Acapulco is the most famous Mexican resort of the 20th century; it was here that all Hollywood movie stars of the 50s and 60s rested. Now the public is simpler here, but the resort remains a resort: there are wonderful long yarns, an abundance of entertainment for every taste, and a vibrant tropical nature.
Top 10 attractions in Acapulco
Fort San Diego
The Acapulco Fortress is the oldest building in the city. It was built in 1615-1617. in place of previously existing fortifications. A dramatic story happened: Acapulco was founded in 1531, quickly became a large port and trade center, and of course, it had some kind of military fortifications. But in 1615 it was plundered by Dutch corsairs, and a new fortress had to be built for protection - the seas of the 17th century were swarming with robbers. In 1776, the fortifications were again significantly damaged - this time by an earthquake.
By 1783, the fort was rebuilt again according to all the rules of fortification: it is a powerful fortress in the form of a five-pointed star. A drawbridge led to the fortress, and inside there was a whole complex of structures: a hospital, barracks, an arsenal and even a small monastery. An excellent view of the bay opens from the observation deck of the fort. The fort now houses the Acapulco Historical Museum. It is devoted mainly to the dramatic history of the Spanish conquest of these lands and the centuries-old struggle against pirates.
Acapulco Cathedral
One of the most beautiful and interesting Catholic churches in the world is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows - Nuestra Senora de la Soledad. This is the image of the Mother of God at the moment when she mourns the Son who has left her and has not yet risen, on Good Friday. She is considered the patroness of Acapulco.
The cathedral was built in 1930 on the site of a previously existing temple, and is a masterpiece of architecture. It combines both Gothic and Byzantine and local traditions: for example, above the entrance you can see the figure of Christ in a huge solar disk. In plan, it is a neo-Gothic cathedral with three naves and two side towers, but the towers are decorated with Moorish ornaments and resemble minarets. The main color used in the design is blue, which is the traditional color of the Virgin in European art. The dome looks very beautiful: it is bright blue from the inside, with the image of snow-white angels and a light window in the very center.
House of Dolores Olmedo and panels by Diego Rivera
Mexico is the country of the great artist Diego Rivera and his mistresses - Frida Kahlo and Dolores Olmedo. The revolutionary artist, who in his life managed to be a communist, Trotskyist, then again a communist, who attracted the most beautiful women to himself - one cannot pass by his work, decorating Acapulco.
Rivero did a lot of monumental painting and painted public buildings. For example, his paintings in the house of Benito Juarez are known, which tell the whole history of Mexico. In Acapulco, next to the house where Diego Revera once lived with Dolores Olmedo, you can see the 18-meter panel he created based on Aztec mythology. It depicts the god Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent, one of the main - and most virtuous - deities of the Aztecs. This is not a mural in the usual style of the artist, but a giant mosaic of shells and smalt, because it is intended to decorate the outer wall of the house. D. Rivera worked on it for a year and a half.
Lagoon Tres Palos
The small coastal town of Tres Palos is located 30 km from Acapulco. The location made it famous: it is built on the shores of a small lagoon, which is known for its beauty and unspoiled nature. It was she who was once filmed in the first films about Tarzan.
There is a mangrove forest, half submerged in water, and many waterfowl that feed on the fish that live here. The water in the lagoon is neither fresh nor salty - slightly brackish, it is in such places that unique ecosystems of mangrove thickets are formed. Mangroves are one of the few plants that can digest sea salt.
Usually excursions to these places take place by boat, among the thickets of water lilies. From the silt and clay collected at the foot of the mangroves, the Indians once made cosmetic masks, and now tourists are offered to try cosmetics made from medicinal mineral mud.
The lagoon is separated from the ocean by the small beach of Barra Vieja, where there are many restaurants that specialize in fish cuisine from what is caught right in the lagoon.
Museum of Masks in Acapulco
Acapulco's old town has a Museum of Masks. All peoples of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica used ritual masks so widely that, for example, the culture of the Aztecs is sometimes called the "culture of masks". Nobles and priests wore masks almost constantly - this was an indicator of status. The faces of the deceased were covered with portrait masks during burial. Masks were often made of valuable materials, gold and silver, and from some peoples the Aztecs collected tribute with masks, and not with food or money. There are also wooden masks covered with a thin layer of gold. There are also masks that are made directly on the basis of the facial part of a human skull - such masks were made by the Aztecs from the skulls of victims. But if few gold and silver masks have come down to us, then there are many stone ones made of soft limestone and wooden ones. Masks were widely used not only by the Aztecs themselves, but also by their predecessors. For example, the museum has masks found during excavations in the city of Teotihuacan. And finally, ritual masks were already used by the black population, which appeared in Mexico since the 18th century: slaves brought beliefs, rituals and folk theatrical performances from their homeland.
Roqueta Island and Underwater Virgin Mary
The small island in the Gulf of Acapulco is a popular destination for recreation and entertainment. Despite its small size (only one and a half kilometers in length and the same width), it attracts tourists: there are several interesting sights on it and next to it. The island is overgrown with lemon and almond trees, and in its center on the mountain there is a lighthouse, which offers a beautiful view of the bay.
But the main thing for which they come here is interesting diving. The underwater world of the Mexican coast is beautiful and diverse: there are many underwater cenote caves with stalactites and stalagmites, there are the remains of sunken ships of different times, as well as the most bizarre inhabitants. Here, off the coast of the island, there is a unique underwater attraction - the statue of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe, patroness of Mexico. It was installed here in 1955 by the diver and sportsman Apollonio Castillo in memory of all the divers who have ever died.
Acapulco Botanical Garden
The Botanical Garden in Acapulco is one of the youngest botanical gardens, it was founded in 2002. A piece of the remaining almost untouched rainforest was allocated for him. Here are collected collections of tropical and subtropical plants: palms, succulents and many others. Many of these plants: arrowroots, ehmei, bromeliads - usually grow here as indoor plants, and here you can see what they are in the wild.
The garden has three decorative ponds with various aquatic plants, a tropical orchid garden, an arboretum, a large relaxation area with a concert hall, aviaries with tropical birds and much more. The garden does a lot of educational work, here you can take gardening courses or just take an excursion, in addition, it has a tropical plant nursery.
Oceanarium Magico Mundo Marino
The entertainment center-oceanarium, located on a small island in the bay, just between the two most popular beaches, Caleta and Caletilla. There is a small water park here - designed mainly for children, there are no extreme slides, but there are many simple ones. On the upper floors there are observation platforms with telescopes for viewing the surroundings.
But the most important thing is the Oceanarium: many aquariums with fish, turtles and other inhabitants of the reservoirs. It hosts colorful shows with seals and exotic birds. In addition to sea fish and animals, the inhabitants of the Amazon, the largest river in the world, are also represented: piranhas, crocodiles and snakes and many others.
National park them. Ignacio Manuel Altamirano
National park them. Ignacio Manuel Altamirano is located at the mouth of the Papagayo River, so it is often called simply "Papagayo Park". It bears the name of the Mexican writer and public figure of the 19th century I. A. Altamirano, and a monument to him is erected in the park.
The park occupies a huge territory, but the entertainment zone is the closest to the city. There are artificial reservoirs where waterfowl, herons and flamingos nest, and many parrots live - they gave the name to the river. A circular eco-trail with a length of one and a half kilometers, equipped with information boards, has been laid here. There is a large amusement center with its own water park and even an ice rink, an astronomical center with a full-size replica of the famous Columbia shuttle. In addition to Columbia, there is also a real Spanish galleon, restaurants, cafes, and its own beaches.
Peace Chapel
Another monument created in the early 1970s. The chapel on the top of the mountain, according to the idea, is not tied to any particular denomination, but simply designed to remind of the existence of God. The main symbol here is a huge cross 40 meters high, it reigns over the entire city and is visible from everywhere. Services in this place, of course, are held - Catholic, besides there is a small cemetery nearby, which is considered one of the most expensive and prestigious in the city.
The chapel was created in 1972 on the site of the old mansion of the de Truet family, which owned these places until the middle of the 20th century. They built it in memory of their sons who died in the plane crash. The chapel has an observation deck overlooking the city.
