As you already know if you have been following us closely, Mexico is made up of an infinite number of magical towns that make visiting them necessary to understand the culture and customs of the country. For example, the magical town of Patzcuaro or the one we will talk about in these lines: Papantla.

The magical town of Papantla

Located in the state of Veracruz, between the Cazones and Tecolutla rivers, this magical town was founded in the year 1200 by the indigenous heirs of the Olmecs. It was formerly called Papantla de la Asunción and today it is known as Papantla de Olarte.

This is the origin of the famous tradition of the voladores de Papantla, which we have previously told you about in the post “What is the famous tequila tour jalisco” (if you are a lover of this drink, we suggest you take a look at it).

This ancient Mexican custom is a dance in honor of the gods. In this kind of ritual, people dance on a board and use a flute to represent the song of the birds and a drum to represent the voice of God.

It involves four flyers who dance or fly on top of a board tied to a pole (another representation of the four cardinal points) while the main musician presides at the top of the pole.

Tajin Pyramids

It is a pre-Hispanic city whose name means thunder, which in ancient times was believed to be the discharges that struck trees and people that preceded the lightning. Here you will see temples, typical decorations, mural paintings, etc. There are five different ways to access the archaeological zone: through Veracruz, Tampico, Mexico City, Puebla or Xalapa.

The pyramids of Tajin, also known as the Pyramid of the Niches due to the large and representative number that compose it: 365, do these digits sound familiar? It is also known for being the city with the largest number of ball games.

Papantla Traditions

• Corpus Christi
• Day of the Dead
• Easter
• Day of the lost child
• Vanilla Expo

On June 15, Corpus Christi is celebrated, a religious feast with processions and dances, in addition to the fair with the same name held one Saturday before, in which more traditions of the city are taught.

As in the rest of the country, the Day of the Dead is also celebrated from October 30 to November 2. There is also the curious tradition of the ”Day of the Lost Child”, which consists of lighting candles all over the city. These and other customs await you in Papantla.

Handicrafts of Papantla

It has become customary for travelers to take home a souvenir of the place they visit, either in the form of a photograph or an object that will transport them forever to that destination. Well, in Papantla you can buy handicrafts, coffees or liquors, among other souvenirs.

Very typical objects are vanilla pod figures, flutes and drums, scale representations of dancers of the ancestral dance and much more. You can also take the opportunity to taste typical dishes of the municipality such as mole with pork (if you like mole, try mole poblano).