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A Colonial Experience
 VisitMexico.com
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November 18, 2010
 To understand Mexico’s history, one can go to a library, do some internet research or, better yet, visit the country’s central area. Here, the traveler will find cities as diverse as Zacatecas, Aguascalientes or San Miguel de Allende, which all have a common denominator: they participated in the Mexican Independence and Revolution wars, they witnessed the fall of an empire and the birth of a nation. They all show traces of a memorable past in their walls, streets and churches.
Destinations that make up the Route
ZACATECAS
Images of desert landscapes, silver mines (which are today night clubs), Baroque churches and natural reserves could all belong to different spots on the planet. However, all these have a land in common: Zacatecas. Thanks to the mining wealth, this central state had a very important role during the Colony and much later, during the Revolution. Today, there are still traces of this in buildings, monuments, and even in museums: pieces of history that have nothing boring about them.
AGUASCALIENTES
One of the first things you’ll hear about before exploring the city is how clean it is, or something regarding its famous soccer team: the Necaxa. However, it is enough to set foot in Aguascalientes to discover that the city has much more to offer. For example, the fairs: in April, National San Marcos Fair, with its concerts, bullfights and the National Charro Championship, and in October the Calaveras fair. A visit that includes the historical Morelos Theater, the cathedral and the Government Palace; or a visit to the four traditional neighborhoods: El Encino, Guadalupe, La Estación and San Marcos will create a great experience.
SAN LUIS POTOSI
A centuries-old history passes through (though it doesn’t weigh on) San Luis Potosi. Much before the Spanish arrived to America, the area was populated by different indigenous groups. The city was once the country’s capital (although it was only for a few years); and this is the place where the Revolution started, when Francisco I. Madero declared the San Luis Plan. In addition to the capital, the state is famous because of two great attractions: the architectural garden designed by Sir Edward James in Xilitla, and the mystery and charm that surround Real de Catorce.
GUANAJUATO
Without exaggerating, it can be said that the city of tunnels is an open history book. To read it, it is enough to sit on a bench in the Union Garden and watch people stroll by on the streets that go up and down and have irregular balconies. But if the traveler really wants to dig into history, visiting the History Museum at Alhóndiga de Granaditas, the University and the Juárez Theater are mandatory stops, in addition to visiting churches and some estates that conserve the splendor of the 16th, 17th and 18th Centuries, when the city was the third largest silver producer in the world.
QUERETARO
To explore this city in depth, you must walk around it and get lost in the streets and pedestrian lanes. Sacred art temples, like Santa Rosa de Viterbo; buildings that are one hundred percent Baroque, such as the Santa Clara convent; or historical like the Corregidora’s (magistrate who participated in the Independence) house; these are well worth the stroll. The center of Queretaro is clean, calm and nice, as if living in a constant summer afternoon; there is also proud memory of the exultation and euphoria of the Mexican Independence and Revolution.
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE
Art, good gastronomy and history coexist in one of the favorite cities in Mexico, which was declared World Heritage Site in 2008. It was important because of its intervention in the Independence movement and because it was witness to the Mexican Baroque; today, it is relevant because of its restaurants and Colonial mansions turned into boutique hotels. Although at the Benito Juárez Park it is normal to hear languages from all over the world, the city conserves details like public washing houses, the San Miguel Parish or the Condes de la Canal House, which state its glorious past.
SAN JUAN DE LOS LAGOS
After the Vatican, the Villa (Virgin of Guadalupe Basilica) is the sanctuary most visited by faithful Catholics in the world. And in Mexico, after the Tepeyac (hill where the basilica is located), the religious place that receives most people is San Juan de los Lagos, in the Jalisco Highlands. It is clear that the interest falls in the Nuestra Señora de los Lagos cathedral and basilica (and in the six paintings that were allegedly created by Rubens), rather than on the 40 thousand inhabitants of this town founded in 1542. Thanks to the thousands of pilgrims that visit the town daily, there is quite a large variety of hotels and restaurants for you to choose from.
MEXICO CITY
The capital of the country, magnificent since its foundation seven centuries ago, does not cease to surprise visitors and even its inhabitants. Enormous, tree-lined, and with stunning cultural wealth, this is a city of contrasts where one of the best climates in the world coexists with the highest population density in the country. Exploring the streets is witnessing different ethnic groups and traditions that have configured its population. And as if this wasn’t enough, almost 40% of it is rural areas, primarily forest, which makes it a kind and green metropolis. Architecture and art, in addition, make Mexico City an undeniable world reference.
DURANGO
Victoria de Durango is a city known as "the Pearl of Guadiana", for it is located in a valley called by that name. It exists since the 16th Century and to date it is one of the most developed cities in this part of Mexico, due to its mining tradition and timber industry. A visit to the following museums is worth it: Museo Regional del Estado (regional), Museo Tematico del Cine (cinema), Museo de Arqueología (archaeology) and Museo de Arte Moderno (modern art).
MORELIA
A stroll around the Centro Historico is enough to reveal the majesty of Morelia, founded in 1541, which was home to wealthy Spanish families during the Colony. Even today, it is an example of the Viceregal splendor, but it is also a dynamic city, venue of one of the most important film festivals in Mexico. After sunset, the cathedral lights up, bars open, the streets fill up with stalls that offer local delicacies and, during an evening walk, it is not uncommon to run into a troubadour reciting the legends of the city.
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San Luis Potosí
A centuries-old history passes through (though it doesn’t weigh on) San Luis Potosí. Much before the Spanish arrived to America, the area was populated by different indigenous groups. The city was once the country’s capital (although it was only for a few years); and this is the place where the Revolution started, when Francisco I. Madero declared the San Luis Plan. In addition to the capital, the state is famous because of two great attractions: the architectural garden designed by Sir Edward James in Xilitla, and the mystery and charm that surround Real de Catorce.
Michoacán
One of the most diverse states in the country, it is a place where indigenous traditions are conserved at the same time that it boasts a rich Spanish legacy. Its attractions range from the Colonial city of Morelia, a World Heritage site, to virgin beaches such as Maruata, Nexpa or Faro de Bucerías; and it also includes small traditional towns around the lake in Pátzcuaro and the monarch butterfly sanctuary. In Michoacán, people who changed the course of the country’s history were born, like leaders from the Independence José María Morelos and Josefa Ortíz de Domínguez, and former president Lázaro Cárdenas.
Durango
La Sierra Madre Occidental y el clima de este estado hacen que la flora y la fauna resulten formidables como osos, cactáceas y águilas. Además cuenta con una diversidad geográfica que permite la práctica de deportes extremos tales como la bicicleta de montaña, el kayac y el rapel. Esto ha permitido además la filmación de muchas películas internacionales. También cuenta con la famosa Zona del Silencio, conocida por sus propiedades magnéticas tan particulares. Es además la cuna de Pancho Villa.
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