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Veracruz

Taking up much of Mexico's Gulf coastline, the long and diverse state of Veracruz is where the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs began. It was also the cradle of the aptly named Veracruz Mesoamerican culture at El Tajín and is home to Mexico's highest peak – soaring, snowcapped Orizaba.

As a destination, it's routinely overlooked by travelers, and while it's true that the beaches are better in the Yucatán and the colonial towns can be more impressive in Mexico's central and western highlands, Veracruz has both, without the hassle. It also lays claim to the World Heritage site of colonial Tlacotalpan, the inspiring Biosphere Reserve of Los Tuxtlas and some gorgeous pueblos mágicos (magical villages), including hilly Papantla, coffee-growing Coscomatepec and smaller, equally appealing Xico.

Its biggest attraction, however, is its quietness. Wherever you go here, you'll find yourself well off the beaten path, with discoveries just waiting to be made.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Veracruz.

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El Tajín
No one knows for sure who built this mighty pre-Hispanic city of around 20,000 inhabitants (The Totonacs? The Huastecs?), which is why archaeologists refer to the civilization as Classic Veracruz. But one thing's for sure: this site, dating back to AD 800 and discovered by accident in 1785, is one of the most atmospheric, best-preserved and most thoroughly excavated pre-Hispanic cities in Mesoamerica. Seven kilometers away from Papantla, El Tajín's extensive ruins are easily reachable by frequent bus (M$20). The El Tajín site covers an area of about 10 sq km. You’ll need at least a couple of hours to take in all the highlights. There’s little shade and it can get blazingly hot, so come early or late and bring a hat and water. There is labeling in English, Spanish and Totomec in front of most important buildings, but it's worth getting a guide (M$300 per hour) if you want to know all the details. Highlights include the beautifully proportioned Pirámide de los Nichos. Just off the Plaza Menor, it's a six-tiered pyramid, with each tier featuring rows of square niches, believed to have been used as a solar calendar. Of the 17 ball courts that have been found at El Tajín, the Juego de Pelota Sur is the most famous, due to the six relief carvings on its walls, depicting deities, the cosmos and ball players. North of, and slightly uphill from, the main site, El Tajín Chico was where the city's ruling classes lived and governed. Many of the buildings here display geometric stone mosaic patterns known as ‘Greco’ (Greek), and it's best not to miss Edificio I, believed to have been a palace, with its unusual carvings and well-preserved paintwork.
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Museo de Antropología
Attached to spacious gardens, 4km northwest of the center, this remarkable museum contains Mexico’s second-finest archaeological collection. The focus is on the main pre-Hispanic civilizations from the Gulf coast, principally the Olmecs, the Totonacs, the Huastecs and Classic Veracruz, and the beautifully displayed artifacts are presented in chronological order in a series of interconnecting galleries that descend the side of a lush hill. The exhibits' scale and breadth rival the museum’s intricate layout. Standout exhibits include the world's largest collection of giant Olmec heads, a reconstruction of the Las Higueras temple, jade masks, and the museum's most celebrated piece: the jade Olmec sculpture, El señor de las Limas, from southern Veracruz. There are also dramatic stone representations of the main pre-Columbian deities, namely Quetzalcoal (aka the Feathered Serpent), god of creation and knowledge; Tlaloc, the bespectacled god of rain and fertility; Tlazolteotl (aka the Eater of Filth), the patron deity of adulterers and goddess of carnal desire; and Xipe Totec, deity of life-death-rebirth, celebrated with the sacrifice of a slave and the priest wearing the flayed skin of the corpse. There is also an array of fine work associated with the pre-Hispanic ball game. It has a small cafe on the upper floor and an excellent bookstore, while the walk back up the hill through the beautifully kept garden is a delight. All information panels are in Spanish, but there is an excellent iPhone/audioguide in English (bring ID to leave as collateral) that you can rent. If taking public transportation, hop on a ‘Camacho-Tesorería’ bus from Enríquez near Parque Juárez. To return, take a bus marked ‘Centro.’ A taxi costs M$35.
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Quiahuiztlán
Perched like a mini–Machu Picchu on a plateau beneath a horn-shaped mountain, Quiahuiztlán is a pre-Hispanic Totonac town and necropolis. Enjoying a commanding view of the Gulf coast, the now-deserted site has two pyramids, more than 70 tombs and some carved monuments. Buses plying Hwy 180 drop you at the Quiahuiztlán turnoff from where the site is reachable via a pleasant 3km walk up a winding paved road. The inhabitants of Quiahuiztlán (Place of the Rains) were the only pre-Columbian civilization to bury their dead in tombs resembling miniature temples. Counting 30,000 inhabitants at the time of Cortés’ arrival in 1519, its history before that is sketchy, although there was certainly a settlement here by AD 800. A short trail leads up from the main plateau that overlooks the ocean to a higher site with four tombs. The adventurous can continue up from here along an unmarked trail towards the summit for unparalleled views of the coast and the greenery-clad valley, with buzzards circling overhead. Otherwise, follow the steps down from the main site to the remains of the ball court where Totonac teams played for the 'honor' to be sacrificed. In spite of its lofty location, the settlement was subjugated first by the Toltecs between AD 800 and 900, and then by the Aztecs around AD 1200. You can contemplate this amid nature and in solitude, as you're likely to have the place entirely to yourself.
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Zócalo
Any exploration of Veracruz has to begin with its zócalo (also called the Plaza de Armas and Plaza Lerdo), the city’s unofficial outdoor ‘stage’ where inspired organized events overlap with the day-to-day improvisation of Mexican life. The handsome public space is framed by portales (arcades), the 17th-century Palacio Municipal and an 18th-century cathedral. The level of activity accelerates throughout the day until the evening, when the zócalo becomes thick with souvenir sellers, musical entertainers, merrymakers and bystanders.
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El Cuajilote
Only discovered in the early 1990s, this beautiful site dates back to AD 600–900 and was once home to peoples unknown. It consists of temples, platforms and shrines, partially reclaimed from the jungle, around a long, rectangular plaza, and is worth visiting for the beauty of the surroundings alone; you are likely to have the serene place to yourself. Follow the 'Filobobos' signs south from Tlapacoyan along a paved road; the last 1km is unpaved and very bumpy. Rancho Grande–bound taxis can drop you at the 1km turnoff. As you enter the site, the first two buildings on your right are a ball court. Directly opposite is the excavated Templo Mayor, an impressive multitiered pyramid. Along the two sides of the plaza you can make out the shapes of other platforms and temples beneath the lush vegetation. A brook separates the Templo Mayor from the remains of shrines in the middle of the plaza. The archaeological project is ongoing and the origins of El Cuajilote's residents are yet to be determined. Over 1500 phallic fertility figures were found at Shrine A4, suggesting the influence of a Huastec fertility cult, whereas the earliest buildings at the site (possibly dating back to BC 1000) seem to be Olmec in appearance and stone sculptures found here appear to be similar to Totonac in style. Archaeologists believe that it is also possible that the two sites that make up Filobobos were, in fact, settled by a hitherto unknown Mesoamerican civilization.
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Pirámide de los Nichos
El Tajín’s most emblematic structure, the beautifully proportioned Pyramid of the Niches, is just off the Plaza Menor. The six lower levels, each surrounded by rows of small square niches, climb to 18m. Archaeologists believe that there were originally 365 niches, suggesting that the building may have been used as a kind of calendar. In its heyday, it was painted red with black niches.
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Salto de Eyipantla
Twelve kilometers southeast of San Andrés, in the eponymous village, a 250-step staircase leads down to the absolutely spectacular Salto de Eyipantla, a 50m-high, 40m-wide waterfall. Scenes from the movie Apocalypto were filmed here. To avoid the steps (and a soaking at the base) there's a mirador (lookout) at the top of the falls, which is free. Frequent TLT buses (M$15) and taxis (shared/whole M$30/100) run from San Andrés, leaving from the corner of Cabada and 5 de Mayo, near the market. If driving, follow Hwy 180 east for 4km to Sihuapan, then turn right to Eyipantla.
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Museo Histórico Naval
Occupying a former naval academy, this high-tech museum offers a titanic lesson in Mexico’s maritime heritage, with plenty of interactive displays and an attractive layout. Displays cover pre-Colombian navigation and Columbus' discovery of the New World to trade with Asia, the growth of Veracruz and the role of the present-day navy. There are also exhibits focusing on the US attacks on Veracruz in 1847 and 1914, a ship simulator and plenty of armaments through the ages. The in-house cafe offers a place for a quiet rest. The big drawback for non-Spanish speakers is that most of the displays are in Spanish only.
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Vega de la Peña
Reachable only on foot and covering 8 sq km, the remains of this pre-Hispanic settlement have been only partially excavated. It shows Olmec, Huastec, Totonac and Toltec influences and its history spans more than 1500 years, from BC 100 to AD 1500, though its heyday seems to have been between AD 1200 and 1500. It's 2.5km away from the El Cuajilote site, where you can get directions. It's not as visually impressive as its sister site; there's a small ball court and some residential buildings, but the underlying idea is mindblowing. It is possible that the yet-to-be-excavated ruins are considerably more extensive than currently believed, and that the complex civilization that flourished here played a considerably more prominent role in terms of Mesoamerican trade and influence than previously believed.