Veracruz

A long, narrow state on the Gulf of Mexico, with an old port city, the El Tajín ruins, coffee-growing mountain towns and the country's highest peak.

Veracruz stretches in a long, narrow strip along the Gulf of Mexico coast, from the tropical shore up to towering volcanic highlands. The port of Veracruz is where the Spanish first landed and founded a city, and it has the San Juan de Ulúa fortress and plazas filled with music. In the north, the ruins of El Tajín are known for their niched pyramid, and along with the riverside town of Tlacotalpan it is a World Heritage Site. The capital, Xalapa, has an anthropology museum housing Olmec colossal heads, nearby mountain towns such as Coatepec produce coffee, and Pico de Orizaba, on the state line, is Mexico's highest peak. Winter brings occasional northern winds, and the dry season is generally the better time to go. The gateway is Veracruz International Airport.

Destinations

• Xalapa
• Veracruz

Itineraries

• Port of Veracruz to the Coffee Highlands – From the historic gulf port to a riverside World Heritage town, then up into the cloud forests of Xalapa and coffee tow…