Because of frequent pirate raids, the once coastal city was relocated inland along the Grijalva to its present, more defendable location. The pedestrian-only downtown arca is pleasant for strolling, as is the riverfront malec n. The Zona de la Luz is a renovated section of the city popular for its shops, cafes, and people watching. Several well tended parks and gardens add color and tranquility. Wide tree shaded boulevards radiate from the city center spanning numerous lakes, lagoons and rivers.
Civic pride extends to culture and the arts as well.
Several institutes, museums and one of Mexico's best anthropological parks display the region's Pre-Columbian and colonial past. All this awaits those who can put up with the city's stifling climate and a somewhat unwieldy tropical urban setting. Here's what to see and do in town. The actual site of La Venta is situated near the border of Tabasco and Veracruz States and was occupied for several hundred years. Many of the site's Olmec treasures have been transplanted to this wonderful tropical garden setting just outside the city of Villahermosa.