Taxco de Alarcón
Plaza Borda, the historic center of Taxco, seen from the Flor de la Vida restaurant
Taxco de Alarcón is a small town located in a gorgeous mountain setting in the state of Guerrero, 100.6 mi (162 km) from the historic center of Mexico City. Soon after the Spanish conquest, the colonists found silver in the area, and mining became the main economic activity in the region. In the 1920s American silversmith William Spratling moved to Taxco, where he opened silver design workshops and exported silver to the United States. Once the town became famous for silversmithing, tourism became its next main economic activity.
With its many silver shops, picturesque adobe-roofed white houses, winding cobbled streets and mountain scenery, Taxco is now one of the most touristic magical towns in the country. It is also quite close to Mexico City, which makes it a wonderful option for those who want to get a taste of Mexican small town life on a one-day trip.
1. What to see
1.1. Parroquia de Santa Prisca y San Sebastián
1.2. Mina Prehispánica de Taxco
1.3. The silver market
1.4. Silver jewelry stores
1.5. Museo Casa Figueroa
1.6. Museo Guillermo Spratling
2. Where to eat
2.1. Flor de la Vida
2.2. Del Ángel Inn
2.3. Rosa Amaranto
2.4. Pozolería Tía Calla
3. Where to stay
4. How to get there
What to see
📷 Parroquia de Santa Prisca y San Sebastián
9 am - 7 pm Mon-Sat
10 am - 8:15 pm Sun
The construction of this beautiful pink church (1751-1758) was sponsored by José de la Borda, Spanish mine owner and one of the richest men in Mexico at the time. Because he paid for the project (it is said he nearly went bankrupt in spite of his wealth), he dictated the architectural style of the church. His son, priest Manuel de la Borda, worked in this parish for 18 years.
The church was built in Churrigueresue style, also known as Ultra Baroque, a style that emerged in Spain in the late 17th century and is characterized by the use of excessive decorative elements. The pink hues of its façade are owed to the pink cantera, a volcanic rock that is mined in the region.
📷 Mina Prehispánica de Taxco
9 am - 6 pm daily
Entry fee: 180 MXN
This pre-Hispanic mine was discovered during the renovation works of the Posada de la Misión Hotel. The mine is over 500 years old and only 150 meters have been explored, which means it still preserves most of its metals. Archaeologists say that silver was used by the indigenous population in barters and they extracted about 800 grams of silver from every 20 tons of stone.
📷 The silver market
10:30 am - 6 pm Sat
If you visit Taxco on a Saturday, make sure you go to the silver market to check out a wide variety of silver products, many of them pretty cheap. It is located near the Estrella Blanca bus terminal.
I had many questions when I visited Taxco about the authenticity of some of the silver pieces. One of the vendors taught us how to identify silver and here are a few tips we learned:
💍 Silver is not magnetic, so you should hold a magnet to the item you are interested in if in doubt.
💍 Look for the stamp on the item indicating the purity of the silver. The .925 stamp is used for genuine sterling silver items, which contain 92.5% silver.
💍 Silver is a dense metal. If it feels very light it might not be sterling silver, and if it is too heavy it could be lead plated with silver.
📷 Silver jewelry stores
Platería July
You will see silver jewelry stores pretty much everywhere in Taxco, so visiting at least one of them is a must. And I guarantee it will be hard to leave Taxco without buying yourself a silver souvenir. The amount of gorgeous jewelry is simply overwhelming and the prices are unbeatable.
Here is a short list of stores I highly recommend visiting:
💍 Platería July
📍 Centro, 40200
📅 10 am - 7 pm Mon-Sat
10 am - 6 pm Sun
💍 Platería Real de Minas
📍 Barrio de la Garita, 40230
📅 10 am - 7 pm Mon-Sat
💍 Taller de Plata Robles (est. 1938)
📍 Delicias 10, Centro
📅 11 am - 7 pm daily
💍 Tierra de Plata
📍 Real de Cuauhtémoc 3-A, Centro
📅 10 am - 8 pm daily
💍 Platería Ave María
📍 Cuauhtémoc 17-F, Centro
📅 10 am - 8:30 pm daily
📷 Museo Casa Figueroa
10 am - 5 pm daily
Entry fee: 35 MXN
Casa Figueroa was commissioned by the Count of Cadena, a notable figure in Taxco at the time, and it was built in 1767. It was entirely built by Tlahuicas, indigenous people who lived in the area and who were submitted to acts of cruelty while they worked here. Being associated with the suffering and pain of the Tlahuicas and also of some of the people who lived here, the house has been known as Casa de las Lagrimas (House of Tears).
The next family who lived in this house (after the count) had a tragical fate. The daughter fell in love with a boy who did not belong to her social class, and the father preferred to kill her instead of accepting their relationship. The house was abandoned for a long time after the murder.
Years later, the house was owned by a rich old lady, Basilia, who hid her money in the walls of the house for fear she might be robbed. What she feared most came to happen eventually, because she was robbed and murdered.
The house bears the name of Fidel Figueroa, the artist who bought it in 1943 and turned it into a museum. He never lived here, though.
📷 Museo Guillermo Spratling
9 am - 5 pm Mon-Sat
9 am - 3 pm Sun
Entry fee: 65 MXN
The William Spratling Museum exhibits the American silversmith's private collection. Spratling was in love with Mexican history and culture, so in his collection you will see pre-Hispanic jars and figurines, as well as objects made with precious stones. His friendship with Diego Rivera inspired him to start his own private collections. The museum also has a special room dedicated to Spratling's silver work.
Where to eat
Chile en nogada at Flor de la Vida
Flor de la Vida
📍 Plazuela de Los Gallos 2, Centro
📅 8 am - 10 pm daily
💚 Try: chiles en nogada
📜 In 1821, the nuns of the Santa Mónica Monastery in the state of Puebla created the chile en nogada recipe to celebrate Mexico's independence from the Spanish crown. In the colors of the Mexican flag, chile en nogada is the ultimate Mexican dish and the star of the national day festive meal on September 16. It is a poblano pepper stuffed with fruit, meat and spices, and topped with a walnut sauce with pomegranate seeds and parsley. This recipe was recognized by UNESCO in 2010.
Del Ángel Inn
📍 Celso Muñoz 4-Altos
📅 8 am - 10 pm daily
💚 Try: enchiladas de arrachera suizas (skirt steak, sour cream, cheese and chili peppers wrapped in flour tortillas topped with chili sauce)
Rosa Amaranto
📍 Calle Don Miguel Hidalgo 30, Centro
📅 8 am - 10:30 pm daily
💚 Try: mole rosa de Taxco (chicken served with pink mole sauce)
📜 Pink mole is a famous Taxco recipe. The pink hues of this sauce are obtained from beetroot and sometimes from other ingredients like pine nuts, pomegranate or rose petals. It is said the pink Santa Prisca Church from the historic center inspired the creation of this dish.
Pozolería Tía Calla
📍 Plaza Borda 1, Centro
📅 1 pm - 10 pm Wed-Mon
💚 Try: any type of pozole (traditional soup made with hominy, chicken or pork, shredded lettuce, chilli peppers, onion, garlic, radish, avocado and lime)
📜 The green and white pozole are the main traditional dishes of the state of Guerrero.
Where to stay
📍 Juan Ruiz de Alarcón 4
Hotel Posada de la Misión ⭐⭐⭐⭐
📍 Cerro de la Misión 32
Hotel Boutique Pueblo Lindo ⭐⭐⭐⭐
📍 Miguel Hidalgo 30, Centro
📍 Guillermo Spratling 4, Centro
How to get there
The building on the left (built in 1759) was José de la Borda's house. Now it serves as a cultural center.
From Mexico City
🚙 With 👉Aztec Explorers, certified and experienced bilingual guides who will provide you with transportation
💡 Although Taxco is a very safe town, the state of Guerrero is the 6th most violent Mexican state according to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) homicide data in 2019, so I don't recommend driving to Taxco on your own nor taking a bus there.
📜 You can visit Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park on your way to Taxco. It is one of the largest cave systems in the world (3,954 ac / 1,600 ha), and what makes it even more special is that water is still filtering into it and the cave formations are still growing.
These spectacular caves were formed 85 million years ago and they might have been sculpted by the San Jerónimo River that runs below at a depth of 311.6 ft (95 m). The name Cacahuamilpa means 'fertile place for the cultivation of peanuts' in the Aztec language.
Only 20 out of the 90 caves are open to the public.
Grutas de Cacahuamilpa