Take a detour to Veracruz to discover Mexico's world-class history
👆First Church in the Americas
The charm of Veracruz
Veracruz, which is introduced a little in the corner of the guidebook.Veracruz is a state and a city.Veracruz is an important and unforgettable region for Mexico.
Veracruz is a long, narrow state in the central-eastern part of Mexico that stretches north-south along the Gulf of Mexico.In the north is the Huasteca and Totonaca cultures, in the center is the city of Veracruz, which has the port of Veracruz, the gateway to the eastern side of Mexico, and in the south is the region where the Olmec, the first large culture in Mesoamerica, flourished.
On the west side of the state rises Citraltepetl, commonly known as Pico de Orizaba, the highest peak in Mexico at 5636m.The east and west of the long, narrow state have different climates, as moist air from the Gulf of Mexico hits the Sierra Gorda Oriente mountains and brings rain, while dry air flows to the west.
Coffee production is thriving in the Sierra Gorda Mountains due to its altitude and moderate rainfall, and "Veracruz Coffee" is known for high quality coffee along with Chiapas and Oaxaca.
Veracruz does not have world-famous archaeological sites such as Teotihuacan or Chichen Itza, or famous resorts such as Cancun or Los Cabos.For this reason, it is not included in the golden route of Mexico travel for foreign travelers, but it is recommended for intermediate to advanced travelers who want to learn more about Mexico and feel its history.Of course, we also offer tours that even first-time visitors to Mexico can enjoy.
Things to do in Veracruz
The place where the first Europe in the Americas was born
It may not make much sense, but it is.The place called the Americas, where Mexico, the United States, and the countries of Central and South America are today, was not Mexico, the United States, Canada, or Central and South America about 500 years ago.
There, the Messican Empire known for its Aztecs, the Mayan culture famous for its calendars and letters, and the Inca Empire famous for Machu Picchu and Cusco flourished in Peru.
In 1519, during the Age of Discovery, a Spanish expedition led by Columbus and Hernán Cortés, known as the "Conqueror", landed on the coast of Veracruz.From this very moment the Europeanization of the Americas began.
The things brought by the Spaniards were not only the Spanish language, but also the religion of Catholicism, church architecture that fascinates tourists with gorgeous decorations, and food culture.Today, English, Spanish, Portuguese and some French are commonly spoken in the Americas, but the first place where European languages and other cultural elements were introduced was here in Veracruz, America. We will guide you to the first European town built on the continent.
Work experience at a coffee plantation
Mexican coffee is still a minority in Japan.However, it is among the top 10 coffee producers in the world.Mexican coffee is characterized by its moderate acidity and refreshing taste that you will never get tired of.
There are several major Mexican coffee producing regions, not to mention Veracruz, but also Chiapas, Puebla and Oaxaca.
In addition to the work experience, we will start from the coffee bean harvesting work.The coffee that you always drink at a cafe, what kind of person, how and how much effort is put into harvesting it?You can experience the "difficulty" through this work experience.
After the main work, you can see the whole process of threshing, washing, drying, roasting, and the coffee beans sold in the shop.
Museums & Ruins of Olmec Culture
Speaking of Mexico, I think that there are many people who think of "ruins" and "ruins", Teotihuacan and Chichen Itza.
The important thing when enjoying 120% of Mexico's "ruins" is to have a bird's-eye view of Mexico.The real pleasure of sightseeing in the ruins is the big pyramid, but the first thing I would like you to do is look at the map.So I want you to mark where Teotihuacan is, where Chichen Itza is, and where the capital of the Mexica Empire known as the Aztecs was.
For example, the three places called "Ruins" I just mentioned are completely different in time and location, but if you look at the history of Mesoamerica, you will find points of connection.Once you understand that, sightseeing in Mesoamerican ruins in Mexico will be 3% more enjoyable.
Veracruz has a region that reflects the Totonaca culture and another important big culture, the Olmec culture.The Olmec culture was the first great culture that arose in Mesoamerica.It dates back to around 1800 BC.There are several cultural elements that developed at that time, some of which indirectly influenced the cultures of various parts of Mesoamerica over the next 3000 years.
We recommend that you visit the ruins of the first large city of Mesoamerica and the museum where you can see the originals of the important relics excavated from there.
Routes
Due to the nature of tourism resources and logistical reasons, it is more efficient to add 1-2 days to other tourist routes than to travel only in Veracruz.
- Attach a route from Mexico City to Oaxaca
- Stick to Mexico City & Teotihuacan Route
- Attached to Mexico City & Puebla Cholula Route
- Attach to Olmec & Chocolate Route
- Attach to the Palenque-Lacandon-Olmeca Route
For example a route like this:
Route Example XNUMX: Mexico City Veracruz Oaxaca
Example Route XNUMX: Departing from and arriving at Mexico City / El Tajin Archaeological Site & Vanilla Plantation of Papantla - Quetzalamp Ebla & Cholula
Example route XNUMX: Veracruz to OR - Olmeka Palenquera Candon
tour days
We will adjust the tour route according to the customer's request and time, but in the case of a round trip from Mexico City to Oaxaca, we can guide you with a certain amount of time if you have 4 days via Veracruz.Drop-off in Oaxaca is available for those unable to travel by land.In the case of a round trip by land, it is possible to make detours at different locations on the outbound and return trips.
Photo gallery
The Europeanization of the Americas started here
Mesoamerican-European Contact & Veracruz Coffee Plantations
Recommended for these people!
- Those who want to feel the “true face of Mexico”
- Those who want to change the time of "moving" to the time of "discovery"
- Those who are unsatisfied with general tours
- Intermediate/advanced traveler to Mexico
- Female travel
- Those who want to make a special trip to Mexico
- Those who like history
Of course, people other than the above people are also very welcome!