I arrived in Xalapa in the fog and didn’t plan to stay, but I ended up extending my trip. I didn’t have a list of things to do — I just had a return ticket that I ended up changing.
The atmosphere before the list of places
Xalapa is a university city, green, and notably quieter than the rest of the state when it comes to the pace of life on the streets. I’m not going to invent a list of «10 must-see places» — what I can tell you is that it’s one of those cities that are more enjoyable to enjoy on foot without an agenda than following a closed itinerary.
How I got here
I got off the TAPO Terminal in CDMX and arrived at the Xalapa Bus Terminal. There are three operators on this route — ADO GL, ADO Platinium, and AU — so I compared the three before buying. The central terminal was very helpful: the rest of the day I did everything on foot.
A typical afternoon
Cafe somewhere near the center, a random walk through the streets with the characteristic steep slopes of the city, and a stop at the local market — that’s how my first evening went, without any planning and with nothing more than that.
Where I slept
I slept in a City Express by Marriott A few minutes from the center — nothing fancy, just a comfortable bed and a good location to continue exploring the next day. Here you can see the options.
Why I'm telling you this
Because most of Veracruz's itineraries skip directly to Xalapa as a stopover, not as a destination. And after spending more time there than planned, I think they're missing out on something.
Compare CDMX–Xalapa tickets (ADO GL, ADO Platinium, AU) on BUZ Before the fog catches you off guard, it will catch you too.
