Veracruz Attractions

Veracruz State - Capital

Apart from the Capital city their are other attractions and towns found within the State of Veracuz ...

Plaza de Armas

Location: downtown Veracruz

It is one of the oldest and most festive in the country. A space of restlessness and joy in which artistic events full of colour and movement take place, such as the popular concerts of marimba, dances and jarocho tunes, the latter a manifestation of crossbred origins with marked Spanish and African influences.

The spectacles begin in the evening and prolong well into the night. They are so animated that bystanders and spectators often join the dance.

Jetty Promenade

Location: Port of Veracruz

It was built by the end of Porfirio Díaz' administration (1876-1911), and is currently an animated and well attended promenade that allow strollers to watch the coming and going on the wharfs of Veracruz , and the sheer size of the globetrotter ships docking and weighing anchor at the Port.
There are flashy folkloric shows every night to lengthen the joy of travellers. Moreover, there are numerous handicraft stores, cafes and hotels in this gathering zone.

Castle of San Juan de Ulúa

Location: Port of Veracruz

It is an impacting fortress built at the colony's dawn to protect the Port of Veracruz , the maritime doors of New Spain ( Mexico ), from the bolt misdeeds of the pirates, among them the emblematic and feared Francis Drake.
The "protective" walls of the fortress were raised on the small Island of San Juan de Ulúa, in front of the port city. It is said that there had been a sanctuary to honour the god creator, omnipresent and aware of all human affairs, Tezcatlipoca, in the Island.
The Spanish history of the Island goes back to June the 24th of 1518, when the expedition led by Juan de Grijalva came ashore in it. The Spaniard decided to give it the name of San Juan because he had disembarked on the day of Saint John the Baptise, and Ulúa for being the name given by the locals to their land.

Aquarium of Veracruz

Location: Playón de Hornos

It is the eighth most visited aquarium on the planet and the largest and best equipped in Latin America with 3493 square metres. It was inaugurated in 1992 and hosts about 3000 marine species in 25 pools, one of them of monumental proportions.
The so-called Great Oceanic Fishbowl has a perimeter of 69 metres and is formed by 13 walls of transparent acrylic 22 centimetres thick. It is the largest in Latin America and its special design allows it to support a pressure of one million 250000 litres of salt water coming from the Gulf of Mexico. Frightful sharks inhabit it.
The aquarium is divided in 7 sections, with the Fresh Water and Salt Water Galleries standing out. The former houses African mojarras, piranhas, Japanese fishes, crocodiles and turtles, amongst other species; the latter contains sea urchins, Carey turtles, seahorses and stonefishes. There are also leopard sharks, Moor idols, and scorpions coming from the Indian Ocean.

Gran Café La Parroquia

Location: malecon

It is a symbol of the port City. It's a traditional and emblematic place where you go to "see and be seen" while chatting and tasting a delicious cup of coffee. It was inaugurated as a sweetshop in 1824 and important characters of national politics frequented its lounges, along with sportspeople, artists and stars of the show business. Its name (The Parish) came as a result of the closeness of its first local to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Asuncion.