Planning a Trip

Getting There & Departing

By Plane -- Continental (tel. 800/231-0856 in the U.S., or 01-800/900-5000 in Mexico; www.continental.com) has nonstop service to and from Houston. AeroMéxico (tel. 800/237-6639 in the U.S., or 01-800/021-4000, or 229/935-0283 or 934-1534; www.aeromexico.com.mx) and Mexicana (tel. 800/531-7921 in the U.S., or 229/932-2242 or 938-0008; www.mexicana.com) and their affiliates offer service to and from Mexico City and other destinations within the country.

The airport is 11km (7 miles) from the town center. Getting there by taxi costs about $15 (£7.50). Major car-rental agencies with counters at the airport and locations in downtown hotels include Avis (tel. 800/331-1212 in the U.S., or 229/931-1580; www.avis.com), Dollar (tel. 800/800-4000 in the U.S., or 229/935-5231; www.dollar.com), and National (tel. 800/328-4567 in the U.S., or 229/931-7556; www.national.com).

By Car -- From Mexico City (6 hr.) and Puebla (3 1/2 hr.), take the autopista (toll Hwy. 150D) into Veracruz. From Xalapa (1 1/2 hr.), take Highway 140 to coastal toll Highway 180 south.

By Bus -- The ADO first-class bus station is 20 blocks south of the town center on Díaz Mirón between calles Orizaba and Molina. There is frequent service to Mexico City, Puebla, Xalapa, and other cities. Taxis wait in front of the terminal; the trip to the center costs around $2.50 (£1.25). You can buy a bus ticket downtown at the Ticket Bus agency (tel. 01-800/702-8000 in Mexico) at the corner of Allende and Zamora. It's open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 7pm.

Visitor Information

The tourism office (tel./fax 229/989-8817 or -8800, ext. 158), is downtown by the zócalo, on the ground floor of the Palacio Municipal (City Hall). It is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 8pm, Sunday from 10am to 6pm.

City Layout

Downtown Veracruz is a jumble of streets. The social center of town is the zócalo, or town square (formally Plaza de Armas), where you'll find the tourism office. Two short blocks away is another landmark, el malecón, a long promenade fronting the harbor. Starting at the malecón and running south along the coast is Bulevar Avila Camacho, known as el bulevar. It connects downtown to Veracruz's hotel and restaurant zone, which stretches along the coast all the way to the onetime village of Boca del Río.

Getting Around

Taxis are plentiful and inexpensive. Getting from the downtown area to the restaurant and hotel district to the south takes 5 to 10 minutes.