Xalapa

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Xalapa, Veracruz/Mexico - Daytime street scene of Veracruzâ€™s capital city of Xalapa.

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Overview

Familiar to the world primarily due to the super-hot green chili that was named after it, Xalapa (also spelled Jalapa, but always pronounced ha-la-pa) is actually about as different to the fiery jalapeño pepper as can be – unlike sweaty coastal Veracruz city, Xalapa's highland location makes it temperate and often quite cloudy. Thanks to its alternative vibe and large student population, the city is lively at night and has a thriving cultural scene (it has its own branch of the Hay Festival of Literature & the Arts, for example).

Attractions

Must-see attractions

The facade of the Museo Nacional de Antropología.

Museo de Antropología

Xalapa

Attached to spacious gardens, 4km northwest of the center, this remarkable museum contains Mexico’s second-finest archaeological collection. The focus is…

Parque Juárez

Xalapa

Xalapa's central main square doubles as a terrace, with its south side overlooking the valley below and, in clear weather, the snowcapped cone of Pico de…

Museo Ex-Hacienda El Lencero

Xalapa

Almost as old as New Spain itself, this former posada was initiated in 1525 by Juan Lencero, a soldier loyal to Hernán Cortés, and served as a resting…

Naolinco

Xalapa

A worthy day trip from Xalapa, Naolinco is a 33km drive north of the city. Apart from its Parroquía San Mateo, it has a viewpoint overlooking the…

Parroquia de San José

Xalapa

Xalapa's oldest church was founded back in 1535, with the current building completed in 1770. Architecturally, it displays an unusual blend of baroque and…

Parque Paseo de los Lagos

Xalapa

Xalapeños escape the monstrous traffic just south of Parque Juárez in this serendipitous park, which has 3km of delightful lakeside paths, most commonly…

Catedral Metropolitana

Xalapa

A mélange of neo-Gothic and baroque, Xalapa’s cathedral lacks a second tower but still impresses with its scale and grandiosity. The architecture makes…

Parque Ecológico Macuiltépetl

Xalapa

Atop a hill north of the city, this 40-hectare park is actually the heavily wooded cap of an extinct volcano. Spiraling to the top, the park’s paths are a…

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