 
ACAPULCO
TURN TO THE SUN
 Acapulco is the most traditional beach resort in Mexico. Is offers more variety, more emotion, more entertainment and more Mexican flavour than any other tourist resort in the country. Its magical beaches with golden sands, warm waters and exotic palm trees are one of the main attractions of the port.
The brave, respected Yopes, an irrepressible people, who were never conquered by the powerful Mexica and Purépecha empires, settled in Acapulco. Even the Spanish took 39 years to conquer them. In 1531, Hernán Cortés arrived and built a shipyard in what is now as Puerto Marqués, thus named as a tribute to the conquistador, who at that time was the Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca. One year after the Spanish conquered the Asian archipelago, which they named the Philippines, a trade route was established with Spain, known as the China Ship, the firs stop being in Acapulco, which was a major boost for the port.
 The Spanish built the San Diego Fort in order to protect the Manila Galleon, the generic name for ships travelling along the route for 185 years, until was interrupted by the War of Independence, from pirates, such as Sir Francis Drake. Acapulco fell into decline for around one hundred years until the first highway from the capital was opened in 1927. Previously, the journey had taken more than a week. From that moment onwards, the popularity of Acapulco began to grow and, little by little, it became a tourist destination par excellence.
Acapulco has around 20,000 hotel rooms, of all categories, from luxury to “General Tourist” to one star and guest houses. Numerous hotels offer direct access to the beach and others are located very closed to the most important tourist attractions. More than 160 restaurants full of tropical flavour and with all kinds of exotic nuances serve all styles of food, from gourmet cuisine to fast food. The majority of these restaurants are picturesque and have outdoor areas.
Shopping malls, boutiques and markets in Acapulco make it almost impossible to leave without buying some kind of souvenir. A large variety of handicrafts can be found in the shops along the Costera Avenue, in downtown, in the main square and in the markets and the new “Tianguis de la Diana” street markets, around the Papagayo Park or on the seafront.
 Acapulco is famous for the variety of night entertainment on offer compared to the other holiday resorts. It has a tropical climate and 350 sunny, clear days a year. Therefore, Acapulco guarantees an unbeatable, comfortable setting for visitors.
Acapulco is acknowledged a friendly, hospitable place and, also, as the host to renowned national and international events, such as the Tourist Street Market, The Acapulco Fest, the Festival of French Mexican Cinema and the Festival of Film Noir, among others.
For all of the above reasons and lost more, Acapulco is a magnet than attract millions of visitors each year, always offering the best quality in services, the best deal for tourist and the most varied options in entertainment.
Mexico State
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