Location:
Guerrero State, western Mexico
Distance from Mexico City: 110 miles
southwest
Population: 100,250
Closest major airport: Benito Juarez
Intl. aka Mexico City Intl.(MEX)
Time Zone: Central Standard Time
Taxco is one of Mexico’s most
beautifully-preserved colonial cities in
addition to being the center of the
country’s silver industry. The city’s
whitewashed buildings with red tile roofs
are nestled across a hillside with narrow
cobblestone streets, cozy plazas and a
cosmopolitan atmosphere despite its small
size. Taxco is two hours by car from Mexico
City, reached via a pleasant road featuring
spectacular mountains and fields.
The discovery of rich silver mines brought
fortune seekers and great wealth to Taxco.
Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes
discovered Taxco as he and his men combed
Mexico in search of silver. However, despite
the wealth of silver, its riches were not
fully exploited until two centuries later
with the arrival of Joseph de la Borda, a
Frenchman of Spanish descent.
Taxco’s colorful main plaza – Borda Plaza –
is the hub for day and night activities and
features the Santa Prisca Church with its
pink façade and filigree spires, beautiful
silver shops and top-floor restaurants with
flower-decked balconies overlooking the
action below. Smaller squares surrounding
the Plaza de Borda are also worth a visit
for their magnificent colonial buildings and
ambiance.
Several museums and antique buildings adorn
the area. The Spratling Museum, for example,
exhibits an interesting collection of
prehispanic archaeological relics found in
the region, while the beautiful 17th-century
Casa Humboldt houses the Museum of Viceregal
Art, displaying liturgical objects from
Santa Prisca. Casa Humboldt formerly served
as a hospital, the city’s first movie
theater and as a fine hotel before becoming
a museum.
For a safari-type expedition, Zoofari,
located 30 minutes north of the city, offers
the opportunity to experience close
encounters with elephants, zebras, elks,
llamas, ostriches and other free-roaming
animals. Nearby are the Cacahuamilpa Caverns
with their impressive stalactite and
stalagmite formations.
Shopping in Taxco is focused on silver
objects. Shops in Plaza Borda and along the
main highway offer retail, wholesale and
custom-made items. Pineda´s Taxco and
Sebastian, located in the main plaza; and
Elena de los Ballesteros, located near
Pineda´s, are some of the best shops in the
area.
Several restaurants in the main plaza offer
both local and regional specialties and are
a great option for a pleasant evening. Paco,
for example, is a wonderful restaurant with
a great ambiance, perfect for good food, a
drink and people-watching. La Hacienda and
Pozoleria Tia Calle are also great options
for both lunch and dinner.
Each year from late November to early
December, Taxco showcases the amazing work
of fine silversmiths at its Silver Fair. |
