Mexico Connect
Forums  > General > Traveling Mexico

gpkgto

Oct 16, 2009, 10:50 AM

Post #1 of 14 (7325 views)

Shortcut

First visit to Veracruz Nov 17

Can't Post | Private Reply
First visit to Veracruz Nov 17
We will be visiting Veracruz (city) for the first time--for about 6 days. We live in Mexico (Irapuato, Gto.), speak OK Sapnish and love everything Mexican--(well almost everything). Anyway--what should we be sure to see/do/eat? Especially interested in "do-not-miss" ideas. I think we will be in the centro historico. Thanks!

mexliving

Oct 16, 2009, 6:44 PM

Post #2 of 14 (7289 views)

Shortcut

Re: [gpkisner] First visit to Veracruz Nov 17

Can't Post | Private Reply
here is a handfull of things to see and do while in VERACRUZ... it has some serious history behind the state.....
    Short Trips Around Town (3 Hours)
    • Take a tour of the old Spanish fort of San Juan de Ulua,listen to the story of Chucho El Roto, Mexico´s Robin Hood, and see where Sir Francis Drake lost his ships. It´s a good idea to hire one of the guides, otherwise it will only look like a bunch of old rocks and empty rooms.
    • Typical Market Exploration. The Fish Market and Hidalgo Markets. Plan on a delicious lunch with regional specialties.
    • Need a haircut while you are here? Go to Miguelito´s Barber Shop and find out about local politics, history, and music. He plays a great selection of trios, salsa, and danzón music, and speaks a little English. After 5 minutes you´ll feel like a regular customer.
    • Dance along with the construction workers and maids, and learn the timeless Danzón on a Sunday in the Parque Zamora. Or weekend evenings on the Plaza de la Constitución.
    • Boat Trips in a native launch by the hour to Reefs and Islands. There are also mangrove swamps near Mandinga. Great Seafood Lunch. Endangered species observations,
    • Tour the Barrios of Veracruz. Join in the local life. You will feel different afterwards.

    Longer Trips (5 Hours)
    • Most guide books are incomplete and are sometimes wrong. Before you come, be sure to read the History of Veracruz.
    • Quiahuiztlán and Villa Rica is where the first Veracruz was located. It was the second Veracruz, and where Montezuma´s gold was loaded on the ships to Spain.
    • Be sure to visit timeless Antigua, Veracruz. It was the second Veracruz, and where Montezuma´s gold was loaded on the ships to Spain.
    • Visit Alvarado and Tlacotalpan along the Papaloapan River. You won´t many tourists and the people are friendly.
    • There are other out of the way places like Paso de Ovejas along the Third Camino Real.
    • Trip to old hacienda at Boca del Monte. Enjoy good country cooking. See the bullet holes from the Revolution in the backyard.
    • The French Foreign Legion Monument in El Camarón. It´s the only place in the Western Hemisphere where the French Foreign Legion was defeated.
    • Relaxing thermal baths and restored hacienda. in El Carrizal,
    • If you are fortunate, catch a performance of the Voladores at the pyramids in Cempoala, Veracruz.

    Longer Trips(7 Hours)
    • The Anthropology Museum in Xalapa, and the beautifully restored Santa Anna´s former Hacienda at El Lencero.
    • Tlacotepec de Mejía, a quiet village along the wool route to Spain. Nestled among the coffee and cinnamon trees about 2 hours from Veracruz in the land of eternal spring.

    Longer Trips (Plan on All Day or Overnight)
    • A day trip or overnight trip to Playa Hermosa and Montepío to visit some of the best unspoiled beaches on the Gulf of Mexico.

    Have I left anything out?


bournemouth

Oct 16, 2009, 7:08 PM

Post #3 of 14 (7279 views)

Shortcut

Re: [mexliving] First visit to Veracruz Nov 17

 Can't Post | Private Reply
What a great post Mexliving - I've filed that one away for future reference - thanks for all that effort and information.

esperanza

Oct 16, 2009, 9:49 PM

Post #4 of 14 (7262 views)

Shortcut

Re: [mexliving] First visit to Veracruz Nov 17

 Can't Post | Private Reply
Wow! That's fabulous, thank you for posting.




http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com








jtoddjr

Oct 17, 2009, 6:55 AM

Post #5 of 14 (7233 views)

Shortcut

Re: [esperanza] First visit to Veracruz Nov 17

 Can't Post | Private Reply
Glad to hear you are coming to Veracruz for a visit. There´s a lot of places to visit and things to do. Just hanging around the Zocalo in the evenings or coffee in the morning at the Café de la Parroquía is good enough.

Also thanks for pasting one of the chapter pages from my web site www.johntoddjr.com.

If you have only 6 days, plan your trip well because I still haven´t seen it all.

Saludos,

John

esperanza

Oct 17, 2009, 7:15 AM

Post #6 of 14 (7228 views)

Shortcut

Re: [jtoddjr] First visit to Veracruz Nov 17

 Can't Post | Private Reply
John, the person who will be visiting Veracruz for the first time is gpkisner. The person who posted the page from your website is mexliving. I'm surely glad he did, and even happier that you clarified the point of authorship.

Thank you very much for posting here! Your website is a marvelous resource for anyone visiting Veracruz. I've bookmarked it for future personal travel.

Thanks again.




http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com








Hound Dog

Oct 17, 2009, 10:06 AM

Post #7 of 14 (7210 views)

Shortcut

Re: [mexliving] First visit to Veracruz Nov 17

Can't Post | Private Reply
That was a most informative post by MexLiving excerpted from JohnTodd. We´ll copy that post for future reference.

gp doesn´t say how he is getting to Veracruz City but I presume he is driving down from Irapuato which leads me to believe gp will be entering Veracruz State from the Puebla Plain on the Puebla-Veracruz autopista descending from the high plain to the gulf coastal plain passing spectacular Pico Orizaba, the highest´peak in Mexico and the very interesting towns along the Orizaba-Cordoba urban corridor where I recommend gp leave the autopista briefly and drive along the libre from Orizaba to Cordoba through surprising Fortin de Las Flores with its beautiful gardens. If time permits, this gorgeous valley is a good place to overnight on the way to Veracruz City.

I second the idea that gp drive down to the surreal town of Tlacotalpan on the river. A must see if possible. From there the drive down to San Andres Tuxtla and Santiago Tuxtla and then on to beautiful Lake Catemaco before returning to the Cordoba- Minatitlan autopista for the return drive northwest is a great drive as well.

As for us, we will have to divert from our usual drive in Southeastern Veracruz State on our way to Chiapas and check out the more northerly sites recommended by JohnTodd. Thanks again for the excellent post.


(This post was edited by Hound Dog on Dec 31, 2009, 8:41 AM)

bournemouth

Oct 17, 2009, 10:54 AM

Post #8 of 14 (7198 views)

Shortcut

Re: [jtoddjr] First visit to Veracruz Nov 17

 Can't Post | Private Reply
I actually wrote to the poster asking if he is you - if you get the idea. The information on your site is great - thanks for putting it up.

gpkgto

Oct 17, 2009, 12:26 PM

Post #9 of 14 (7182 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Hound Dog] First visit to Veracruz Nov 17

Can't Post | Private Reply
Thanks to everyone--just the kind of information I was hoping for!! Veracruz has been on my must-visit list for 10 years--so I am finally almost there--just wish I had more time for this visit.

Gayla

Oct 17, 2009, 1:46 PM

Post #10 of 14 (7170 views)

Shortcut

Re: [gpkisner] First visit to Veracruz Nov 17

Can't Post | Private Reply
GP - Veracruz had been on my radar for almost as long as it's been on yours. I finally had the opportunity to visit this past February. It's a ruggedly beautiful state and I had far too little time to cover far too much ground, and sadly the travel itinaray was not mine. All my first visit did was whet my appetite for a return trip :-) I did visit several of the places listed above and all of them are definitely worth seeking out. The Totonac ruins overlooking the rock where Cortez actually landed are beautiful and somewhat haunting if the day is overcast. The pyramids and grounds at Zempoala are also quite nice. I was charmed by Coatepec and stocked up on the local coffee there. But I was disappointed in Xico though I stocked up on their delightful local mole.

John Todd's web site is a treasure trove of information. I had printed out several sections of for my trip which came in handy. You can spend hours on his site mining it for ideas, suggestions and recommendation. If you didn't have some wanderlust or desire to visit Veracruz before checking out his web site, you certainly will afterwards!

Enjoy your trip and have a great time, there's gobs of things to do and see.

TigerTonio


Oct 19, 2009, 6:03 AM

Post #11 of 14 (7100 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Gayla] First visit to Veracruz Nov 17

 Can't Post | Private Reply
The timing of this thread couldn't be better as we are also considering a trip to Veracruz in November. Great info! And Gary, we just might run into you!

What is the weather like in the city of Veracruz during November?

Reefhound


Oct 29, 2009, 7:32 PM

Post #12 of 14 (6970 views)

Shortcut

Re: [TigerTonio] First visit to Veracruz Nov 17

 Can't Post | Private Reply
Does anyone know about scuba diving in Veracruz? I've heard the water is fairly clear and there are some nice wrecks to dive. Any shop names?

When we visit familia in Celaya several times a year, we usually stop in Rio Verde (about 120 km east of SLP on Mx70) on the way back where I dive Media Luna and Tamisopo. I'd like to swing over to Veracruz some time and try something new. It adds a fair bit to the drive, though.

joaquinx


Oct 30, 2009, 6:58 AM

Post #13 of 14 (6950 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Reefhound] First visit to Veracruz Nov 17

 Can't Post | Private Reply
A good bet on diving in Veracruz is Jon Williamson jonw46996@hotmail.com. I believe that he has spent more time underwater than above. He had a blog, but I think that it is closed and at least the email is published online.
_______
My desire to be well-informed is currently at odds with my desire to remain sane.

tashby


Dec 30, 2009, 2:30 PM

Post #14 of 14 (6253 views)

Shortcut

Re: [gpkisner] First visit to Veracruz Nov 17

Can't Post | Private Reply
*bump*

(He said, selfishly....)
 
 
Search for (advanced search) Powered by Gossamer Forum v.1.2.4