Travel Guide TAMPICO Contents DISCOVER TAMPICO 01 TAMPICO PROFILE 02 TAMPICO ATTRACTIONS 03 TAMPICO DINING 08 TAMPICO SHOPPING 09 TAMPICO NIGHTLIFE 10 THINGS TO DO IN TAMPICO 11 DISCOVER TAMPICO Located in the southeast of Tamaulipas, Tampico is one of the main port cities in Mexico, separated from the state of Veracruz only by the Panuco River. Thanks to its strategic location by the Gulf of Mexico, it is very important to Mexican foreign trade, as it offers different routes to the southeast of the US, as well as to Europe. Tampico is also one of the most important tourist destinations in Tamaulipas thanks to its tropical climate and the many great places to visit in the city, such as its museums, cultural centers, and golden beaches. Tampico is a perfect place to go sport fishing, either in freshwater or saltwater, while the region is also popular for its varied cuisine, which features exquisite specialty dishes made with fresh seafood. A CITY OF TRADE, BUSINESS, AND INDUSTRY Nowadays the commercial port of Tampico and the industrial port of Altamira, which are just a short distance away from each other, are the departure ports for a number of products, such as corn, copper, soya, coal and petrol derivatives. These products are then distributed around the globe. The city is also very well connected to the rest of the city through modern roads and bridges, as well as through efficient railway lines. Given the importance of the region’s businesses and the influential maritime trade, Tampico is popular with business travelers. 1 TAMPICO PROFILE Recognized as a major commercial port city Renowned business metropolis Home to impressive beaches and lagoons Features important highway networks and bridges Known for its seafood-based cuisine Ideal for alternative tourism A paradise for sport fishing 2 TAMPICO ATTRACTIONS In Tampico you’ll find a wide variety of tourist attractions, including beaches and the Del Carpintero Lagoon, along with historic and cultural monuments in the city’s historic downtown area. Come and discover them! PLAZA DE ARMAS At the center of this plaza there is a bandstand commonly known as “El Pulpo” (The Octopus), with a distinct baroque-style design. Take a trip back in time as you admire the architecture, the “portales” (a covered walkway with arches), and the beautiful balconies of downtown Tampico. HISTORIC DOWNTOWN AREA The heart of the city is without doubt the main tourist attraction in Tampico. As you walk around downtown you’ll be able to admire the Porfirian-era architecture with its Art Nouveau style, influenced by the aesthetic revolution in Europe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Standout examples of this include Tampico Cathedral, the old Telegraph Office, the Customs building, the Palacio Municipal (City Hall), and Cultural Center. 3 EL MALECON (THE BOARDWALK) The boardwalk is located to the south of the beach Playa Miramar and is also known as “Las Escolleras” (The Breakwater). Here you can admire the Monument to the Fallen Marines, which pays homage to those who died on Mexican ships during the Second World War. In the area you’ll also find small stalls selling handicrafts and coconut tortillas known as “duquesas” (duchesses). TAMPICO CATHEDRAL This sacred place, which is also known as the Temple of the Immaculate Conception, features neoclassical architecture and a facade with eye-catching Corinthian capitals. Inside it there is a white Carrara marble altar with a beautiful picture of the Immaculate Conception and a monumental German organ donated by a prestigious family from the area. Incredibly, to this day, it also has swastikas decorating the main passageway that leads to the altar, as it was founded by a German pro-Nazi company in the early ‘30s. CUSTOMS BUILDING To the north of the Panuco River there is a beautiful British-style red brick building, an iconic symbol of incalculable historic value in Tampico: la Aduana Maritima (the Maritime Customs). Created by decree in 1827, it saw a surge in business during 1850 thanks to the thriving economy and the development of foreign trade. The current customs building was inaugurated on October 16, 1902 by Don Porfirio Diaz and features a distinct English influence in its design and architectural details. It was built with prefabricated cast iron parts from France, as well as with amazing windows, doors, and other wooden parts from Louisiana. 4 METRO METROPOLITAN CULTURAL SPACE This is a meeting place for students, teachers, and lovers of the arts and knowledge in general. Its modern facilities on the banks of the Del Carpintero Lagoon house the Metropolitan Theater, a gallery displaying temporary exhibitions, an amateur theater center, and the Huasteca Culture Museum. PLAZA DE LA LIBERTAD Located in the heart of Tampico’s historic downtown area, this plaza is surrounded by colorful, fascinating buildings. Two constructions that stand out in particular are the Treasury building and the one that is occupied by a historic hotel, both of which are semicircular in shape. In the center of the plaza there is a wrought iron bandstand, where the local orchestra entertains people with live music. HUASTECA CULTURE MUSEUM Housed in the METRO, this museum shows the most characteristic features of the nomadic tribes that established themselves in Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosi. It displays relics like statues, antique garments of clothing, ceramics, paintings, and a fascinating collection of pre-Colombian cultural artifacts. You’ll be amazed as you find out how the Huasteca people extracted crude oil to use as dye for their paintings, as well as other remarkable facts about their way of life. 5 DEL CARPINTERO LAGOON Located just six blocks from downtown, the Del Carpintero Lagoon features fish hatcheries and plant nurseries. If you explore it by boat, you’ll be able to see turtles, iguanas, birds, and crocodiles all around you. It was visited by the famous former “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, who said the following: “This lagoon is a perfect example for the rest of the world of how we as human beings can live in harmony with large wild animals.” ALTERNATIVE TOURISM The region surrounding Tampico is very popular for its alternative tourism, through which you can discover rural areas, enjoy rides on horseback, go rock climbing, explore caverns, or go rafting down the river rapids, admiring the state’s plant and wildlife in all its splendor. PLAYA MIRAMAR BEACH This beach offers fun water sports, as well as beautiful landscapes for you to admire. From here you can watch dolphins swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, and you can see boats from different countries coming into the mouth of the Panuco River. 6 TAMPICO BRIDGE This bridge is a result of one of the most ambitious Mexican engineering projects to be undertaken in the region. It is about 60 feet wide and a mile long, and connects the city to the north of the state of Veracruz. The bridge towers more than 150 feet over the Panuco River and it is said to weigh about 105,000 tons. This cable-stayed bridge is one of the main bastions of Tampico’s urban image and it’s a sight to be seen on your next visit to the city. METROPOLITAN PARK On the banks of the Del Carpintero Lagoon there is a park surrounded by green areas and featuring excellent facilities. The site is home to thatched-palm “palapa” shades and a children’s playground, as well as a pedestrian bridge that crosses the lagoon. Here you can also hire a boat for a tour, or ride the streetcar to the historic downtown area. LAS FLORES ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE This site dates back to the Huasteca indigenous tribes who inhabited the Panuco area between 600 and 1200 AD. At this small archeological site you’ll be able to see the main building of what was a major settlement of over 40 pre-Columbian era mounds. The main pyramid is circular in shape and features structures built one on top of the other. The materials most used in its construction are earth, sand, ceramics, and shells from the region, and it is covered in mortar made from lime and sand. 7 TAMPICO DINING One of the main attractions of Tampico is the regional cuisine. Thanks to its strategic location among lagoons, rivers, and the Gulf of Mexico, it offers tasty dishes based around fish and seafood, such as shrimp empanadas and grilled jumbo shrimp. Don’t pass up the chance to try a delicious stuffed crab (jaiba rellena), succulent sea bass in brine (robalo en escabeche), or an exquisite seafood stew. Other tasty specialty dishes for you to try include the tamales in a Chilpan chili sauce (tamales al Chilpan), the coconut tortillas known as “Duquesas” (Duchesses) and the famous Tampico-style steak. “Tortas de la Barda” are very traditional in Tampico; they are a kind of meat sandwich filled with ham, cheese, pork rinds, chorizo, and avocado, and get their name from where they were originally sold, by the walls (“bardas” in Spanish) of the Maritime Customs building. 8 COMPRAS EN TAMPICO There are lots of great shopping options in Tampico, thanks to the impressive volume of international trade that takes place in the ports of Tampico and Altamira. A large number of consumers from neighboring states like Veracruz and San Luis Potosi come to Tampico, drawn by the quality and variety on offer in the shopping malls of the metropolitan area. Elegant boutique stores proudly display garments of the highest quality and provide excellent service, similar to what you find in first-world countries. ZONA DORADA (GOLDEN ZONE) The Zona Dorada is located very close to Tampico International Airport.