10 best things to do in Veracruz, Mexico

Covering most of Mexico’s Gulf Coast (720km worth), the state of Veracruz packs in a range of sights, from highland towns to sultry lakes, not to mention outstanding natural diversity, thanks to its coastline, towering mountains, jungle rivers and wildlife‑rich lagoons.

In just a week, you can easily roam through historic towns, wander around coffee farms and hike in highland forests. Bustling Veracruz City and the capital Xalapa have a wealth of attractions for urban explorers, while history buffs will appreciate archaeological highlights like the niched pyramids of El Tajín and the Totonac site of Quiahuiztlán. Further inland, Mexico’s highest mountain – snowcapped Pico de Orizaba – beckons, within reach of the appealing town of Orizaba.

Here are the top things to do in Veracruz.

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1. Twirl through an outdoor fiesta in Veracruz City

All roads in Veracruz City lead to the zócalo (also called the Plaza de Armas), the palpitating heart of the historic center. Shaded by elegant palm trees, this handsome square features the city’s most impressive Spanish-style architecture, beautiful portales (arcades) and a row of lively (and correspondingly pricey) restaurants that spill out to the square.

During Carnaval and on weekend nights, the zócalo turns into a staging ground for an outdoor fiesta. Bands and dance groups create a vibrant atmosphere, and the square becomes thick with music, marimba, merrymakers and balloon sellers. Jarochos (residents of Veracruz) take their traditional dances seriously, in particular the danzón, a Veracruz phenomenon with Cuban roots that combines musical influences from the Caribbean, Africa and Europe. This 150-year-old rhythm still dominates the weekend dance action in Veracruz’ zócalo, when septuagenarian couples, dressed to kill, move in perfect rhythm to the tropical beat.

Planning tip: February kicks off the biggest party on Mexico’s eastern coast – Carnaval – with parades of costumed dancers, fireworks, music and folklore shows. Locals flock to the zócalo for live bands.

2. Get your fix of milky coffee

You can’t come to Veracruz City without popping into Gran Café de la Parroquia, a household name since 1808. This gorgeous coffeehouse with polished vintage interiors and a memorabilia nook not only spread the coffee-drinking culture in Veracruz but also pioneered the spoon-tapping tradition in the city.

To get your drink, simply tap your spoon on the coffee glass to attract attention. A white-jacketed waiter quickly appears, carrying two huge brass kettles, one filled with coffee and the other with steamy hot milk. An espresso measure is poured into the bottom of a glass while a stream of hot milk is poured from high, topping up the glass with scientific precision. And just like that, Parroquia’s famous milky coffee, lechero, is served.

Planning tip: Open 7am to midnight, Parroquia has inspired several imitators around town, including some right next door. It’s worth checking out the newer branch of the Parroquia (at the corner of Avenida George Washington and Bulevar Manuel Ávila Camacho) along the malecón (waterfront promenade).

3. Explore a 1200-year-old town fringed by rainforest

Perched like a mini Machu Picchu on a plateau beneath a vertiginous karst mountain, Quiahuiztlán (Place of the Rains) is a spectacular Totonac site 34km north of Zempoala and 76km north of Veracruz City. Buses plying Hwy 180 from Zempoala drop you at the turnoff; from there, the ruins are a 3km walk uphill. Enjoying an elevated view of the Gulf coast, the site encompasses two pyramids, more than 70 tombs, a ball court and many carved monuments.

Quiahuiztlán was established in the 9th century CE, and by around 1500, it was a thriving city of around 15,000 inhabitants. A short trail leads to the main plaza, with vistas overlooking the ocean. Cast your mind back to 1519 and imagine the Totonac people witnessing the arrival of the Spanish, who established their first settlement in Mexico on the beach just below.

Detour: Around 12km to the south, Playa La Mancha is a tranquil beach and a fine place for a dip in the sea, with a wonderful stretch of sand that borders a lagoon and four shoreline palapas (thatched-roof structures) offering fresh seafood.

4. Visit Xalapa, the state’s highland capital city

Few have heard of this city – and even fewer people know that Xalapa, not Veracruz City, is the state capital. In Mexico, though, Xalapa (pronounced "ha-la-pa") is widely known for giving the country’s favorite chili (jalapeño) its name.

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The city has a rich cultural life, thanks to its large student population, and its attractive centro (downtown) is well worth exploring, with its indie bookstores, quality coffee joints and buzzing nightlife. Parque Juárez, the main square, is a large green space lined with manicured hedges and monkey puzzle trees, where shoe shiners, food vendors and balloon sellers gather from day to night.

Planning tip: Head to the south side for hilltop views of the multicolored, haphazardly arranged city skyline and the snowcapped cone of Pico de Orizaba in the distance (if conditions permit).

5. Be wowed by colossal Olmec stone heads

Set 4km north of Xalapa’s center is the outstanding Museo de Antropología, which expertly showcases the nation’s archaeological riches, from the Olmecs onward. This world-class museum alone makes dropping by Xalapa worthwhile. It has the second-finest archaeological collection in Mexico (after Mexico City’s gargantuan Museo Nacional de Antropología), occupying interconnected galleries that flow on a gradual slope down the side of a hill, with manicured gardens and outdoor display areas spread out along the way.

Archaeological treasures here represent the three main civilizations that lived along the Gulf coast before Spanish colonization: the Olmecs, Totonacs and Huastecs. Exhibits are in chronological order, starting with the larger-than-life Olmec stone heads – out of the 17 giant Olmec heads found in Mexico, seven are on display here.

Planning tip: Everything is superbly installed, though the explanatory text is in Spanish only. There are laminated English information sheets available in certain rooms. Join an English-speaking tour to make better sense of the artifacts.

6. Sample Mexico’s coffee capital

Coatepec is a popular vacation town for weekending Mexicans and a starting point for coffee farm excursions and waterfall hikes. Coffee was first cultivated here in 1808, with the region enjoying near-perfect conditions for arabica production. Wandering the cobblestone streets of Coatepec today, you’re never far from the enticing aroma of beans being roasted. With so much caffeine action on tap, there’s no excuse for a lazy day.

Browse the vintage machinery inside Museo del Café Coatepec and drop in for a cup of java at the stylish cafe, with its side terrace and an elegant interior. Be sure to sample local small-batch roasts in coffee shops around town. Try Matita de Café, which roasts on-site and sells single-estate beans, or El Café de Avelino, where you'll find a a passionate barista and welcoming host in owner Avelino Hernández, known as the poeta del café (coffee poet).

Planning tip: Buses to Coatepec regularly leave from Mercado de los Sauces, 1km west of Xalapa's center. Catching a taxi usually costs from 150 Mexican pesos (M$) each way.

7. Check out quirky museums in a French-designed landmark

An icon in its own right, Palacio de Hierro (Iron Palace) in Orizaba steals the show with its eye-catching steel structure, olive iron walls and multilayered steel roof. Formerly the city’s Palacio Municipal, it was designed by none other than Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame). Orizaba’s mayor bought the building in 1892 in a bid to impress the rest of Mexico with a European-style city hall. The 600-ton building was shipped from Belgium, piece by piece, then assembled in Orizaba. For 97 years, Palacio de Hierro functioned as the town hall, up until 1991, when the government moved its office to Palacio de Orizaba.

Palacio de Hierro has since been converted into a tourist office and houses a number of small museums, which are open from 9am to 7pm. Museo de las Raíces de Orizaba showcases a collection of archaeological artifacts, and kids will enjoy Museo Interactivo's small planetarium and engaging science experiments. Adults can pop into Museo de la Cerveza to learn about Orizaba’s biggest brewery and sample a free glass of beer.

Planning tip: After roaming through the exhibits, sit back and enjoy coffee brewed in the old-school roasters on the veranda of Gran Café de Orizaba.

8. Marvel at Mexico’s highest peak

At a cloud-scraping and breathless 5636m above sea level, snowcapped Pico de Orizaba is Mexico’s tallest mountain. It’s called Citlaltépetl (Star Mountain) in the Nahuatl language for good reason: from its summit, you can take in views of three mountains to the west – Popocatépetl, Iztaccíhuatl and La Malinche – and the Gulf of Mexico to the east.

For a view of Pico de Orizaba, you’ll need to ride the cable car up to Cerro del Borrego in Orizaba, and keep your fingers crossed for clear weather (the cable car will not run if conditions are very windy or there’s a risk of thunderstorms). Several guide companies, like Turismo Aventura, offer a variety of day trips that can get you closer to the mountain, including (weather permitting) up 4520m to near the Refugio Fausto González Gomar, the highest point that can be reached by car.

Planning tip: Hiking the summit is a serious undertaking suitable only for experienced, well-equipped mountain climbers prepared for extreme cold and possible altitude sickness. Even experienced trekkers are advised to hire a guide, like Servimont based in Tlachichuca.

9. Watch men fly in a dance for the gods

Once the springboard for travelers visiting El Tajín, the gateway town of Papantla is now emerging as a destination in its own right, flaunting its rich Indigenous heritage and central location in the world’s best vanilla-growing region. Perhaps the most intriguing Totonac tradition still practiced in Papantla is the UNESCO-listed ceremony of the voladores (flying men).

According to legend, the gods told men: “Dance, we will watch.” To appease the gods, the Totonac created the bizarre yet mystical tradition, which begins with four men in elaborate ceremonial clothing climbing to the top of a 30m pole, where they each attach themselves to a rope. They sit on the edges of a small frame at the top and rotate the frame to twist the ropes around the pole. A fifth man then climbs to the top and dances on the platform above them while playing a chirimía, a small drum with a flute attached. (It’s said the drum represents the voice of God while the flute is the song of birds.) When he stops playing, the other men fall backward. Arms outstretched, they revolve gracefully around the pole in a trancelike rotation.

Planning tip: Performances usually take place outside Papantla’s cathedral every 2 hours between 9am–5:30pm from Friday to Sunday (daily in high season – January, February and holidays). 

10. Walk through a preserved city

El Tajín is one of the best preserved and most important ancient cities in Mesoamerica. Its pyramids and temples burst off a plain surrounded by low, lush hills 10km west of Papantla. Wonderfully evocative, it is an impressive reminder of the Classic Veracruz civilization and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The 18m-tall Pirámide de los Nichos makes El Tajín special. But equally intriguing are the site’s ball courts – 17 have been excavated. On the northern side of the pyramid, you’ll find the Juego de Pelota de las Pinturas, so named for the two immaculately preserved red-and-blue geometric friezes on its north-facing side. This ball court is located in the government square and was home to the ruling class.

The most famous is the Juego de Pelota Sur. Dating from around 1150, this ball court has six relief carvings on its walls, depicting the human sacrifices made during games. The panel on the northeast corner is the clearest: in the center, three players perform a postgame sacrifice, with one player ready to plunge a knife into the chest of another, whose arms are held by the third player. Death gods and a figure preside over the ritual.

Planning tip: To get to the ruins, catch the bus labeled “Pirámides Tajín” from Calle 16 de Septiembre in Papantla. Taxis cost around M$120 each way. There are usually taxis waiting outside the ruins; otherwise, negotiate a return fee that includes waiting with your driver.

This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s Mexico guidebook, published in October 2025.