Townapedia
Vista de la Laguna de Catemaco - panoramio
Vista de la Laguna de Catemaco - panoramio · ed_devilinside, CC BY-SA 3.0
BasilicaCarmenCatemaco01
BasilicaCarmenCatemaco01 · AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 3.0
BasilicaVirgenCarmenCatemaco34
BasilicaVirgenCarmenCatemaco34 · AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 3.0
BasilicaVirgenCarmenCatemaco09
BasilicaVirgenCarmenCatemaco09 · AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 3.0
BasilicaVirgenCarmenCatemaco36
BasilicaVirgenCarmenCatemaco36 · AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 3.0
BasilicaVirgenCarmenCatemaco01
BasilicaVirgenCarmenCatemaco01 · AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Catemaco, Mexico

Catemaco is a town of 27,615 people in Veracruz, Mexico, founded in 1774.

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Population27,615 GeoNames
RegionVeracruz
Elevation340 m 1,115 ft
Founded1774
Time zoneAmerica/Mexico City
Nearest airportMinatitlán National Airport (MTT) 67 km

Why visit Catemaco

Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 87 places to eat, 32 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.

About Catemaco

Catemaco (Spanish: [kate'mako] ) is a city in the south of the Mexican state of Veracruz. It serves as the municipal seat for the municipality of the same name. The city is located on Lake Catemaco, with the municipality stretching north to the Gulf of Mexico. Catemaco is a tourist destination, with its main attractions being the lake, remnants of the region's rainforest and a tradition of sorcery/witchcraft that has its roots in the pre-colonial period and is mostly practiced by men.

From the Wikipedia article Catemaco (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do2

Cerro Cacahuateno

Scenic view · 1.3 km

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Cerro Excuinapan

Scenic view · 1.9 km

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Museums and landmarks5

Catemaco

Monument and historic site · 1.0 km

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Monumento al Lanchero

Monument and historic site · 0.7 km

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Monumento al Tegogolo

Monument and historic site · 0.7 km

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Museo y Centro ceremonial "El Ahijado"

Museum · 1.7 km

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Rotary International

Monument and historic site · 0.9 km

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Parks, trails and playgrounds5

P

Park · 1.3 km

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Parque Municipal

Park

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Parque Rafael Hernandez Ochoa

Park · 0.7 km

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Parque Recreativo Hernández Ochoa

Park · 0.7 km

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Plaza Las Araucarias

Park · 0.9 km

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Restaurants and cafes87

Asadero El Pariente

Restaurant · Barbecue · 1.0 km

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Café & Pan

Cafe · Coffee Shop

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Carnitas Acayucan

Restaurant · Barbecue

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Carnitas Catemaco

Restaurant · Barbecue · 0.9 km

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Carnitas Doña Paty

Restaurant · Barbecue · 0.9 km

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Carnitas El Garaje

Restaurant · Barbecue

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Carnitas Gallardos

Restaurant · Barbecue · 0.9 km

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Carnitas Lupita

Restaurant · Barbecue

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Carnitas San Andrés

Restaurant · Barbecue

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Don Fallo

Restaurant · Seafood · 1.3 km

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Doña Pau

Restaurant · Seafood

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El Caracol

Restaurant · Seafood

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75 more on the map.

History

In the early pre Hispanic period, the area was dominated by the Olmecs, but the name is derived from Nahuatl, meaning "place of the burned houses". This name is probably in reference to an eruption of the San Martin Volcano. However, the assumed meaning “place of the burned houses” is grammatically impossible per Nahuatl. Consider Alexis Wimmer’s basic form ācaltēma to mean ‘load (something) into a boat’ to produce a derived but unattested form *[a]ca[l]tema[h]co ‘at the place where boats are loaded’. Another but less likely idea is that Catemaco is from Nahuatl cal-temactli ‘a house/houses that is/are given to someone’. Caltemaco would then be the nonactive form of the verb.

From the 16th century, the area was part of the province of Santiago Tuxtla, which became a municipality after Independence. The city itself was founded in 1774. In 1881, it officially became a town and in 1966 it was declared a city.

From the History section of Catemaco on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to stay32

Churches and places of worship24

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Shopping17

Gas and EV charging3

Schools, colleges and libraries25

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Healthcare22

Map of Catemaco

222 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Getting there and nearby towns

Minatitlán National Airport (MTT) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 67 km away.

  • Maxacapan 4 km south, about 4 min by car
  • Bezuapan 5 km west, about 5 min by car
  • La Victoria 5 km south, about 5 min by car
  • Matacapan 6 km west, about 6 min by car
  • Comoapan 7 km west, about 7 min by car
  • Calería 7 km west, about 7 min by car
  • Sihuapan 7 km west, about 7 min by car
  • San Andrés Tuxtla 11 km west, about 11 min by car
  • Minatitlán 75 km southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Coatzacoalcos 77 km southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built November 4, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.