Zocalo Plaza in Old Town Acapulco.

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Zócalo

Acapulco


Every night Acapulco’s leafy old town zócalo comes alive with street performers, mariachis and sidewalk cafes; it also hosts occasional festivals. It’s especially popular with multiple generations of Mexican families on Sunday nights. The Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, built in 1930, dominates the square and is unusual for its blue-domed, neo-Byzantine architecture.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Acapulco attractions

2. Playa Tlacopanocha

0.23 MILES

One of the beaches closest to Old Acapulco is Playa Tlacopanocha, directly across from the zócalo, noteworthy more as a departure point for bay cruises…

3. Museo de la Máscara

0.23 MILES

If you love masks but are unable to visit the epic museums in Zacatecas and San Miguel, swing by this new museum, where visages of devils, conquistadors,…

4. Museo Histórico de Acapulco

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The Fuerte de San Diego is home to this excellent 15-room museum, an enjoyable romp through history of the region, from its settlement by various pre…

5. Fuerte de San Diego

0.41 MILES

This beautifully restored pentagonal fort was built in 1616 atop a hill east of the zócalo. Its mission was to protect the Spanish naos (galleons)…

6. Playa Manzanillo

0.47 MILES

Playa Manzanillo, a small crescent of sand handy for the center, is popular with locals but not especially clean.

7. Clavadistas de la Quebrada

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Acapulco’s most famous tourist attraction, the cliff divers of La Quebrada have been dazzling audiences since 1934. Every night, a team of seven lithe…

8. Exekatlkalli

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A dying Diego Rivera spent the final two years of his life at this villa with his muse and lover, Mexican art collector Dolores 'Lola' Olmedo. Rivera…

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