Xalapa is a generous option for the weekend: it offers everything to the visitor and is very well connected. The food, the good coffee, the mist and the culture, which also surrounds its streets ...
Friday
16:00
My family and I left the Puebla highway, discussing the best altitude for coffee production, in the end we agreed that it was between 400 and 500 meters above sea level, that is, more or less the height of Coatepec. . As we were passing through Puebla, we stopped to enjoy a tasty mole, before continuing our way to the capital of Veracruz. Then we return to highway 150 towards Orizaba and 25 kilometers later we take the detour to Xalapa along highway 140.
19:00
During the journey we passed through Perote, where we bought some of its famous sausages such as Serrano ham, sausages, sausages, among other delicacies, introduced by the large Spanish community that lives here and that arrived in the thirties of the last century to settle in this misty and cold Veracruz community.
21:00
Upon arriving in Xalapa, we stayed and immediately afterwards went out to enjoy its nightlife. The center has some very steep and old streets with a great atmosphere where young people predominate. Some of the alleys powerfully attracted our attention, such as Diamante, which is undoubtedly one of the most popular corners for its bohemian air and cafeterias, it is also the meeting point for artisans. Here of course we enjoy an exquisite coffee, at the famous Café Cali.
We continue to the González Aparicio alley, an ideal place to have a drink, dinner, buy good music and learn about alternative tourism in the region. For dinner we chose the Postodoro, in the center, to savor the best Italian cuisine in the area, we shared the homemade pastas, cottage cheese with spinach and mushrooms accompanied by a glass of their extensive cava.
23:00
After our dinner we decided to walk a little more and visit the Jesus alley protect you, which is a romantic cobbled passage on one side of the church of san jose, from where you have one of the most beautiful panoramic views of Xalapa.
Near here we visit the Muñoz patio, a typical 19th century neighborhood, where there are painting, dance, music and son jarocho workshops.
Finally, we took a look at the Metropolitan Cathedral, built in 1773 with a mix of Baroque and Neo-Gothic architecture, and Juarez Park, which occupies the site of the San Francisco Convent, built on a plateau in the heart of the four primitive neighborhoods of the city, in the central garden its enormous and majestic araucarias stand out, its hemicycle, the picture gallery and the agora that has galleries, workshops, an auditorium and a cafeteria that also offers a magnificent view of the city.
Saturday
8:00
After the tasty buffet at the Fiesta Inn, we went out with our friends from Veraventuras for a raft descent. During our journey to the Pescados River we stopped in Coatepec, recently named Pueblo Mágico, to buy some of its excellent coffee and we took the opportunity to visit a coffee plantation in full activity with the warm welcome of its owners.
Later we arrive at El Carrizal, where the Veraventuras camp and hotel are located, and we begin our descent, for a journey of approximately four hours along the Pescados River until we reach the town of Jalcomulco. The landscapes captivated us and the force of the currents kept us alert, in some sections the rapids and steep slopes exceeded expectations and put our skill and resistance to the test. In short, the descent offered strong emotions in a setting of great beauty, in an atmosphere of solidarity and camaraderie.
At the end of the tour, we arrived at a splendid thermal water spa, where we could rest and close this gratifying experience with a flourish.
14:00
On the way back to Xalapa, we ate at the Pelícanos restaurant, where they recommended the delicious long prawn broth and then some bean shrimp.
15:00
In the afternoon we visit the splendid Xalapa Anthropology Museum, which has the largest collection of archaeological pieces from the cultures of the Gulf of Mexico (Olmec, Huasteca and Totonaca), its collection exceeds 25,000 pieces. It also has a modern museum concept, with an attractive architectural design that combines spacious exhibition rooms with a magnificent 40,000-square-meter garden. Without a doubt, among the pieces that attract the most attention are the colossal Olmec heads, or the so-called "smiling faces" of the Totonac culture. Visiting this museum is something that the traveler should not miss during their stay.
17:00
Later we went to Sculpture Garden, museum dedicated to the fascinating world of sculpture and art. There you can see plastic proposals by important national and international artists in the open air and some temporary exhibitions in the gallery.
On one side is the Interactive Museum of Xalapbecause, among other things, it has a planetarium with an IMAX screen, where we could enjoy the movie Underwater Life.
19:00
Before going to dinner, we toured the Walk of the Lakes, settled in what was an old dam. Today it has peaceful and romantic walkways surrounded by lush trees. Three lakes make up the architectural group and in the spring that feeds them are the facilities of the Los Lagos Cultural Center, which has open spaces for events, galleries and workshops for yoga, dance, trapeze, etc.
21:00
For dinner we went to a traditional place that is Salto de Xala, where we tasted the delicious molcajetes with chambray onions, nopalitos and strips of meat in green sauce. Then we went to La Parroquia, next to the cathedral, the meeting point par excellence of the Xalapeños.
Sunday
9:00
Very early we went to the Hacienda del Lencero, less than half an hour from Xalapa. Our guide told us that its first owner was a soldier of Hernán Cortés named Juan Lencero. In the 19th century it was acquired by General Antonio López de Santa Anna and today it has been transformed into a museum. In its different spaces you can see period furniture and belongings that give us a clear idea of the way of life of the landowners of this region. The complex has a beautiful chapel, as well as large gardens that surround the property and in which there is a sculpture by Gabriela Mistral, who spent time there, during one of her exiles.
12:00
Later we decided to visit the famous parks and ecological reserves of the city:
The Tecajetes Park It is located in a wide ravine of the same name, at the bottom there is a spring that emerges from the bowels of the park. There are also aqueducts, ponds and canals that make up a beautiful sculptural space. It is in the center of the city of Xalapa, in a natural hollow. The entrance is on Avenida Manuel Ávila Camacho.
The Clavijero Botanical Garden It boasts an important collection of plants from the region. There is an area of Mexican ornamental flowers, another dedicated to the mountain mesophilic forest, another where you can see the wide variety of pines that exist in Mexico and the area of cycads, a group of plants that have existed since remote times. It is located on the wet slope of the Cofre de Perote. It is located in the south of the city of Xalapa, at Km 2.5 of the old highway to Coatepec. It can be reached by car or on the Xalapa-Coatepec bus line via Briones.
15:00
To say goodbye to Xalapa, we chose a typical restaurant that we already knew, Mom's House, where we taste the untrapped chicken, prepared with beer and gravy sauce, and its exquisite desserts, such as the floating island.
16:00
We began our return with a magnificent taste in our mouths and with a wealth of experiences that will have undoubtedly enriched the knowledge we had of this beautiful and cultural city, where in addition to studying, you can spend a fun and eventful weekend.
