A different way to get to know Mexico and discover the roots of this beautiful American country is to get closer to its Magical Towns. These localities scattered throughout the territory are part of a program developed by the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with various municipal and state government agencies.
The objective is to make known other beautiful places of the Mexican geography beyond the typical tourist cities with world fame. In addition, being classified as a Magic Town of Mexico is a recognition to those who live in those municipalities for having known how to preserve for everyone, nationals and foreigners, the historical wealth and culture that they house.
Of the 111 municipalities that are part of the Magic Towns of Mexico initiative, today we visit four very diverse ones.
Parish of the Immaculate Conception
Real de Catorce
Belonging to the State of San Luis Potosí, its original name was Real de Minas de la Limpia Concepción de los Álamos de Catorce. When it caught fire in the mid-XNUMXth century, it changed its name to Real de Minas de Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de los Álamos de Catorce. A tremendously long and difficult to remember denomination that changed again in the XNUMXth century to simply be called Real de Catorce.
This Magic Town of Mexico is ideal to rest and recover from the busy pace of life in the cities. It also allows you to know another side of the country, linked to calm, ecotourism and nature. In fact, some of the best activities to do here are related to hiking and outdoor sports.
It is highly advisable to visit the Cerro del Quemado, located sixty minutes away, which is the most eastern ceremonial center in the entire sacred space of the Huichols. Lovers of landscape photography will love this place as it offers spectacular views.
Other tourist attractions in Real de Catorce are the Guadalupe Chapel Pantheon, the Hidalgo Garden, the Parish Museum, the 1791 Bullring, the Municipal Palace and the Palenque (where cultural events take place).
When you visit this Magic Town of Mexico, you cannot forget to go to some of the traditional tianguis and markets where you can find all kinds of rustic-style garments, handicrafts and furniture. They are installed every weekend.
Gold
This Magic Town of Mexico is one of the country's ancient mining glories. Its mining splendor ended a long time ago but it continues to be an interesting tourist attraction in the State of Mexico since it has stately buildings reflecting that past that catch all eyes and picturesque streets with cobbled floors that lead to many of the places of interest in El Oro.
An essential site to visit is the Chapel of Santa María de Guadalupe, which has a closed atrium full of roses in the center of which stands a statue of Christ. Afterwards, it is convenient to visit the traditional Madero Garden, a quiet place to take a walk while observing the trees and the existing vegetation. There is the Bicentennial tree, which was planted in 2010.
Another place of tourist interest is the Municipal Palace where there is an interesting mural called 'The genesis of El Oro' which shows what the origins of this Magic Town were a century ago.
Next to the Palace is the famous Juárez Theater, an authentic French and Elizabethan neoclassical architectural treasure in which great operas and operas are performed. On Sundays, in this place, concerts and music videos are projected so that the whole town can enjoy it for free.
What follows is the Mining Museum of the State of Mexico. There we will find extensive information about the mining history of El Oro and an interesting geological exhibition of the minerals that were extracted in its mines.
Finally, on the outskirts of town there is a shop where all kinds of crafts and souvenirs from the visit to this Magical Town are offered.
Coatepec
A must for coffee lovers is Coatepec, in the State of Veracruz. In 1808 the arrival of the Cuban coffee bean to this town, nestled on the eastern slopes of the Pico de Orizaba and Cofre de Perote volcanoes, forever changed the history of this Magical Town.
Since then, the aroma of this town of Andalusian-style mansions and beautiful interior gardens is like coffee. In fact, it is often called the capital of coffee in Mexico for being widely recognized for its production of this drink.
As a coffee town that Coatepec is, in the month of May it celebrates the Coffee Fair. An event that includes musical shows, cultural activities, bullfights, artisan and commercial exhibitions as well as delicious gastronomy.
But what is Coatepec like beyond its coffee? Its name comes from Nahuatl and means hill of snakes. The roots of this land go down in pre-Hispanic times and many were the peoples that lived here over time, leaving their mark in the form of the Parish of San Jerónimo, the church of Guadalupe, the Municipal Presidency, the House of Culture or the great Museum-Orchid Garden with more than five thousand specimens. You could not miss the Coffee Museum to learn about the origins of this traditional bean with a designation of origin.
In Coatepec much more awaits you than the aroma of coffee and its history. Not in vain, this Magical Town of Mexico was declared a Historical Heritage of the Nation thanks to its 370 buildings with high historical value.
Teotihuacan
There is no doubt that if there is a Magic Town capable of transporting you to pre-Columbian Mexico, this is it. It is only 50 kilometers from Mexico City and its fame is mainly due to its huge archaeological site.
In Nahuatl mythology, it was in Teotihuacán where the Sun and the Moon were created. This city of the gods, as its name says, began to be built five centuries before our era and still stands as a monumental icon of the Mexican indigenous past as well as a place of incalculable heritage value.
Teotihuacan lived its time of splendor between the XNUMXrd and XNUMXth centuries AD and from then on its decline occurred due to political instability and climatic changes. Despite everything, it is one of the best preserved pre-Columbian cities in America.
The archaeological zone of this Magical Town is the one that receives the largest number of visitors from all over Mexico, surpassing Chichén Itzá (Yucatán) and Monte Albán (Oaxaca). The pre-Columbian city of Teotihuacan was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987 by UNESCO.
It is true that knowing this archaeological site is the reason why many visit Teotihuacan. However, in this town there are other interesting tourist attractions to discover such as the former Convent of San Juan Bautista (1548), the temple of Our Lady of Purification, the Cactaceous Garden, the Cuauhtémoc spa and the Fountain or the baths in temazcal and bicycle tours through the most spectacular natural corners of the region.
The best route to visit this destination by bike is the Teotihuacan Valley. Although it is not possible to do a bike tour within the archaeological zone, it is allowed to circulate in its surroundings.