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Exploring Veracruz — Mexico's Major Port City

Top Things To Do in Veracruz City

Nov 16, 2009 Nancy Flores

From dancing the traditional music of danzón in the city's main plaza to sipping a café lechero overlooking the boardwalk, Veracruz offers a laid-back but festive vibe.

In the tropical city of Veracruz, which lies along the Gulf of Mexico, visitors can always find quality coffee, tons of live music, and some of Mexico's finest seafood.

With its crumbling historic buildings and a faint tabacco fragrance filling the air, visitors may be reminded of old Havana or even Panama City's Casco Viejo. Veracruz's charm begins to reveal itself as visitors learn about its history and explore its sights. But simply spending an evening sitting in the sidewalk cafés and restaurants under the colonial-era arches that hover over the Plaza de Armas can be enough for a visitor to understand the lure of Veracruz.

Its festive reputation, in part, comes from Veracruz's extravagant annual carnival celebrations.

Veracruz City's Colonial History

Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés landed near Veracruz in 1519. Its ideal location along Mexico's eastern coast made it a major passageway for the Spanish to settle Mexico. Unfortunately, the oldest port in the Americas also made Veracruz a target for constant pirate attacks — so much so that Veracruz became a walled city with a nearby island serving as a fort.

Thousands of African slaves were brought by the Spanish, and today the Afro-Mexican presence gives the state a unique cultural dynamic.

Sightseeing in Veracruz Via Trolley

Lazy mornings in the city's downtown can be misleading, for Veracruz begins to buzz in the late afternoon and evenings. So until the main plaza gets going, visitors can take advantage and check out some top sights around Veracruz. The best way to do this, especially for visitors who have just arrived, is to take Mexico's liveliest trolley tour through Veracruz to get a brief overview of the city.

While many Mexican cities have a guided trolley tour of the city available or double-decker buses called Turibus, the Veracruz version puts the rest to shame. The tour includes refreshments, cookies, and even a shot of the local liquor called Torito. Made from pure cane alcohol, milk, and sugar, toritos are creamy and tasty — try the delicious peanut flavor.

Between the historical facts, passengers listen to all kinds of music from reggaeton to the traditional local folk music of son jarocho. Visitors can catch the trolley at the Veracruz boardwalk, just a few blocks from the Plaza de Armas.

Veracruz Malecón or Boardwalk

Cool off with a stroll along the boardwalk as winds from the Gulf hit the shore. It's the only part of the city that feels touristy because of the artisan's market. But visitors can simply walk past the buzzing market if they are not looking for any souvenirs.

Make sure to stop by the famous Gran Café de la Parróquia overlooking the boardwalk. It's famous for its delicious café lechero. Visitors must tap their coffee mugs with a spoon and a waiter will come to pour some steamy milk for the popular coffee drink.

Fort San Juan de Ulúa

Located in front of the present-day Veracruz port, Fort San Juan de Ulúa first served as an islet where Spanish travelers could find shelter and as a wharf for galleons transporting goods to and from Spain. But after frequent pirate attacks, construction began in 1535 to convert the islet to Fort San Juan de Ulúa.

Today, visitors can tour the massive fort and explore all of its cavern-like nooks and hideaway places. It offers great views of the city, including the massive ships that still arrive at Mexico's most important port city.

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