Zacatecas Travel Guide

  The Rocks
by Jetgirly
  • The Rocks
      The Rocks
    by Jetgirly
  • Cable Car Over the City
      Cable Car Over the City
    by Jetgirly
  • Looking Down on the City
      Looking Down on the City
    by Jetgirly
  •   Zacatecas
    by Gatopardo
  •   Zacatecas
    by Gatopardo

Pro

fidoopy profile photo

 You don't need a lot of days to visit Zacatecas 


Con

Gatopardo profile photo

 Chaos Theory... traffic, too many cars now in the city, avoid driving in downtown in rush hours. 


In a nutshell

jungles profile photo

 Mexican colonial charm at its best 

 

Explore Zacatecas

Things to Do  

Museo Zacatecano

Museo Zacatecano, Zacatecas

 jmbredeck Says:  Retablo heaven and Huichol art: PART ONEAn extensive collection of 19th century retablos, a popular form of devotional art. These are small and were usually found in private residences. Unstable times (Reform laws of 1810, for example) and acts of repression against... 

Mask heavan

Mask heavan, Zacatecas

 jmbredeck Says:  Museo Rafael CoronelThe largest collection of masks I have ever seen. Be prepared. You begin slowly admiring the different exhibits, by the time youy finish you are walking through rooms in a daze. I was not prepared for the quantity and quality. Chief among the things I... 

MUSEO DE LA TOMA DE ZACATECAS

MUSEO DE LA TOMA DE ZACATECAS, Zacatecas

 mtncorg Says:  'Toma' means the taking or capture and in this case has to do with the epic 11-day battle in which the forces of Francisco Villa - decisively defeated federal forces - 12000 strong - of General Victoriano Huerta. The battle also brought about an open break between Villa and... 

Check Out Some Contemporary Art

Check Out Some Contemporary Art, Zacatecas

 Jetgirly Says:  Located just a block from the cathedral, Museo Pedro Coronel is a peaceful, pleasant stop on your tour of Zacatecas. Entrance is a total steal at 20 pesos ($2 USD/CAD), and your ticket gives you access to an eclectic collection of art, focusing on contemporary works but... 

Visit a Pink Church

Visit a Pink Church, Zacatecas

 Jetgirly Says:  Basilica Fatima's pink spires tower above Zacatecas, and it's worth the short walk to see the beautiful pink church up close. Although the chuch is only a few decades old, the colors are magnificent and the stained glass windows are beautiful. It's a great place to take... 

See a Free Mural

See a Free Mural, Zacatecas

 Jetgirly Says:  Casa de la Moneda used to be Zacatecas' mint (the place where they make the money). Today, it is mainly administrative offices (and it was under construction when I visited), but the entrance staircase does feature a large mural by Antonio Pinto Rodríguez showing the history... 

Chill on a Hill

Chill on a Hill, Zacatecas

 Jetgirly Says:  Zacatecas is already a million metres above sea level (okay, maybe only a hundred thousand...) , so what better way to spend a few hours than going even higher? Rising above the city to the east is Cerro de la Bufa, a hill that can be accessed by hike (it ain't no lovely... 

Descend (Sort of) Into the Mine!

Descend (Sort of) Into the Mine!, Zacatecas

 Jetgirly Says:  Mina el Eden is located inside Cerro del Grillo, just to the west of Zacateca's city center. The easiest (and nicest) way to get there is to follow along the Alameda, then walk up the stairs of the hospital and around the building to the left. There, at the end of Calle de... 

Take In an Amazing View

Take In an Amazing View, Zacatecas

 Jetgirly Says:  For the first two days that I spent in Zacatecas, the cable car was not running due to high winds. On my third and final day I woke up early and headed to the cable car immediately, knowing it was my last chance to take in the view that would surely be spectacular. I was not... 

Hotels  

Hotel Quinta Real Zacatecas

 1 Review and 38 Opinions  This five stars hotel, located in the outskirts of town, was made in the old Zacateca´s bull-ring,... 

Reyna Soledad

 1 Review and 8 Opinions  The hotel calls to be a hostel but it's a hotel. I like it because it has all the facilities and... 

Restaurants  

La Mayora Restaurant: A most when visiting Zacatecas

La Mayora Restaurant: A most when visiting Zacatecas, Zacatecas

 gzantonio Says:  I found out that this is really the only authentic Zacatecan cuisine with fare prizes and original recipes from the 1600 & 1700 grate service and a really nice location in downtown Zacatecas. The tortilla soup is to die for as well as a main dish call (asado de bodas)... 

La Cantera Musical: Nice Atmosphere, Good Food

La Cantera Musical: Nice Atmosphere, Good Food, Zacatecas

 Jetgirly Says:  Surprisingly, La Cantera Musical was not recommended in my guidebook. Located just below the Mercado Gonzales Ortega, it is a beautiful restaurant full of dark wood and warm lighting, with musicians regularly strolling through the restaurant serenading you with songs (for a... 

El Recoveco Buffet: Nice fonda style food.

El Recoveco Buffet: Nice fonda style food., Zacatecas

 Gatopardo Says:  I have tried El Recoveco in both of their locations, near Alameda in downtown Zacatecas and in front of the main placita in Guadalupe. Both are good locations. One is good if you are walking in downtown and you are done with gorditas and tamales. The second place is a good... 

Gorditas Dona Julia: Gorditas - The Pride of Zacatecas

Gorditas Dona Julia: Gorditas - The Pride of Zacatecas, Zacatecas

 Jetgirly Says:  You can't turn around in Zacatecas without seeing at least one vendor of gorditas. Gorditas are sort of like slightly-thick tortillas (usually made from corn) that are stuffed with any number of different ingredients. Gorditas Dona Julia is THE place to go for gorditas in... 

Acropolis: Old-School Breakfasts

Acropolis: Old-School Breakfasts, Zacatecas

 Jetgirly Says:  Although Acropolis serves food all day, it is best known is a timeless choice for a hearty (okay, greasy) Mexican breakfast. In contrast to the beautiful gold mirrors, shiny cappucino maker and mirrored walls, your food will come slapped on a plastic plate that is placed on... 

La Unica Cabana: Aguas Frescas - Yum!

La Unica Cabana: Aguas Frescas - Yum!, Zacatecas

 Jetgirly Says:  La Unica Cabana is a popular taco restaurant, but we stopped by just for their famous aguas frescas (pureed fruit run through a strainer and mixed with water). I'd heard they had agua di chia (yes, like Chia Pets), but mysteriously they weren't carrying that flavour when we... 

Mi Viejo: Plus de Crepes en Zacatecas

Mi Viejo: Plus de Crepes en Zacatecas, Zacatecas

 Jetgirly Says:  Mi Viejo is a little coffee shop and cafe located just a few blocks from the Cathedral. The vibe is kind of like a mix of a shack in the middle of a forest and Starbucks- lots of dark, rustic wood, weird trinkets, grunge music and people plugging away on their laptops. I... 

Le Creperie: Un Petit Peu de France en Zacatecas

Le Creperie: Un Petit Peu de France en Zacatecas, Zacatecas

 Jetgirly Says:  Le Creperie is a cute, Paris-inspired restaurant in the heart of Zacatecas. Located on the second floor of an old building, it has two tiny tables on the patio (with GREAT views!) and about six or eight more tables inside, in a room decorated with classic French posters and... 

El Pueblito: Touristy Mexican

El Pueblito: Touristy Mexican, Zacatecas

 Jetgirly Says:  This brightly-painted restaurant just reeks of tourists. I went there because it was recommended in a German guidebook, but was disappointed to find a bland, uninspired menu of "traditional" Mexican dishes that had been dulled down to appeal to the type of visitors who are... 

Local Customs  

Attend the Annual Cultural Festival

Attend the Annual Cultural Festival, Zacatecas

 Jetgirly Says:  Every year Zacatecas plays host to a huge cultural festival that includes big-name concerts, local musical artists, theatre, film, lectures and other cultural activities. Admission to most of the events (including the major concerts) is free. This year, I saw Gloria Gaynor... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Rodeo

Rodeo, Zacatecas

 TinyTuck Says:  We were taken on a rodeo by some locals. It was fun and it´s definately something really Mexican (a lot different from American rodeos). If you are interested in seing a rodeo you´ll have to find out when they are. But as far as I know they are quite frequent. 

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Map of Zacatecas