Chihuahua

Chihuahua is the capital of the state of Chihuahua in Northern Mexico. The colonial center of Chihuahua is beautiful and pedestrian friendly. The centro has museums dedicated to Pancho Villa (a major folk hero in the north of Mexico), another museum about the national mint, government palaces, and historic churches as well as luxurious mansions and villas.

Chihuahua is famous for Norteño food (a form of Mexican cuisine), a delicious if not particularly heart healthy cuisine that makes liberal use of beef, flour, cheese, and chiles. There are also good dining and lodging options for the visitor and a lot of fun cantinas for male travelers (women usually aren't welcome in them).

Understand
Chihuahua has a population of about 880,000 (2017). The predominant activity is light industry.

The capital of the state of Chihuahua, it is a large prosperous city in the center of the state. The outer areas of the city, while affluent by Latin American standards, don't likely hold a lot of appeal for the average tourist.

Chihuahua's natives are friendly and helpful and don't show any resentment towards visitors like you might expect to experience in Mexico's more southerly cities.

Climate
The city is at high latitude and at relatively high altitude, meaning it will get cold here during the winter. It even snows once or twice a year. During the summer, temperatures can reach 40°C. Wear light, fresh, and comfortable clothes. Autumn is a particularly pleasant time of the year to visit the area.

Talk
Spanish is the common language of Mexico. In academic and professional circles, English and French are also spoken. Additionally, because this is north Mexico and a lot of the people living here have worked and lived in the U.S. at some point in their lives, it is usually quite easy to find someone who can speak English.

By car
Four hours south of Juarez/El Paso by expressway, it is an easy drive. There are no major towns between the two cities but there are roadside diners to break up the journey.

By train
Chihuahua used to be the start of the famous Copper Canyon railway linking Chihuahua with Los Mochis, called "CHEPE"; however the train now starts and ends in Creel, which is 3½–4 hours by bus from Chihuahua.

Get around
Taxi, rideshare (Uber), or bus are the ways to get to places you can't walk to.

See


Chihuahua is a great tourist destination; a Professional Bull Riding championship, concerts, art and international festivals take place all year-round, but mostly on mid-October, you will find the city and its people very charming and down to earth.

Even though Chihuahua suffered a massive destruction of colonial buildings during the 1970s in order to widen the main streets and avenues in the downtown, it stills preserves some valuable monuments from the 19th and 20th centuries. Some of the most impressive pre-revolutionary residences in the city are on Avenida Zarco.



Buy
Cowboy boots, yee-haw! You will never in your life find a place with higher density of shops selling cowboy boots, and you'll find them in colors you hardly knew existed. Go nuts, you know you want them!

Eat
Be careful! The best chiles rellenos in the world, served on a flour tortilla. The seeds are not removed, making for a fire in your mouth that is unsurpassed.

Drink
Chihuahua is home to an ever-growing number of small craft breweries.



Budget
The cheap sleeps in Chihuahua are all found east of the cathedral, between Calle Libertad and Victoria.



Stay safe
Northern Mexico, especially the state of Chihuahua, has experienced a sharp increase in violent drug-related crime since 2007. Chihuahua is much safer than Ciudad Juárez but still has had its share of cartel killings in the last two years. Most killings have specifically targeted drug dealers and their families, and tourists have rarely been affected by violent crime. Avoid bars and nightclubs that cater to a criminal element. Military checkpoints may be set up in the city and the roads around the city. Always stop at these checkpoints.

Connect

 * Cibercafe Canaco, Av. Cuauhtemoc 1800 3rd floor, 1416 0000.

Dialing code for Chihuahua City: 01+52+(614)+Phone Number

Emergency phone numbers

Radio Patrols: 060

Red Cross: 065

General emergencies: 066

International Operator: 090

Tourist Security: 01 800 201 55 89

Go next

 * Copper Canyon - trains depart from Creel station early in the morning, around 4 hours by bus from Chihuahua.