Port of Veracruz
Veracruz was the first port of New Spain and was a major trade link for ships coming from Spain with colonists and returning there laden with gold and treasures.
Veracruz is a city with an old Mexico air, the bustle of a thriving commercial port and the intrigue of a long and rich history. Veracruz presents a melding of Spanish, indigenous and afro-cuban cultures and influences, an in that way it is an unusually fascinating destination where music and color abound.
The atmosphere of music and dance around the town square or Plaza de Armas, also known as the Zocalo is something not to miss. Under the arches around the square are a number of restaurants and coffeeshops where you can watch the people of Veracruz pass by, listen to harpists and other local musicians, and watch the danzones performed. Right off the square is the La Catedral de la Virgen de la Asuncion (the Cathedral of the Virgin of the Assumption), the construction of which dates from the 17th C.
The Malecon, or beach boardwalk, stretches for kilometers and provides a perfect walkway for both daytime and evening strolls. At the port end of the Malecon one can see the stately Venustiano Carranza lighthouse. Across the port area from the Lighthouse one can see the Spanish stronghold of the Fort of San Juan de Ulua, which was the last stand of the Spanish during Mexico's war of independence in the early 1800s. It was later converted into a prison and is now a museum.
The City Museum (Museo de la Ciudad), housed in a historical building in the center of town, displays artifacts pertaining the history of the Veracruz. It is located on Calle Zaragoza No. 397 at the corner of Esteban Morales. The Veracruz Aquarium is the largest saltwater aquarium in all of Latin America. It is located on Blvd. Manuel Avila Camacho (the Malecon), at the level of Juan Enriquez street.
Actions
Details
Rate