This beautifully restored pentagonal fort was built in 1616 atop a hill east of the zócalo. Its mission was to protect the Spanish naos (galleons) conducting trade between the Philippines and Mexico from marauding Dutch and English buccaneers. The fort was destroyed in a 1776 earthquake and rebuilt; it remains basically unchanged today and is home to the excellent Museo Histórico de Acapulco.
Fuerte de San Diego
Acapulco
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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.92 MILES
Acapulco’s most famous tourist attraction, the cliff divers of La Quebrada have been dazzling audiences since 1934. Every night, a team of seven lithe…
0.02 MILES
The Fuerte de San Diego is home to this excellent 15-room museum, an enjoyable romp through history of the region, from its settlement by various pre…
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Zona Arqueológica de Palma Sola
2.53 MILES
One of Acapulco's best attractions is the least well-known and also the least expected. High above the city, on the La Cuesta hill, it's a ceremonial and…
0.41 MILES
Every night Acapulco’s leafy old town zócalo comes alive with street performers, mariachis and sidewalk cafes; it also hosts occasional festivals. It’s…
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6.36 MILES
Just 12km from central Acapulco is Pie de la Cuesta, a rustic beach suburb built on a wide sand spit that acts as a dividing line between the sea and the…
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0.18 MILES
If you love masks but are unable to visit the epic museums in Zacatecas and San Miguel, swing by this new museum, where visages of devils, conquistadors,…
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1.97 MILES
This island offers a popular (crowded) beach, and snorkeling and diving possibilities on the far side. You can rent snorkeling gear, kayaks and more. From…
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3.66 MILES
Perched on a hilltop high above Acapulco is this quiet spot for reflection, an airy '70s A-frame chapel surrounded by lovely gardens and providing…
Nearby Acapulco attractions
1. Museo Histórico de Acapulco
0.02 MILES
The Fuerte de San Diego is home to this excellent 15-room museum, an enjoyable romp through history of the region, from its settlement by various pre…
0.18 MILES
If you love masks but are unable to visit the epic museums in Zacatecas and San Miguel, swing by this new museum, where visages of devils, conquistadors,…
0.41 MILES
Every night Acapulco’s leafy old town zócalo comes alive with street performers, mariachis and sidewalk cafes; it also hosts occasional festivals. It’s…
4. Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad
0.44 MILES
The Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, built in 1930, dominates the square and is unusual for its blue-domed, neo-Byzantine architecture.
0.49 MILES
One of the beaches closest to Old Acapulco is Playa Tlacopanocha, directly across from the zócalo, noteworthy more as a departure point for bay cruises…
0.78 MILES
One of Acapulco's busy beaches along the strip, this can smell a little fishy at its western end from the day's catch.
0.79 MILES
Playa Manzanillo, a small crescent of sand handy for the center, is popular with locals but not especially clean.
0.92 MILES
Acapulco’s most famous tourist attraction, the cliff divers of La Quebrada have been dazzling audiences since 1934. Every night, a team of seven lithe…