Zacatecas
Worth a visit – Zacatecas, Mexico
It’s a common misconception that Cinco de Mayo is the most important Mexican holiday, but the biggest Mexican holiday is actually Independence Day, or Día de la Independencia, which is celebrated on September 16th. Many cities in Mexico will host fireworks displays, parades, and a “grito” (a re-enactment of the “Cry of Dolores,” an event that marked the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence), but I find that the city of Zacatecas is a great place to experience this holiday.
The city of Zacatecas in Zacatecas state, is a beautiful colonial city known for it’s silver deposits, as it began as a Spanish mining camp in the 1600’s. Like many colonial cities in Mexico, it’s full of beautiful churches and Cathedrals to visit, such as the Cathedral of Zacatecas in the historic city center.
One of my favorite places to visit in this city is the Museo Rafael Coronel, which is a former convent converted into a museum which houses over 5,000 Mexican masks. While the mask collection is impressive, the grounds themselves are stunning and worth the visit alone. Other “must see” spots in Zacatecas are “La Bufa,” a hill overlooking the city that offers a fantastic view and which you get to by cable car, and “La Quemada,” an archaeological site outside the city that dates back to 300 A.D.
Finally, make sure to have brunch at the Acropolis Restaurant, located right next to the Cathedral, which makes some of the best Chilaquiles I’ve had in Mexico.
-from the Ravishing Dancing Traveler
It’s a common misconception that Cinco de Mayo is the most important Mexican holiday, but the biggest Mexican holiday is actually Independence Day, or Día de la Independencia, which is celebrated on September 16th. Many cities in Mexico will host fireworks displays, parades, and a “grito” (a re-enactment of the “Cry of Dolores,” an event that marked the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence), but I find that the city of Zacatecas is a great place to experience this holiday.
The city of Zacatecas in Zacatecas state, is a beautiful colonial city known for it’s silver deposits, as it began as a Spanish mining camp in the 1600’s. Like many colonial cities in Mexico, it’s full of beautiful churches and Cathedrals to visit, such as the Cathedral of Zacatecas in the historic city center.
One of my favorite places to visit in this city is the Museo Rafael Coronel, which is a former convent converted into a museum which houses over 5,000 Mexican masks. While the mask collection is impressive, the grounds themselves are stunning and worth the visit alone. Other “must see” spots in Zacatecas are “La Bufa,” a hill overlooking the city that offers a fantastic view and which you get to by cable car, and “La Quemada,” an archaeological site outside the city that dates back to 300 A.D.
Finally, make sure to have brunch at the Acropolis Restaurant, located right next to the Cathedral, which makes some of the best Chilaquiles I’ve had in Mexico.
-from the Ravishing Dancing Traveler
