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    Main house of the former Hacienda El Lencero, near Xalapa, Ex Hacienda El Lencero, Veracruz

    Photo by LCCKRT, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Columned porch and steps beside the chapel path at El Lencero, Ex Hacienda El Lencero, Veracruz

    Photo by Mag2017, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Ex Hacienda El Lencero

    Landmark Emiliano Zapata, Veracruz Xalapa and the coffee hills

    Santa Anna's country hacienda on the old royal road, now a museum with period rooms, a chapel and wide gardens.

    From Xalapa: 15 min by car (15 km by road) How to get there ↓

    Near here

    See everything nearby ↓

    Plan your visit to Ex Hacienda El Lencero

    Where to stay near Ex Hacienda El Lencero

    Hotel Atenas Hotel · ★★★ · 6.1 km from the center Prices City Express Xalapa Hotel · ★★★ · 7.2 km from the center Prices
    Hotels in Coatepec Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Ex Hacienda El Lencero

    Look for tours of the area around Coatepec that stop at Ex Hacienda El Lencero.

    Tours from Veracruz Private Sunrise Taj Mahal Tour from Delhi By Car -All inclusive ★ 5.0 (546) · From US$14
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide Tours from Coatepec

    How to get to Ex Hacienda El Lencero

    • From Xalapa: about 15 min by road (~15 km)
    • 15 km east of Coatepec
    • Nearest airport: Veracruz (VER), 1 h 37 min by car to Coatepec
    Rent a car at VER Flights to VER

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    Tours from Veracruz, near Ex Hacienda El Lencero

    Private Sunrise Taj Mahal Tour from Delhi By Car -All inclusive ★ 5.0 (546) 12 h From US$14
    Aquatico Inbursa Waterpark: Veracruz - Ticket ★ 4.1 (49) 8 h From US$25
    Full Day Tour to Catemaco and Los Tuxtlas with Transportation ★ 4.6 (29) 12 h 30 min From US$92
    Tajín and Papantla Tour from Veracruz or Boca del Río by Highway ★ 5.0 (23) 12 h 30 min From US$112
    6-Day Private Tour of Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, and Varanasi from Delhi ★ 5.0 (20) 6 days From US$802

    Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.

    About Ex Hacienda El Lencero

    El Lencero is one of the oldest estates in the Xalapa region. Its story begins in 1525, when the land was granted to Juan Lencero, one of Hernán Cortés's soldiers, who set up an inn beside the new royal road between the port of Veracruz and Mexico City. Over the following centuries it became a working hacienda that grew sugarcane, raised cattle, and later produced coffee, bricks, and tiles.

    Its most famous owner was Antonio López de Santa Anna, who bought it in 1842 and expanded it. Santa Anna, who served as president of Mexico again and again, liked to retreat here from the capital, and in April 1847 he gathered troops at El Lencero to face the US invasion before the battle of Cerro Gordo.

    The Veracruz state government bought the property in 1981 and turned it into a museum. Today you walk through rooms furnished with 19th-century pieces, visit the chapel, and stroll the large gardens and grounds, which make it a calm half-day trip.

    How to get to Ex Hacienda El Lencero

    Drive from Xalapa: 15 min, 15 km

    El Lencero is in the municipality of Emiliano Zapata, just off the highway from Xalapa to Veracruz, about 12 km east of Xalapa. From Coatepec it is around 30 to 40 minutes by car, depending on traffic around Xalapa. The museum has usually opened Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm with a small entry fee; check before you go.

    15 km east of Coatepec

    Directions from Coatepec on Google Maps

    Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.

    Where to stay Hotels in Ex Hacienda El Lencero Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Ex Hacienda El Lencero. See prices →

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    From the nearest cities to Ex Hacienda El Lencero

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Before you go to Ex Hacienda El Lencero: hours, prices and tips

    Hours
    Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm; closed Mondays. Secretaría de Cultura (SIC) · checked Oct 2026
    Entry
    60 pesos general admission; 40 pesos for children over 4, students and seniors with an INAPAM card. Secretaría de Cultura (SIC) · checked Oct 2026
    Guide or tour
    You walk through on your own; museum staff hand out leaflets and answer questions. There is a café on site. Secretaría de Cultura (SIC) · checked Oct 2026

    Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.

    Visiting Ex Hacienda El Lencero: what to see and do

    Tour the main house and its rooms furnished in 19th-century style.
    Visit the hacienda's chapel.
    Walk the gardens and grounds around the house.
    Pair it with lunch in Xalapa or back in Coatepec.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Ex Hacienda El Lencero

    Hotel Atenas Hotel · ★★★ · 6.1 km from the center Find on Expedia City Express Xalapa Hotel · ★★★ · 7.2 km from the center Find on Expedia One Xalapa Las Animas Hotel · ★★★ · 7.5 km from the center Find on Expedia Fiesta Inn Xalapa Hotel · ★★★ · 7.6 km from the center Find on Expedia Country Club Xalapa Living by Rotamundos Hotel · ★★ · 4.5 km from the center Find on Expedia Hotel Express Alejandría Hotel · ★★ · 5.8 km from the center Find on Expedia
    See them all on Expedia Booking.com
    Vacation rentals on Vrbo Airbnb

    Tours & activities

    Look for tours of the area around Coatepec that stop at Ex Hacienda El Lencero.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at VER (Veracruz): about 1 h 37 min by road to Coatepec, then 15 km more to Ex Hacienda El Lencero, on your own schedule.

    EconomyBookings Discover Cars

    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Veracruz (VER), about 1 h 37 min by road from Coatepec, the base for Ex Hacienda El Lencero.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    Medical and trip cover for Mexico, by the week or month.

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Coatepec: download a map of the way to Ex Hacienda El Lencero before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

    Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you. Hotel names from OpenStreetMap.

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    When to go to Ex Hacienda El Lencero mild

    Ex Hacienda El Lencero shares the climate of Coatepec, 15 km away. The best months to visit are February, March, April, and May.

    See the month-by-month climate of Coatepec

    Make Coatepec your base

    Colorful facades with balconies along a street in Coatepec, Veracruz mild
    Veracruz Coatepec

    Ex Hacienda El Lencero is an easy trip from Coatepec, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Also close to

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    All 8 towns and sights around Coatepec →

    Near Ex Hacienda El Lencero

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

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    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.