veracruz - lonely planetmedia.lonelyplanet.com/shop/pdfs/mexico-14-veracruz-preview.pdf · veracruz...
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VeracruzWhy Go?Taking up much of Mexico’s Caribbean coastline, the long and diverse state of Veracruz is where the Spanish con-quest 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, snow-capped Orizaba.
As a destination it’s routinely overlooked by travelers, and while it’s true that the beaches are better in the Yu-catán and the colonial towns more impressive in Mexico’s central and western highlands, Veracruz has a steady sup-ply of charms in both categories. It also lays claim to the World Heritage site of colonial Tlacotalpan, the impressive Biosphere Reserve of Los Tuxtlas and some gorgeous pueb-los mágicos (magical villages) including hilly Papantla, cob-bled Coscomatepec and the coffee-growing center of 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.
Best Places to Eat¨¨ El Brou (p222)
¨¨ Las Delicias Marinas (p217)
¨¨ Restaurante Mesón Xiqueño (p227)
¨¨ Los Canarios (p212)
¨¨ Ulúa Fish (p212)
Best Places to Stay¨¨ Posada del Emperador
(p232)
¨¨ Mesón del Alférez Xalapa (p220)
¨¨ Hotel Azúcar (p243)
¨¨ Hotel Posada Doña Lala (p246)
When to Go
Oct Cheap prices, bearable temper-atures and barely another tourist in sight.
Feb–Mar The Veracruz Carna-val kicks off the biggest party on Mexico’s eastern coast.
Nov–Feb Peak tourist season for non-Mexicans with less rain and balmy temperatures.
F DNOSAJJMAMJ
Veracruz City°C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm
0/32
10/50
20/68
30/86
40/104
0
8/200
16/400
24/600
Veracruz City . . . . . . 205Xalapa . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217Córdoba . . . . . . . . . . . .227Orizaba . . . . . . . . . . . 232Tuxpan . . . . . . . . . . . . 235Papantla . . . . . . . . . . .237El Tajín . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241Tlacotalpan . . . . . . . . 245Catemaco . . . . . . . . . . 251Reserva de la Biosfera Los Tuxtlas 253
©Lonely¨Planet¨Publications¨Pty¨Ltd
Veracruz Veracruz Veracruz H
igH
LigH
Ts
204
MexicoGulf of
Claro
Río
Uxp
anap
a
RíoRío El Corte
PotosíSan Luis
Veracruz
Oaxaca
Puebla
Tlaxcala
Hidalgo
Veracruz
Tamaulipas
las FloresFortín de
Coscomatepec Villa Rica
Altamira
Tenochtitlán
Ciudad
TuxtlaSan Andrés
TuxtlaSantiago
BonitaLoma
BlancaTierra
AlatorreVega de
de la TorreMartínez
de TeayoCastillo
de ReyesHuejutla
VallesCiudad
Oaxaca
Pachuca
Tlaxcala
Puebla
Texistepec
Antón Lizardo
La Antigua
Nautla
Tamiahua
Tecolutla
Boca del Río
Isla
Montepío
Sontecomapan
La Venta
Minatitlán
Acayucan
Catemaco
Alvarado
NochixtlánTuxtepec
Pánuco
Tantoyuca
Tempoal
Gutiérrez Zamora
Tuxpan
Tamazunchale
Tehuacán
Teziutlán
Perote
El Seco
Veracruz
Tampico
Coatzacoalcos
Poza Rica
Cardel
Córdoba
Orizaba
San Lorenzo
ZapotesTres
Cofre de PeroteParque Nacional
NacionalParque
BlancoCañón del Río
Pico de OrizabaParque Nacional
latn
eir
Oer
daM
arr e
iS
(3395m)Zempoaltéoetl
del ChairelLaguna
CatemacoLaguna
TamiahuaLaguna de
Costa Esmeralda
Chachalacas
Istmo de Tehuantepec
AirportPoza Rica
AirportVeracruz
AirportTampico
Airport
Zempoala
PozasLas
El LenceroHacienda
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEXMEX
MEXMEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
MEX
180
80D
105
140
129
119
105
130
127
180127
18070
145
180
147
185
85
70
150D
145D
180D
Papantla
La Barra
OrizabaPico de
Xico
Coatepec
El Tajín
Xalapa
Tlacotalpan
0 100 km0 50 miles
Veracruz Highlights1 Decipher a triumvirate of Mesoamerican cultures in Xalapa’s architecturally magnificent Museo de Antropología (p218)
2 Marvel at the many colors of colonial Tlacotalpan (p245), perhaps Mexico’s least known World Heritage site
3 imagine past glories at the extensive ruins of El Tajín (p241)
4 Take a boat across Laguna de sontecomapan for fresh fish on the beach at La Barra (p254)
5 sip gourmet coffee in the cloud forest–encased towns of Coatepec (p224) or Xico (p226)
6 Climb (or at least take the cable car) up Mexico’s highest mountain, magnificent Pico de Orizaba (p235)
7 Watch grown men fly at a one-of-a-kind voladores ceremony in Papantla (p237)