Zócalo

Any exploration of Veracruz has to begin with its zócalo (also called the Plaza de Armas and Plaza Lerdo), the city’s unofficial outdoor ‘stage’ where inspired organized events overlap with the day-to-day improvisation of Mexican life. The handsome public space is framed by portales (arcades), the 17th-century Palacio Municipal and an 18th-century cathedral. The level of activity accelerates throughout the day until the evening, when the zócalo becomes thick with souvenir sellers, musical entertainers, merrymakers and bystanders.