Veracruz Carnival

Veracruz claims one of the oldest and largest carnivals in Mexico, with roots in colonial-era masked balls and street celebrations and a modern form dating to 1925. The programme runs about nine days before Ash Wednesday and follows a fixed arc: the quema del mal humor, the burning of a figure representing bad mood, opens it; the crowning of the carnival king and queen and of the child sovereigns follows; then four or five grand parades roll along the malecon with floats, comparsas dancing danzon, salsa and son jarocho, brass bands and costumes; and the whole thing closes with the funeral of Juan Carnaval, a mock burial complete with will and mourners. Between parades, the port drinks, dances and eats around the clock, with music stages in the plazas and the zocalo's cafes running late. It is hot, wet with beer, extremely loud and entirely good-natured - a Caribbean-facing party rather than a Rio-scale spectacle, and much easier to join as a stranger.

What you actually see

• The parades - floats, comparsas and bands along the malecon.
• The opening burning - bad mood dispatched in effigy.
• Juan Carnaval's funeral - the comic close of the season.
• The street dancing - danzon and son in every plaza.

When to go

The nine days before Ash Wednesday, dates moving with Easter. The main parades fall on the final weekend; arrive earlier for the crownings and smaller events.

Honest expectations

Hotels book months ahead and prices double. Crowds are dense and drinking is heavy; ordinary festival caution applies. Heat and humidity are constant - hydrate more than you drink.

Nearby

San Juan de Ulua, the aquarium and Boca del Rio's seafood are the daytime recovery options.