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Colorful and lively, the city of Veracruz is the oldest post-Columbian city on the continent.
Few other Mexican cities have had a history as stormy as that of Veracruz. It is where conquistador Hernan Cortes landed in 1519, and the first city established by the Spanish in Mexico. The Spanish named their settlement La Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz (the Rich Village of the True Cross).
The city has twice been the nation's capital at critical times: during The Reform (1858-1860) and from 1941 to 1915 during the Mexican Revolution. In the war for independence, Spanish troops bombarded and almost leveled the city from the San Juan de Ulua port. The French did the same 17 years later. U.S. troops occupied Veracruz during the Mexican-American war in 1847 and advanced to Mexico City. The French were back again in 1860, prior to the establishment of Maximilians short-lived empire. And
U.S. forces once more bombarded the port in 1914.
Veracruz has a well-deserved reputation as the liveliest of Mexican cities. Its atmosphere is reminiscent of pre-Castro Havana. Not only was it the starting point for immigrants from Europe, it was also the last wave consisting of refugees from the Spanish Civil War. That European influence may explain the presence of its sidewalk cafes. The
Caribbean also has influenced Veracruz, especially in music and dance. Carnival time brings with it an uninhibited outburst of color and gaiety.
Veracruz has beaches and resort hotels, but its principal activity is that of port, receiving the major share of
Mexico's overseas imports and dispatching wares to foreign destinations.
One of the best reasons to visit Veracruz is for its great regional cuisine. Around the Plaza Acuario and on the malecon, there are several excellent restaurants specializing in such seafood delicacies as red snapper a la Veracruzana, and arroz a la Tumbada rice with seafood. Evenings, too, people congregate in the sidewalk cafes around the main plaza to have a drink or charge up on coffee for the night ahead, and listen to the sound of marimba bands or strolling mariachis. |
