Welcome to Veracruz City
Veracruz, like all great port cities, is an unholy mélange of grime, romance and melted-down cultures. Conceived in 1519 and due to celebrate its 500th birthday in 2019, this is Mexico’s oldest European-founded settlement. But usurped by subsequent inland cities, it’s neither the nation's most historic nor its most visually striking. Countless sackings by the French, Spanish and North Americans have siphoned off the prettiest buildings, leaving a motley patchwork of working docks and questionable hybrid architecture, punctuated by the odd stray colonial masterpiece. But Veracruz' beauty is in its grit rather than its grandiosity. A carefree spirit reigns in the zócalo (main square) most evenings, where the primary preoccupation is who to cajole into a danzón (traditional couples dance), and there are some decent beaches in the southern part of the city.
Top experiences in Veracruz City
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Veracruz City activities
El Tajín Ruins and Papantla Day Trip from Veracruz
After pickup at your Veracruz hotel by van, your day trip starts with the 150-mile (240-km) drive north to the ruins of El Tajín, just outside the city of Papantla. The drive — approximately three hours — follows the Gulf of Mexico coast, so enjoy the views or catch a few ZZZs before arriving at El Tajín, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Nicknamed the City of Thunder, the pre-Columbian archaeological site dates back to 600 AD and was one of the largest cities of the Mesoamerican classical era. With your guide, walk around the ruins, checking out the pyramids and plazas. Learn about the ancient game played on the ball courts by the Totanac people, and see the most important structures — the Pyramid of the Niches, the Plaza del Arroyo and the palaces of Tajín Chico. Walk around the ruins to check out the pyramids and plazas with your guide. During your visit, you'll learn about an ancient game that was played on the ball courts by the Totanac people, and see the most important structures: the Pyramid of the Niches, the Plaza del Arroyo and the palaces of Tajín Chico.Back in your van, make the 20-minute drive to the city of Papantla, where you’ll have a break to get lunch on your own (own expense). Then tour the city with your guide, learning about one of its claims to fame: the Danza de los Voladores, or Dance of the Flyers. After ascending a tall pole, the ‘flying men’ release into the air headfirst with ropes wound tightly around their ankles, twirling for onlookers. It's a spectacle that dates back to Mesoamerica.You’ll also hear a bit about another icon of Papantla, vanilla, which has been grown here since the time of the Totanacs. Along the way, see city sights including the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (Our Lady of the Assumption), built in the late 1500s.Your day trip ends back at your hotel after the 3-hour return drive.
Veracruz Combo Tour: La Antigua, San Juan de Ulúa and Veracruz City Sightseeing
Your Veracruz combo tour begins with pickup from your hotel, followed by the drive to La Antigua, about 20 miles (30 km) up the coast.With your guide, tour the small, tree-lined town, learning about its history as the first Spanish settlement in Mexico. See its main attractions such as La Casa del Cabildo (one of the oldest Spanish structures still standing in Mexico), the first Catholic church in the Americas, and the house of the 16th-century Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés.Back in your minivan, return to Veracruz to visit San Juan de Ulúa, a fortress that dates back to 1565. Situated along a peninsula jutting into the Gulf of Mexico, the complex once served as a prison and then a presidential residence. Today, it's a museum where you can learn about its role in several major events in Mexico’s history.After your tour of San Juan de Ulúa, return once more to your minivan to start your sightseeing tour of Veracruz. You’ll have a break to get lunch (own expense) and then start the panoramic city tour which covers Veracruz’s top landmarks, including the Old Customs Building, Postal and Telegraph buildings, the Santiago Bulwark (defense wall) and the train station.You'll also visit the beautiful Zocalo, Veracruz’s main plaza, home to the Municipal Palace and the city’s 18th-century cathedral. From there, take a walk on the malecón to enjoy views of the Gulf of Mexico, and enjoy a drive through the neighboring port city Boca del Río to see its upscale hotels.You’ll be dropped off at your hotel at the end of the tour.
Xalapa and Coatepec Day Trip from Veracruz Including Anthropology and Coffee Museums
After pickup by van at your Veracruz hotel, your day trip begins with the 1.5-hour drive to Xalapa, nestled about 60 miles (100 km) northwest of Veracruz in the hills of one of Mexico’s biggest coffee-producing regions. Before you reach the city, visit the Lencero Museum (aka Museo de Lencero or Ex-Hacienda de Lencero), a Spanish colonial house that was once the home of Juan Lencero, a soldier who fought with Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés. Three hundred years later, in the mid-1800s, the house was bought by General Antonio López de Santa Anna, one of Mexico’s former presidents. Enjoy a brief tour of the home, checking out the period furniture and admiring the serene gardens and lake. Then continue into Xalapa, where you’ll see the city’s main attractions with your guide. The political and cultural capital of the state of Veracruz, Xalapa is home to impressive museums, churches, several universities and lovely green spaces. Highlights of your sightseeing tour include the Baroque- and Gothic-style Xalapa Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana), Government Palace (Palacio de Gobierno), the University of Veracruz (Universidad Veracruzana) and the Paseo de los Lagos, a popular park with lakes and leafy walking paths.Next, visit one of Xalapa’s biggest attractions and one of the most important museums in Mexico — the Museum of Anthropology (Museo de Antropología de Xalapa). With your guide, explore its collection of artifacts from pre-Hispanic cultures such as the Olmecs, Totonacs and Huastecs. The thousands of artifacts in the museum date as far back as 1300 BC and are wonderfully displayed in the airy, modern space. Don’t miss the collection's most impressive pieces, the pair of giant Olmec heads.After your museum tour, head to neighboring Coatepec, just 20 minutes away. At 4,100 feet (1,250 meters) above sea level, Coatepec has an ideal climate and elevation for growing coffee beans. The city’s other claim to fame is its designation as a Pueblo Mágico, or Magic Town, a program developed by Mexico’s tourism board to recognize towns that provide a ‘magical’ experience, meaning they offer an authentic Mexican cultural experience or hold an important place in Mexico’s history.See city sights like 18th-century San Jerónimo Church (Iglesia de San Jerónimo), and shop for crafts at the market, if you wish. Then take a break for lunch (own expense); your guide will give you some tips on where to find the best local food.Finally, enjoy your last attraction of the day, the Museo del Café (coffee museum) at El Café-tal Apan, a small coffee plantation just outside Coatepec where you’ll learn about the region's coffee-making process and history. Admire antique tools, watch a demonstration and see the harvest in action, depending on the time of year. Your tour ends with the drive back to Veracruz, where you’ll be dropped off at your hotel.
Veracruz Combo Tour: La Antigua, Cempoala and Quiahuiztlan Ruins
Your day trip from Veracruz begins with hotel pickup by minivan for the approximate 45-mile (75-km) drive up the coast to Quiahuiztlan. When you arrive, walk around the archaeological ruins, set on a hill with beautiful views of the Gulf of Mexico. During its time as part of the Tlaxcala confederation, the site was home to Totanac temples, plazas and a ballcourt. See what remains and learn about their significance from your guide.Back in your minivan, head south about 20 miles (30 km) to the archaeological site of Cempoala. Admire its ruins, including the Templo del Dios del Viento y la Cruz (God of Winds Temple and the Cross), Templo Mayor (Major Temple), Templo de las Chimeneas (Temple of the Chimneys) and Circulo de los Gladiadores (Circle of the Gladiators).From your guide, hear about Cempoala's Mesoamerican history — from its time as the capital of the Totanac Empire to its invasion by the Aztecs — and learn about the source of its name, which means ‘twenty waters.’ Then re-board your minivan for the drive to your final stop, La Antigua, about 20 minutes south. When you arrive in La Antigua, the first town the Spanish settled in Mexico, enjoy lunch (own expense) at Las Delicias del Mar, a local eatery. Then wander the small, tree-filled town with your guide, checking out its main attractions like La Casa del Cabildo (one of the oldest Spanish buildings still standing in Mexico); Ermita del Rosario (the first Catholic church in the Americas); and the 16th-century house of Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés, who led the invasion of the Aztec Empire.Your tour ends with a final drive back to your Veracruz hotel.
Waterpark Tickets
The park is located within the Nuevo Veracruz development five minutes from the international airport and fifteen minutes by car from the port hotel zone. Opposite the park is the Plaza Nuevo Veracruz shopping center and the Yes Inn hotel. When you get to Aquatico Inbursa find a place for your car in the main parking lot. Walk to the ticket offices and turnstiles where a quick security registration will be made to each visitor. Once inside the park you can enjoy all our attractions which are opened according to our daily program of attractions service. We have games for all ages from one to two year old babies to the grandparents who accompany them. It is important to bring the right clothes to enjoy our attractions (swimsuit or special aquatic clothes). The park has a souvenir shop and beach items in case you forgot something in your hotel. There you can rent a locker or a family dressing room to leave your belongings throughout the day as well as buy the photos that our team takes you at the attractions. We ask you to follow our regulations and listen to our staff to live the best experience.
Tajin Ruins Tour and Vanilla Factory Experience with Admission
Your tour begins with hotel pickup in Veracruz around 8am to 8:20am. You will board a comfortable van and then take the highway to Tajín, Along the way, you will pass through beautiful landscapes including popular beaches and your guide will provide you with important information of the area. Before you reach Tajín, you will visit a Vanilla Factory where you will see the plantations and experience the process of this Orchid and how it's turned into vanilla. Then, you will continue to the Tajin Ruins where you will admire this amazing site. For about almost two hours, your guide will show you all its architecture and the site museum which exhibits pieces found in the area, as well as a pleasant garden with tropical plants. After Tajín, you will take a break for lunch and your guide will recommend where to eat (not included). Next to Tajín there is a traditional market so you will see the fabulous pre-Hispanic ritual "Dance of the Flyers”.Your tour ends at 9pm in Veracruz with hotel drop-off.