Pachuca

Pachuca (also known as Pachuca de Soto) is a city of almost 300,000 people (2020) in the state of Hidalgo, that draws visitors with its well-preserved historical center and mining heritage.

Understand
The capital of Hidalgo State, its history is intrinsically entwined with mining since the Aztec days. After the conquista, the Spanish hired Cornish labor and innovation to help with further mining. But due to political instability and wild fluctuations in the price of precious metal values, Pachuca eventually diversified into other areas, including tourism.

The city occupies a small valley and is almost completely surrounded by large hills, which are also covered in colorful houses. The city centre has maintained most of its colonial-era structures, with narrow winding streets. Away from the centre is the modern part of Pachuca, with warehouses, factories, supermarkets and a large football stadium called El Huracán (The Hurricane).

In addition to its role as a regional center, Pachuca may be known to some as the site where much of Club of Crows, a Netflix series, was shot. It is also fortunate to be close to a mountainous natural getaway known as Parque Nacional El Chico.

Many of the descendants of the Cornish miners who immigrated here in the 19th century remain in Pachuca and nearby Real del Monte. Two heritages define the city: football and a dish called "pastes".

By plane
Pachuca is accessed by flights to Mexico City, Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX) has direct buses to Pachuca leaving every 30 minutes from Terminal 1; Santa Lucia Airport (NLU) is the closest major airport if you are driving. Depending on traffic conditions, it takes about 90 minutes to arrive at this town.

By carpooling
You can have a look on Blablacar for shared rides. From Mexico City it's around M$70 (Jan 2022) and from Puebla approx. M$130 (Jan 2022).

By bus
Pachuca is easy to reach by first class bus from several cities in the region, including from Mexico City's North station and Puebla's CAPU station (~2 hr, M$200). From the bus station, take a taxi or one of the combi minivans (M$7.5) to get to the old city center.

By car
Pachuca is about 90 km (56 miles) north of Mexico City. The road is flat with very few curves. Because it is a toll-highway, it's usually in good condition.

Get around
Pachuca is a good size city so you'll want to use the taxis or public transportation to get around. There is a local bus service operated by the city, but it doesn't go everywhere, so the most common way to get around is by combi (also called colectivo). Combis are small vans that drive along major roads, such as Blvrd. Felipe Angeles or Blvrd Marquez, and will pick up and drop off passengers anywhere along the route for a small fare (often M$10). Ask a local where the nearest combi route is and where it goes, or just look for a busy street and observe where the vans are stopping to pick up and drop off people. If you're not sure where the regular stops are, you can always just wave at an oncoming combi and the driver will stop (unless the van is already full, in which case he will pass you by). Combis have their destination (terminal point of their route) on a sign or painted on the front windshield.

Taxis are dependable and safe in Pachuca. Most hotels will call a radio taxi for you, if asked.

See



 * English Cemetery

Eat
"Pastes". Derived from the Cornish pasty (but pronounced with a short "a" and "e",) this foodstuff is close to a baked empanada and was popularized by Cornish miners who took them as ready to eat treats for their lunch inside Hidalgo's silver mines. The original ones were filled with a mixture of leek, potatoes and ground meat, however the variety has now grown into a somewhat larger assortment. While there are literally hundreds of establishments selling pastes in Pachuca, "Kiko's" and "El Duque" are strongly recommended. Inquire about chile heat before tasting.

Budget
All these are in the city center:



Go next
Mineral del Monte – 17 km

Parque Nacional (National Park) El Chico – 25 km. Not bad, monolithic escarpments rising up out of an alpine forest-type topography. Come prepared for some potentially cold weather while hiking though.

Mineral del Chico – 35 km. A pristine town that sort of functions as a service center or at least interesting respite before or after visiting Parque Nacional El Chico.

San Miguel Regla – 40 km

Santa Maria Regla – 40 km

Thermal baths, for example the Grutas Tolantongo – 120 km. Breathtaking hot springs. Featuring grottos, a water tunnel, river, bridge, waterfalls, pools and trekking. The admission is M$150 (Jan 2022), only payable in cash. The attractions in the park are open daily up to 20:00. You can also do camping there.

Xoxafi Caves – 50 km

Tolantongo Caves – 120 km

Prismas basalticos – 40 km