XALAPA

Xalapa, the state capital of Veracruz, is located 140 km  west of the port of Veracruz, in a mountain zone with a temperate and humid climate. The average year-round temperature is 18º C (64º F).

This city, known for its eclectic architectural offering, has buildings that are a blend of neoclassic, Moorish and neogothic styles, as you’ll see in such edifices as the Palacio de Gobierno, the Palacio Municipal and the Cathedral. As you walk along the cobblestone streets you’ll also come across interesting attractions like the Xalapa Anthropology Museum, one of the nation’s most important museums. There you can see an important collection of archaeological pieces from the Olmec, Totonac and Huastec cultures, groups that inhabited the region during the pre-Hispanic era.

Thanks to its rich cultural heritage, Xalapa hosts important artistic and cultural events, such as the International Jazz Festival and the June Music Festival, which is organized by the Xalapa Symphony Orchestra. The city also offers various food festivals and restaurants where you can delight in delicious regional cuisine.

In Xalapa’s surrounding areas you can do diverse outdoor recreational activities. At the Clavijero Botanical Garden you can observe more than 700 regional plant species in its heavenly gardens. If you’d like to do some camping and mountain climbing, the Cofre de Perote National Park has the second highest mountain in the state of Veracruz and the eighth largest in Mexico, with an altitude of 4,282 meters (14,130 feet) above sea level. You also can visit archaeological site El Tajin, an ancient capital of the Totonacs. The most notable structure there is the Pyramid of the Niches. Each year, the site hosts a summit that draws scientists, intellectuals and artists from all over the world who attend the event to discuss cultural and ecological issues.