Giving us certain escapes takes us away from daily stresses, it also keeps our spirit young and allows us to experience different cultures, and it is that, speaking of culture, there are traditional places where it seems that time has stopped, just as it happens in the past. enchanting Magical Towns.
Pueblos Mágicos is one of the classifications in the tourist industry, they are towns that gather charms to be named within this program of the Ministry of Tourism and to our pride, Mexico has 83 towns that attract for their customs, architecture, and rich gastronomy.
A very pleasant recommendation for you if you live or plan to visit the cosmopolitan city of Monterrey is to know these 5 magical towns that are very close to the royal city and that you will surely love. Are you ready to discover them?
Villa de Santiago near Monterrey
This fascinating town is located half an hour from Monterrey, between the Sierra Madre Oriental and the Sierra de la Silla, its natural wealth and the colonial charm of its viceregal town give it that perfect sense for a long-awaited rest or an extraordinary adventure.
Its natural landscapes are enjoyable as a family, which also has perfect places for extreme activities and, on the other hand, to enter its cultural world, it has architectural wonders such as La Parroquia.
What to visit?
Ocampo Square
A walk around here is very cultural, with its pleasant fountain and its architecture such as that of the Parroquia de Santiago Apóstol and its old municipal palace that is now a museum, there are also sweet shops and restaurants in addition to that the passers-by give great life to the environment.
Dam of the mouth
Surrounded by mountains, this dam was created to supply water to Monterrey, in this area, you will find restaurants, hotels, and piers where you can take a catamaran ride and enjoy the moment with pleasant amenities.
Cola de Caballo Park
In this park there is a waterfall that descends from the Sierra Madre Occidental at a height of 25 meters because it is abundant water it was called Cola de Caballo, around it there are green areas and viewpoints to enjoy the waterfall, the mountains and the river, ideal for different field activities.
The Cavazos
Great shopping area that is also perfect to take a walk and eat the typical food of Nuevo León, you can see rustic furniture, buy some crafts, flowers, typical sweets and everything you can imagine, plus you can try the famous bread of corn.
What to eat
When visiting this magical town you cannot stop eating the roast pork as well as the “poisoned” beans that are fried with lard, the corn bread is also a must-see as well as the sweets derived from milk.
Parras de la Fuente, Coahuila
With almost 3 hours of a road trip, you can reach this oasis in the desert, a town that brings together everything to be magical, famous for its calm and country atmosphere and that boasts fascinating architecture, beautiful vegetation, and unique springs.
In addition, Parras Coahuila has the oldest vineyards in Latin America, so the vineyard tradition that it maintains will allow you to taste its unmatched quality, a place where various liqueurs and very famous spirits are also produced.
What to visit?
Santo Madero
This is a chapel built by the people at the top of Cerro del Sombreretillo, its destiny is to protect the inhabitants of Parras, which is a very interesting story that when you visit it, there will be a local who will tell you about it while you go up to meet it.
Hacienda San Lorenzo
Recognized internationally, this farm is very important since the first vineyards in America were established in it, being the most famous wine producer in Parras and that you cannot miss.
Pond The Light
A site that beautifies Parras for its waters from the springs of the mountains, this is a family resort much visited for its perfect facilities ideal to enjoy and recreate in its crystalline waters surrounded by abundant vegetation.
What to eat
With mestizo dishes, Parras offers very rich gastronomy whose specialties are roasts, pork tamales, barbecue and to drink it offers its delicious wines, in addition to that in sweets they show off both walnuts, cajeta, grapes and several more.
Cuatro Cienegas, Coahuila
4 hours from Monterrey is this newly named Magic Town, Cuatro Cienegas, Coahuila, beautiful for its landscapes and ecosystems, because it has a Protected Natural Area is a unique oasis that you must know, visit its crystalline water pools, its rivers, and springs and enjoy its biodiversity.
The town of Cuatro Ciénegas is very cozy, with streets adorned with colonial houses and a viceregal look whose history is very broad and decisive, having as its emblem the former president Venustiano Carranza, but in addition to this, the place offers samples of flavor in its sweets. and its red wines.
What to visit?
Blue Pool
A protected pool whose water color is impressive blue and is very crystalline, visiting it will be an experience that you will not forget, although you cannot swim, the landscape will make you fall in love. There are pools for swimming such as La Becerra or La Ilusión where you can observe many fish.
Main square
A place with lush trees being the meeting point for families, its kiosk and the Parroquia de San José in neoclassical style are its main attraction, it is a space to enjoy the tranquility of the town and its way of life.
Wine Cellars
With many years of tradition, this magical town has wineries where you can learn about the vine production process , as well as enjoy tastings, tour the wineries and take the wines of your choice.
Carranza House Museum
In this interesting Spanish-style house now converted into a museum, you will find a complete selection of photographs as well as objects of the former president of Mexico, Venustiano Carranza, give yourself the opportunity to see the house where he was born.
What to eat
You cannot leave without eating the delicious treat made with pork belly, I also suggest you try the beef head barbecue and pork meat and to delight yourself with something sweet, nothing like walnut sweets.
Real de Catorce, San Luis Potosí
A mining town of great mysticism, it is located in San Luis Potosí in the highest areas 4 hours from Monterrey. It has very old buildings that keep a certain mining mystery, for something it was named a ghost town but without a doubt, it receives many visitors every day, attracted by its charms.
In addition to the memories of what this mining town was, the tour through the desert will surprise you and you will find samples of Huichol art and landscapes with areas ready for adventure and extreme sports and in contrast, you will also be in a quiet place to enjoy in Romance.
What to visit?
Hidalgo Garden
This is the heart and social center of the town, it is surrounded by lush trees as well as handicraft shops offered by the Huichols and you will also find restaurants. Right here you will find the Chapel of the Virgin of Guadalupe and the cemetery.
The Palenque
A point for cockfighting built in the Roman amphitheater-style, the palenque has excellent acoustics so various artistic and cultural events take place there, without a doubt it is a place that you should not miss.
The Mint
Before the Maza house where coins were minted, sometime later it became the Real de Catorce Cultural Center where a collection of Mexican coins is exhibited as well as objects from the past mining town, it has an art gallery and a cafeteria. In it they perform presentations and concerts.
What to eat
The dishes of Real de Catorce are based on corn and here you can savor the famous wedding barbecue, the pork with ancho chili, the unmissable tacos, enchiladas and the potosino cold meat as well as the sweets derived from goat’s milk.
Jerez de García Salinas
With natural charms and marked traditions, Jerez is located in Zacatecas 5 hours from Monterrey, you can start your trip very early to reach the town adorned with farms and buildings of appreciated pink quarry architecture.
Jerez has an artistic environment due to its musical and artisanal wealth, as well as being the birthplace of the poet Ramón López Velarde, its legends and customs will allow you to travel through history and learn about its culture, in addition to being able to venture into its beautiful landscapes.
What to visit?
Immaculate Conception Parish
With a baroque façade made of white stone, this temple that has details of a cathedral has a neoclassical interior, ideal for practicing photography or simply visiting the Jerez faith enclosure.
“Ramón López Velarde” House Museum
A very typical town house, beautiful and where this poet was born, its interior belongs intact to how homes were in the time of Ramón López Velarde where his writings and personal objects are exhibited there.
Sierra de Cardos
Large rock formations that are ideal for activities such as rappelling, you can also observe unique landscapes, bird species, horseback riding and have fun with many other things.
What to eat
Jerez, Zacatecas can conquer you by the stomach, try its traditional gorditas such as curd as well as the well-known wedding barbecue in the state, the menudo, the marinated meat and many other delicacies.
Undoubtedly these magical towns are more than fascinating, I know that it is very difficult to decide but choose one in your next plan to go out on the road and spend days of tranquility and harmony away from the city. To calculate the prices of the toll booths.
Venture out and shake off the daily life with the pure magic style of Mexico!
