Visit Mexico > Taxco, the colonial city

Taxco is one of Mexico’s most beautifully-preserved colonial cities in addition to being the center of the country’s silver industry. The city’s whitewashed buildings with red tile roofs are nestled across a hillside with narrow cobblestone streets, cozy plazas and a cosmopolitan atmosphere despite its small size. Taxco is two hours by car from Mexico City, reached via a pleasant road featuring spectacular mountains and fields.

The discovery of rich silver mines brought fortune seekers and great wealth to Taxco. Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes discovered Taxco as he and his men combed Mexico in search of silver. However, despite the wealth of silver, its riches were not fully exploited until two centuries later with the arrival of Joseph de la Borda, a Frenchman of Spanish descent.

Taxco’s colorful main plaza – Borda Plaza – is the hub for day and night activities and features the Santa Prisca Church with its pink façade and filigree spires, beautiful silver shops and top-floor restaurants with flower-decked balconies overlooking the action below. Smaller squares surrounding the Plaza de Borda are also worth a visit for their magnificent colonial buildings and ambiance.

Several museums and antique buildings adorn the area. The Spratling Museum, for example, exhibits an interesting collection of prehispanic archaeological relics found in the region, while the beautiful 17th-century Casa Humboldt houses the Museum of Viceregal Art, displaying liturgical objects from Santa Prisca. Casa Humboldt formerly served as a hospital, the city’s first movie theater and as a fine hotel before becoming a museum.

For a safari-type expedition, Zoofari, located 30 minutes north of the city, offers the opportunity to experience close encounters with elephants, zebras, elks, llamas, ostriches and other free-roaming animals. Nearby are the Cacahuamilpa Caverns with their impressive stalactite and stalagmite formations.

Shopping in Taxco is focused on silver objects. Shops in Plaza Borda and along the main highway offer retail, wholesale and custom-made items. Pineda´s Taxco and Sebastian, located in the main plaza; and Elena de los Ballesteros, located near Pineda´s, are some of the best shops in the area.

Several restaurants in the main plaza offer both local and regional specialties and are a great option for a pleasant evening. Paco, for example, is a wonderful restaurant with a great ambiance, perfect for good food, a drink and people-watching. La Hacienda and Pozoleria Tia Calle are also great options for both lunch and dinner.

Each year from late November to early December, Taxco showcases the amazing work of fine silversmiths at its Silver Fair.