Not to miss

Fuerte de San Diego

This beautifully restored pentagonal fort was built in 1616. Its mission was to protect the Spanish naos (galleons) that conducted trade between the Philippines and Mexico from marauding Dutch and English buccaneers. It must have been effective because this trade route lasted until the early 19th century.

After a 1776 earthquake damaged most of Acapulco, the fort had to be rebuilt. It remains basically unchanged today, having been recently restored to top condition by the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH). The panorama of Acapulco you'll get from the fort is free and alone worth the trip.

The fort is now home to the Museo Histórico de Acapulco, which has fascinating exhibits detailing the city's history, with Spanish and English captions.

Centro de Convenciones

Acapulco's convention center is a huge complex with a permanent crafts gallery (galería de artesanías), temporary special exhibitions, a large plaza, theaters and concert halls. A Fiesta Mexicana is held several evenings each week. Call the center to ask about current offerings.

Casa de la Máscara

This lovely museum houses an amazing collection of masks from around Mexico, with an especially impressive display of high-quality masks by modern artists. Signs are in Spanish, but if you're thinking about buying a Mexican mask, come here first to learn where to shop and what to look for.