State · Bajío e cidades coloniais

Zacatecas

Zacatecas: the pink stone city, World Heritage Site, the cable car to Cerro de la Bufa, the El Edén mine and the village of Jerez.

In the photo: La Quemada votive pyramid

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

The state

Get to know Zacatecas

Zacatecas is in north-central Mexico, on a dry, high plateau. The capital, at about 2,400 metres, was founded in the 16th century with the discovery of silver in the hills and for a long time was one of the richest cities of New Spain. The state is part of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, the old silver road, a World Heritage Site.

The historic centre of the capital, also a World Heritage Site, is built of cantera rosa, a pink stone that gives colour to the baroque cathedral, whose façade is covered with carved figures, and to the surrounding palaces. The streets climb and descend the slopes, between plazas and alleys.

The cable car crosses the city up to Cerro de la Bufa, where the sanctuary of Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio and a lookout over the centre are located. The El Edén mine, which operated for more than three centuries, can be visited on a small train that enters the tunnels. The Rafael Coronel Museum, with thousands of Mexican masks, and the Pedro Coronel Museum, with art from around the world, occupy former convents.

Jerez, about 55 km away, is a village of 19th-century houses and theatres. On the table, asado de boda, a pork stew with chili, and milk-based sweets.

Destinations

1 destination in Zacatecas

2 cities

Zacatecas

Cities

2 cities in Zacatecas in the guide

Zacatecas Capital

Zacatecas

Zacatecas is the capital of the state of the same name, a silver city built in the 16th century in a valley between hills, about 2,400 meters above sea level. The pink cantera historic center, a World Heritage site, has the baroque cathedral, palaces, plazas and museums, and a cable car connects the center to Cerro de la Bufa. The El Edén mine can be toured from the inside.

Zacatecas

Jerez

Jerez is a colonial 19th-century town about 55 km from Zacatecas, with tree-lined plazas, cantera mansions, the Teatro Hinojosa and the Santuario de la Soledad. It is the birthplace of the poet Ramón López Velarde, author of "Suave Pátria," and has traditions of tambora music and charrería. It is a Pueblo Mágico.

When to go

From October to May days are usually dry and sunny, with cold and sometimes freezing nights from December to February due to the altitude. From June to September it rains in the afternoons. Zacatecas is three hours behind Brasília.

Getting there

Zacatecas airport (ZCL) receives flights from Mexico City and some cities in the United States. By bus, the city is about 2 hours from Aguascalientes and about 8 hours from Mexico City. To Jerez there are buses and vans departing from the capital.

Your questions

Frequently asked questions about Zacatecas

How many days to stay in Zacatecas?

Two days for the historic centre, the cable car, the mine and the museums, and half a day for Jerez.

What is cantera rosa?

A pink stone used in the construction of Zacatecas's cathedral and palaces, which gives the city its colour.

Can you go into the El Edén mine?

Yes. The visit enters the tunnels on a small train and goes through galleries of the old mine, with a guide.

Does Zacatecas’s altitude affect you?

The city is at about 2,400 metres, and the slopes tire you out the first days. Bring a jacket: nights tend to be cold.

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