Landmark Perote, Veracruz Municipality of Perote Xalapa and the coffee hills
A huge 18th-century Spanish fortress in Perote, later a military college and prison, now a museum; Guadalupe Victoria died here.
From Xalapa: 40 min by car (51 km by road) How to get there ↓
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Plan your visit to Fortaleza de San Carlos
Where to stay near Fortaleza de San Carlos
Mansion Humboldt Hotel · ★★ · 1.3 km from the center Prices Hotel H&M Hotel · 1.7 km from the center PricesTours to Fortaleza de San Carlos
Look for tours of the area around Xico that stop at Fortaleza de San Carlos.
How to get to Fortaleza de San Carlos
- From Xalapa: about 40 min by road (~51 km)
- 31 km northwest of Xico
- Nearest airport: Veracruz (VER), 1 h 44 min by car to Xico
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About Fortaleza de San Carlos
On the cold, high plain on the far side of the Cofre de Perote stands the Fortaleza de San Carlos, a massive stone fort from the last decades of Spanish rule. The Spanish crown built it between 1770 and 1776 on the royal road between the port of Veracruz and Mexico City, as a guard post and as a safe place to hold silver and other treasure before it was shipped to Spain.
After independence the fortress took on new lives. In 1823 Guadalupe Victoria founded Mexico's first military college here, and between 1841 and 1844 it held Texan prisoners captured during the Santa Fe and Mier expeditions, many of whom died or escaped. Victoria himself, Mexico's first president, died inside its walls in 1843.
Later it became a prison, and it stayed one until 2008, when work began to turn it into a museum. Today you can walk along the walls, look into the old arms rooms and barracks, and visit a hall dedicated to Guadalupe Victoria.
How to get to Fortaleza de San Carlos
Drive from Xalapa: 40 min, 51 km
The fortress is on the edge of the town of Perote. From Xico, drive to Xalapa and follow Highway 140 west toward Perote; plan on roughly an hour and a half. Buses run regularly between Xalapa and Perote. Opening hours and fees were not confirmed at the time of writing, so check before you go.
31 km northwest of Xico
Directions from Xico on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to Fortaleza de San Carlos
- Xalapa · 51 km by road, 40 min
- Teziutlán · 49 km by road, 50 min
- Huamantla · 86 km by road, 1 h 5 min
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Before you go to Fortaleza de San Carlos: hours, prices and tips
- Hours
- Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm; closed Mondays. México Desconocido · checked Oct 2026
- Entry
- Free entry. México Desconocido · checked Oct 2026
- Guide or tour
- Local guides wait at the entrance and are worth hiring for the fort's stories; you can also walk it on your own. Tours: Viator GetYourGuide México Desconocido · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting Fortaleza de San Carlos: what to see and do
Walk along the walls for views over the Perote plain and the Cofre.
Look into the old arms rooms, barracks, and cells.
Visit the hall dedicated to Guadalupe Victoria, Mexico's first president.
Combine the visit with the Cofre de Perote, whose usual access road starts on this side of the mountain.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Fortaleza de San Carlos
Mansion Humboldt Hotel · ★★ · 1.3 km from the center Find on Expedia Hotel H&M Hotel · 1.7 km from the center Find on ExpediaTours & activities
Look for tours of the area around Xico that stop at Fortaleza de San Carlos.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at VER (Veracruz): about 1 h 44 min by road to Xico, then 31 km more to Fortaleza de San Carlos, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Veracruz (VER), about 1 h 44 min by road from Xico, the base for Fortaleza de San Carlos.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Xico: download a map of the way to Fortaleza de San Carlos before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you. Hotel names from OpenStreetMap.
Photos
When to go to Fortaleza de San Carlos mild
Fortaleza de San Carlos shares the climate of Xico, 31 km away. The best months to visit are February, March, April, and May.
See the month-by-month climate of Xico
Weather in Fortaleza de San Carlos now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
Make Xico your base
Fortaleza de San Carlos is an easy trip from Xico, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Coatepec · Veracruz · 33 km away
- Teziutlán · Puebla · 33 km away
- Naolinco · Veracruz · 40 km away
- Tlatlauquitepec · Puebla · 41 km away
- Cuetzalan · Puebla · 57 km away
Closest to Fortaleza de San Carlos
-
Perote · Town · 1 km away · Veracruz
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Los Pescados · Village · 10 km away · Veracruz
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Cofre de Perote · Mountain · 13 km away
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El Paisano · Village · 15 km away · Veracruz
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La Toma · Village · 15 km away · Veracruz
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Los Altos · Village · 15 km away · Veracruz
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Adolfo Moreno · Village · 17 km away · Veracruz
-
Pancho Poza · Waterfall · 18 km away · Near Teziutlán
Near Fortaleza de San Carlos
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.