Orizaba

Orizaba is a historic and dramatic mountain town roughly in center-west Veracruz. Along with nearby Córdoba, it's part of a regional nucleus of an important local economy centered here in the high mountains of Veracruz. The city was important during the colonial period as a stopping point on the trips between Mexico City and the Port of Veracruz. It soon grew as a commercial center, especially for the trade in coffee. The larger territory is a still considered sacred by Nahua and Totonaca peoples. The city of Orizaba was built on top of an earlier city, Ahuilizapan, meaning place of joyful waters. It is still a place of mountains and plentiful mountain waterways. 

People come to stroll the city center and the Zone of Monuments centered around the San Miguel Arcángel cathedral. In late September, the surrounding streets are carpeted with colorful sawdust mats in a spectacle of devotion and artistry. The nearby Palacio de Hierro, once the head of the municipal government, is an important architectural work. The building was designed in Belgium and reassembled here in the late 19th century. It houses a number of museums of interest to visitors.

But visitors will want to ride the cable car to the top of the Cerro del Borrego. The panoramic views of the valley are unmatched, and the site of the Battle of Cerro del Borrego can be visited on the same trip.

The city is famously old world in character and charm. The famous Orizaba River cuts a jagged line through the middle of the city and this punctuates corners and little bridges with small parks and animal enclosures intended to keep that character interesting, a little wild, and connected to the mountains visible at every turn.

But Orizaba is also a famous market town. The Melchor Ocampo market is right near the center and arguably the most important. But the Artisan Market and the Venustiano Carranza flower market are also nearby. The Zapata Market is also important, but in each of them you'll find fine regional cooking, traditional dishes like chileatole, molotes and pambazos veracruzanos. The markets are loaded with little independent and women-owned businesses who will be happy to seat you until late into each afternoon. 

Guests arrive to Orizaba from the capital (Xalapa) in about three hours. From the Port of Veracruz the trip is just under two hours. Those arriving from Mexico City should expect a trip of about five hours, depending on how you are traveling.