hotel was Mexico's first "resort hotel" when it opened in 1939, providing very upscale accomodations to movie stars and popular celebrities. The hotel has 70 rooms with traditional furnishings. It has stepped gardens, a massive outdoor swimming pool, and a long stretch of the best beach in Veracruz, called, appropriately enough, Playa Mocambo. It is an aging graceful lady that should not fairly be called a "luxury" hotel, but rather a mid-range hotel with a fascinating backstory and often budget room rates.
Near downtown in front of the pier and the Venustiano Carranza lighthouse. A great hotel, but unlike most other hotels in town it does not have a swimming pool or direct beach access.
Upscale beachfront hotel with world class swimming pool.
Great hotel, but expensive.
It is in a great location right on the Zocalo. It has large rooms and free internet.
The city's main marketplace is a bustling hive of small vendors selling everything from farm fresh produce to tools and household goods. Sections of the market are dedicated to butchers slicing up beef and pork to merchants selling all sorts of fish and fresh seafood. A large area of kitchens prepare the most authentic regional dishes at prices that are the lowest in town. Locals eat in the markets, and if you want to try the best, cheapest, and most authentic regional cooking, you will too.
Not a true tiangui because the vendors limit themselves mostly to cheap knock-off clothing and because its four days per week instead of one. Still an interesting flea market type atmosphere with food vendors selling cheap regional cuisine.
Oxxo is Mexico's favorite convenience store chain with stores in every town. This one is unique because of its garish neon hearts and proclamations of love. Inside, they sell the same beer, chips and sugary snacks as every other Oxxo but the exterior looks like it belongs in Las Vegas, not in Veracruz.
Artisan Market
Public marketplace selling Mexican artesanias, but with a very heavy dose of cheap Chinese imported plastic junk and tacky tourist souvenirs. Caveat emptor.
Veracruz has a small international airport, General Heriberto Jara International Airport. The only direct US flights are from Houston, Texas. There are many options from other Mexican cities, including Mexico City.
Read in the guideTaxis
Taxis are very inexpensive. A journey costs between US$2.50 and 5.00 according to the your zone destination. Passengers are advised to agree to the cost before entering a taxi.
Walking
The cheaper way to know the city is walking in the downtown and after that walk to the Malecon where several boats, historical buildings as well as tourist facilities and stores are located.
By bus
One very interesting possibility is to take the Bus "Boca del Rio", because it traverses the downtown area of the city to "Boca del Rio", a neighboring municipality with better hotels, modern…
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