Pueblos Mágicos

In 2001, the Mexican Secretary of Tourism initiated a program to designate certain places as “pueblos mágicos” or magical towns because of their rich history and culture. Currently there are 132 of these designated towns throughout the country. Each town has its distinct natural beauty and cultural appeal. Each provides a unique experience for travelers to Mexico.

We intended to visit as many pueblos mágicos as possible while we were in Mexico. We started with Taxco, a small, picturesque city known for its silverwork and less than two hours south of Cuernavaca. I planned to buy some silver earrings.

We decided to take a bus there, so we left our apartment in Cuernavaca mid-morning on a Saturday and dragged our suitcases several blocks down a crowded street to the nearest bus station. When we tried to buy tickets to Taxco, we were told that the bus was sold out, but we could purchase tickets for the next bus that left three hours later. We had thought about buying bus tickets a few days earlier but never imagined that the buses would fill up so quickly. Taxco was a popular place!

Rather than wait three hours, Vince pulled out his phone to see what it would cost to take an Uber instead. It seemed reasonable, so he completed a request for a car. The request was finally accepted but before the driver came to pick us up, he called to negotiate a higher price. He explained that Uber was undercharging for this trip and that it would not be worthwhile for him unless we directly paid him double the Uber price. It was more expensive than we had planned but not outrageous so we accepted his offer. We weren’t sure if we would be able to find another driver, and we were eager to visit Taxco!

The driver was a pleasant young man who provided a steady stream of Spanish conversation throughout the trip. He answered our language questions, offered suggestions for other places to visit, and described what little he knew of our destination. We appreciated the Spanish lesson and the relatively quick arrival to Taxco.

We also appreciated his driving skills as he carefully wound his way up the steep, narrow, cobblestoned streets before dropping us off at the door to our hotel, Pueblo Lindo.

Pueblo Lindo exceeded our expectations. Vince had called ahead to secure a room with a balcony and when I saw the magnificent view that awaited us when we stepped into our room, I was grateful that he did. We had an incredible view of the city nestled on the hillside, the majestic cathedral, and the clouds suspended over the nearby mountains. What a beautiful place!

The hotel had not only rooms with beautiful views but also a wonderful restaurant on the rooftop terrace. Soon after our arrival, we climbed the steps to the terrace and had a delicious mid-afternoon meal or comida as the Mexicans call it. There were even better views from the restaurant so we enjoyed a leisurely meal before heading out to explore the city.

We spent the next couple of days wandering through the streets of Taxco. We visited the huge cathedral that towered over the main plaza then popped into several of the many silver jewelry stores along the square. I was looking for some silver hoop earrings (arracadas) that weren’t smooth but worked (tallados). There were many beautiful possibilities but I finally bought two pairs that I love and have worn many times since.

We were able to walk the steep cobblestoned streets with no problem but many people chose to ride in the Volkswagen bug taxis (bichos) instead. These taxis could be seen skillfully maneuvering the narrow hairpin turns throughout the city.

We were sad when the weekend ended and we had to pack our bags for our return trip. Taxco had been relaxing and delightful. But Vince needed to get back to work on Monday, so we purchased bus tickets to Cuernavaca leaving late Sunday afternoon. We had enjoyed our weekend in paradise and agreed that Taxco truly was a “ pueblo mágico.”