Coscomatepec de Bravo is one of the Pueblos Magicos high in the mountains of Veracruz capital. The town is perhaps most famous for the outstanding views of the Pico de Orizaba mountain. It bears just a little comparison to views of Mount Fuji from Tokyo. With just a little under 17,000 permanent residents, the comparisons stop there.
The town was founded at the turn of the 17th century. The name comes from the Nahuatl, Cuezcomatepec, to mean something like Hill of the Toolshed, or Hill where the farm implements are stored. Settlements related to the Teotihuacan culture go back historically much further in the region. As tributaries to the Aztec system, the people here struggled to maintain their own independence through the very end of the ancient period. Some artifacts of that culture are still on view within the municipal palace in the center of town.
But people today visit for the town, and for the access it historically offered to points in the surrounding countryside. The traditional Ascenso al Citlate is the time-honored route for serious mountaineers to begin the climb up the tallest mountain in Mexico. Directly west of the Coscomatepec, the mountain is not for the faint of heart and the level of difficulty will dissuade all but those at the true professional level.
Staying in town offers its own rewards. The town is arrayed around the Temple of San Juan Bautista. South of here, on Mondays only, the traditional market spreads out through the streets. Known simply as La Plaza, experienced visitors will spend some time exploring. Local favorites like the chilatole de frijol gordo, esquimole, tapado de pollo, and barbacoa are everywhere on offer. Bread is baked in wood-fired ovens.
Local artisans work in leather more than anything else, but the Monday market day is the best time to see this and more. If your trip includes just the weekend, extending a stay through Monday has a lot to be gained. La Plaza is perhaps Coscomatepec at it\'s finest.
Buses arrive regularly from Orizaba and Cordoba, although a half-hour taxi ride from Cordoba will only set you back about $200 pesos.
