Zacatecas

Zacatecas, the capital of the state of the same name, is a city of 138,000 people (2020) in the Bajío region of Mexico. The town offers a rich travel experience with its historical downtown centro full of colonial architecture, 17th century churches, innovative restaurants and lively night clubs. Zacatecas is a.

Understand
Located in north-central Mexico, Zacatecas had its start as a Spanish mining camp in the mid-16th century, although Native Americans had already known about the area's rich deposits of silver and other minerals the rich deposits of silver and lead were discovered by the Spanish in the 1540s. Due to the wealth that the mines provided, Zacatecas quickly became one of the most important mining cities in New Spain. The area saw battles during the turbulent 19th century, and the city was held by the colonists during the Mexican War of Independence. It was also the site of a major battle known as the Battle of Zacatecas during the Mexican Revolution when Pancho Villa captured the town, an event still celebrated every anniversary. Today, the colonial part of the city is well preserved with a number of historic buildings. It is a World Heritage Site, due to the baroque churches and other structures built during its mining days. Mining remains an important industry.

The name Zacatecas is derived from the Zacateco people and has its roots in Nahuatl. The name means "people of the grasslands". In the pre-Colombian era, the area was inhabited several groups who were known collectively as the Chichimeca. These groups included Caxcans, Guachichils, Guamares, Huichols, and Zacatecos.

The climate is semi-arid with desert conditions in the nearby mountainous areas.

By car
You can check for shared rides on Blablacar, especially when coming from San Luis Potosi, León, Guadalajara or Aguascalientes. As of 2024, due to cartel violence in the region, you should avoid traveling to Zacatecas from Guadalajara/Jalisco and Durango by private vehicle (busses are fine).

Get around
Walking is probably the best way to get around the Centro Historico (Historic Downtown) which is relatively small. It will allow you to see the city at your own pace. The Centro is about 8000 feet (2400 meters) while surrounding portions of the city are much higher. Be sure that you are acclimated to the altitude.

If you get tired, take a taxi cab. They are moderately priced and available all over the city. Just make sure you ask in advance to the taxi driver how much he will charge you (Cuanto cuesta ir a 'Insert place'?). As most prices in Mexico, taxi fares are open to negotiation and asking in advance should give you a better negotiating position. The ride-hailing services Uber and Didi are also readily available.

There is also the Maxibus, which will drive you around the city to show you the interesting sites. It costs M$100 (pesos) for adults and M$80 for minors (as of 2023), lasts about 45 minutes and leaves from the Plaza de Armas.

Centro Historico
Nearly all of the city center buildings are nineteenth century or older; the topography and irregular street pattern (most streets are too steep and narrow for vehicles; many have steps in them) almost make one think of a medieval city like Toledo, Spain. The city, built on the site where silver was discovered in the 1530s, is crammed into a narrow canyon, with houses and churches perched on its nearly vertical walls.

The whole town is a museum; there are three seventeenth or eighteenth century ex-monasteries near the center, several other churches from the colonial era scattered here and there, and at least half a dozen other museums, nearly all worth visiting. Houses and streets, all of which built in colonial times are worth seeing on their own.





La Bufa
The Cerro de la Bufa, a mountain with a very distinctive shape, is in the center of the city and, along with the cathedral, is the city's most recognizable landmark. The best way to get to the top is using the Teleferico (Cable Car) which takes you from the Cerro del Grillo (Cricket’s Hill) to the top of La Bufa. Once at the top of la Bufa, you can enjoy some of the best views the city has to offer, and don’t forget to visit:

Festivals
Zacatecas is a city that loves to celebrate and you'll find a number of cultural festivals taking over the city streets throughout the year.


 * Festival Cultural de Zacatecas happens every year during the week before Easter Sunday (known as Semana Santa). This is a huge event with more than 100 attractions including popular music concerts every night. Some concerts may be regional Mexican music while others may include rock, pop, rap, and reggaeton. There are cultural shows and kid-friendly events as well as carnival rides, midway games, and plenty of food and drink.


 * Feria Nacional de Zacatecas happens throughout the month of September with events taking place at the foot of Cerro de la Bufa. Events include livestock exhibitions, bullfighting, charreadas, concerts, a craft fair and an auto show. This is a huge event that attracts about 2 million visitors to the city each September. The main concert hall is an intimate venue seating just 5,000 fans despite hosting some of the biggest stars in latin music.


 * Festival Zacatecas del Folclor Internacional celebrates historical and indigenous cultural traditions. It happens the first week of August.


 * Morismas de Bracho is a re-enactment of the decapitation of John the Baptist and the Christian battles against the Moors. About 5,000 costumed players take part in the event, which focuses on the roles of Charlemagne, Mohamed and John the Baptist. The re-enactment takes place in El Bracho Park.

Buy
Sitting atop one of the foremost silver-producing regions in the word, Zacatecas is obviously a great place to buy silver. For traditional crafts, seek out pitiado, in which leather artifacts are beautifully hand-embroidered in complicated designs using pita thread.

Eat
Zacatecas is blessed with some outstanding restaurants serving a wide range of traditional Mexican dishes, including regional variations that an epicurious traveler will seek out since they are rarely cooked in other regions, let alone outside Mexico. The most famous local dish is asado de boda, a type of mole with an orange flavor. Asado de boda can be served over various types of meat, but chicken is most common. The state of Jalisco is most famous for birria, a delicious stew that's typically made with lamb, though in Zacatecas, it's made with goat and is called birria de chivo. Birrieria Don Polo serves some of the city's best birria de chivo.

Drink
Mezcal (tequila is a variety of mezcal): Zacatecano and Huitzila are some traditional local brands. Avoid anything that doesn't say 100% agave (that includes Cuervo Gold).

Bars
There are many bars along the streets near the Jardín Juárez, including outdoor seating at various watering holes lining the Plazuela Miguel Auza.

Stay safe
As of 2024, despite blanket warnings about Zacatecas State from the U.S. and Canadian governments, Zacatecas city is safe for tourists. Some other towns and villages in the state of Zacatecas are not, however. Driving in a private vehicle between Zacatecas city and the states of Jalisco or Durango should generally be avoided – tourists have been murdered on rural Zacatecan highways. This does not apply to busses – traveling by bus in any direction across the state is safe.

Connect
Telcel provides 4G coverage throughout the city. As of 2024, 5G has not yet reached Zacatecas.

Due to the age and construction of most of the buildings in the city, wifi coverage can be spotty in hotels unless the proprietor has put significant effort into boosting the signal.

Go next

 * Aguascalientes
 * San Luis Potosi
 * León
 * Guadalajara