Jalapa travel guide

Jalapa, Guatemala

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Jalapa

Introduction

Jalapa is a municipality and the departmental seat of the Jalapa Department in Guatemala. It is the largest municipality in the department by area, covering a wide stretch of the country's eastern highlands.

Before you go

Xalapa is known as the "Athens of Veracruz," a reputation shaped by the cultural influence of its major university, the Universidad Veracruzana, the main public university in the State of Veracruz. Before you go, it helps to know that this is a city where culture is part of everyday life: expect a wide variety of events tied to its theatres, museums, and street art.

Getting there

Xalapa's own airport, Lencero (JAL), is very small and sits outside the city; it handles only helicopters and small planes, including private jets, so it is not an option for scheduled commercial flights. For airline service, look to Veracruz International Airport (VER), roughly two hours away.

By road, Xalapa sits about midway between Puebla and Veracruz on the toll road MEX 140D, putting Veracruz just under two hours away and Puebla around two and a half. Buses from Mexico City run almost hourly with several lines, including ADO and AU, departing from TAPO station; the trip takes about four hours. They arrive at the Central de Autobuses Xalapa on the east side of the city, a fairly large station with a waiting area, restrooms (there is a charge to use them), and greasy fast food. ADO is the biggest operator there.

Getting around

Xalapa's hilly, densely built terrain shapes how you get around. The compact centre rewards walking, so base yourself centrally and cover short hops between nearby points on foot — but expect gradients, and pack comfortable shoes plus a layer for the evening, since the city is cool and humid, winter nights can approach freezing, and early mornings are often misty.

There is no metro, tram or passenger rail network, so plan on buses, taxis and walking. Taxis are the standard choice for longer or steeper trips; confirm locally which services operate and agree on your fare or meter before setting off. Long-distance buses use the Central de Autobuses Xalapa (Plaza Xalapan) on Avenida 20 de Noviembre Oriente on the east side, with ADO the largest operator; services from Mexico City run almost hourly from TAPO and take about four hours. If you're comfortable riding one, a rented scooter is a distinctive and practical option — the terrain and layout suit it, and it opens up the back areas of the city. Arriving by air, Lencero Airport handles only helicopters and small planes, so most visitors fly into Veracruz International Airport, about two hours away, and arrange a bus or taxi for the onward leg. By car, the city sits roughly midway between Puebla and Veracruz on the MEX 140D toll road.

Where to stay

Xalapa has a wide choice of budget hotels, and it should be far more popular with backpackers than it is. Most travellers stay on the Pacific and Caribbean coasts instead, which leaves the city's inexpensive rooms to you. Budget options are scattered across town, including along Avenida Xalapa, Avenida Lázaro Cárdenas and Avenida 20 de Noviembre, with properties such as Los Lagos, Mision de las Americas, La Moderna, El Arebe, Limon, Yalta, Araucarias, Oasis, Bugambilias, Atenas, El Mirador and Tecajetes among the choices.

For something mid-range, Posada La Mariquinta is a very comfortable guest house in a quiet neighbourhood within walking distance of the main plaza, and rates are lower for longer stays. Hotel Misión Express Xalapa Centro offers rooms with plasma cable TV, free Wi-Fi, a coffee/tea maker, telephone, work desk and fan. Hotel Central Xalapa provides cable TV, telephone and electronic keys, along with a restaurant serving international cuisine, multifunctional rooms, a business centre and Internet access. At the top end, Hotel Mision Xalapa Plaza de las Convenciones equips its rooms with cable television, a coffee/tea maker, telephone and Internet access, and adds a swimming pool, fitness room, laundry service and safe deposit boxes.

Food & drink

Xalapa is the birthplace of the jalapeño pepper, and maize shows up everywhere on local tables: gorditas, tostadas, pasties, enfrijoladas and chicken dishes are all common. Save room for something sweet, since the region leans toward desserts such as cake, cocadas, candied fruit, dulce de leche and jamoncillo.

For cheap eats, you'll find fondas and taquerías scattered around the centre, including Pozoles el Dique and Tacos San Jose. In the mid-range, Bacan Macut specialises in Huasteca cooking from northern Veracruz, with pork, beef, chicken and seafood dominating a menu that offers few vegetarian options and no vegan ones. At the top end, Mucara serves regional Veracruzana cuisine in a small, elegant dining room. Xalapa also claims the title of coffee capital of Veracruz, and the standout cafés cluster downtown within a few blocks of the Cathedral: La Parroquia de Veracruz for people-watching and coffee jello with rompope, 4 Regiones for beans from Veracruz, Oaxaca or Chiapas, El Café-tal Apan for a garden courtyard, Cafe Lindo for a colonial setting with live music, and Flor Catorce for a morning coffee-and-fruit special. At night, head to Callejón Diamante, a crowded street with a bohemian feel, cafés and an artists' colony.

What to see and do

Xalapa's historic centre is anchored by the Catedral Metropolitana de la Inmaculada Concepción on Juan de La Luz Enríquez, originally built in the 17th century and reworked in a neo-gothic style at the end of the 19th, with an arched nave, twin spires and stained glass. Nearby in the Zona Centro you can visit the Pinacoteca Diego Rivera, an elegant modern gallery holding the world's largest collection of art by Diego Rivera alongside exhibits by modern and contemporary artists, and Patio Muñoz, a 19th-century neighbourhood where most of the original buildings survive and where workshops in Veracruz-style painting, dance and music are held. Juárez Park, next to the town hall, is a gathering place for locals and visitors alike, with snacks and treats on offer and, from the terrace of the Ágora museum, views over the city toward Pico de Orizaba and Cofre de Perote; the coffee museum is next door.

For pre-Hispanic history, the Museo de Antropología de Xalapa on Av. Xalapa is a beautifully designed museum of Veracruz's ancient cultures, best known for its extensive Olmec collections, including giant head sculptures from San Lorenzo. The Jardín de Esculturas displays works by nationally and internationally recognised artists, while the Museo El Lencero, a historic hacienda southeast of the centre, was for a time the home of Antonio López de Santa Anna and is filled with Mexican, European and Asian furniture. The Botanical Garden Francisco Javier Clavijero, set in preserved forest on an old coffee plantation, holds scientific collections and thousands of plant specimens. Families may enjoy the Kana Museum of Science and Technology, which is kid-oriented with interactive displays on topics such as transportation systems and technology-enabled cities. In the evening, the colonial-era Teatro del Estado "Gral. Ignacio de la Llave" hosts symphonies, popular music, drama and comedy, and the Xalapa Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1929 and among the oldest professional orchestras in North America, performs a full season of classical and pops concerts at its concert hall at the Tlaqná Centro Cultural.

When to go

Xalapa sits in the mountains and stays fairly cool all year, so what changes most across the seasons is rain rather than heat. Temperatures build through spring and peak in May, a warm and comfortable stretch that's good for exploring the city. The wet season follows, with rainfall heaviest in June and staying high until mid-September, bringing frequent rain and a lush, humid mountain setting.

For the most comfortable conditions, aim for the beginning of November through mid-April, when rainfall is at its lowest. Late December, January and February are the coolest months, and while days stay mild, nights can turn cold enough that warm clothing is advisable. If you're in the area in winter, snow is common outside the city at Perote, about 35 minutes away. The comfortable weather runs right up to mid-April, overlapping with the start of the warmer season, so days are mild to warm and rain is still limited before the summer wet season sets in.

Three days in Jalapa

Day one: Base yourself in Jalapa, the capital of Jalapa Department in Guatemala, and spend your first hours getting oriented around the central streets. Note that the source material also refers to Xalapa in Veracruz, Mexico, so confirm which city you are in before you plan further. In the Mexican Xalapa, you can walk the centre and take in the Pinacoteca Diego Rivera, City Hall and Parque Juárez, all tied to the legacy of Diego Rivera. If you arrive by air, JAL and VER serve the region, with Veracruz International Airport among the options.

Day two: Give the day to the Universidad Veracruzana and the wider State of Veracruz, then head out toward Lencero. Use the city's transport links to move around: Central, Autobuses Xalapa, Plaza Xalapan and Avenida Noviembre Oriente are useful reference points, and taxis are available for longer hops. If you are coming from Puebla, Mexico City, MEX, ADO, AU or TAPO, buses connect these points, so plan your onward leg in advance.

Day three: Before you leave, revisit the parts of the centre that suited you best, whether that is the area around Parque Juárez or the streets near City Hall. If your route runs through Veracruz, Athens or Mexico, check connections early, since buses via ADO, AU and TAPO are the main options named in the source. Keep the day flexible and confirm your departure point, whether that is JAL, VER or a bus terminal, before you set out.

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