Taxco de Alarcon, usually referred to just as Taxco, is a colonial, previous silver-mining city in Guerrero, Mexico. With steep cobblestone streets, striking Spanish colonial architecture, and rust-red roofs tangled in bougainvillea, this beautiful city and its tourist attractions are certainly worth exploring.
Small it could be, yet visitors travel from far and wide to wind their way through the narrow alleyways of Taxco’s intimate colonial heart. Probably the best things to do in Taxco include visiting the historical centers, admiring the arts and crafts, and shopping for authentic silverware in this magical Mexican city.
1. Templo de Santa Prisca
The Templo de Santa Prisca, also known as the Santa Prisca Church, is one of the most beautiful churches in Mexico. Located on the eastern edge of the Zocalo, Taxco’s main square, this rose-colored Baroque cathedral towers above the city.
The cathedral’s architecture is especially great and a piece unusual – it’s a blend of Spanish colonial Baroque architecture known as ‘Churrigueresque.’ It was worked somewhere in the range of 1751 and 1758 by Jose de la Borda – a wealthy silver mining big shot – in the same location as a working silver mine. At the time it was fabricated, the Templo de Santa Prisca was the tallest building in Mexico.
2. Zocalo
The Zocalo Square is a small, tree-lined plaza that frames the beating heart of Taxco. This central square is a fantastic place to soak up the sluggish way of life of this Mexican city and human watch from one of the many side cafés and coffee shops.
The city’s precarious cobblestone streets and ‘callejones’ (stairways) all lead off from this plaza, so it’s a great place to situate yourself on a walking tour of Taxco. The most famous landmark in the Zocalo is the famous Santa Prisca Church and the authentic ceramics and silverware stalls simply behind it.
Hang out in the Zocalo square with a churro in hand or watch one of the spring-up society dance and musical performances often held here in the evenings. It’s a bustling place!
3. Casa Borda
Assuming you’re interested in arts and culture, don’t miss Casa Borda, an authentic cultural focus in Taxco. Worked in 1759 overlooking Borda Square and the gorgeous Santa Prisca Sanctuary, this 18th-century colonial building features 14 exhibition rooms spread across four stories. You can go through hours exploring the paintings, contemporary models, and historic photographs assuming you decide to.
Noteworthy architecture and artifacts aside, the middle is also utilized as a setting for experimental theater performances, musical shows, book presentations, and various competitions, like the National Silver Contest and the International Guitar Competition and Festival.
4. Museo Guillermo Spratling
The Museo Guillermo Spratling, also known as the William Spratling Gallery, is a historical and anthropological exhibition hall that features an extraordinary collection of pre-Hispanic gems, artwork, earthenware, silverware, and handcrafted figures spread across three stories.
Visitors can investigate north of 200 archeological artifacts from Mesoamerica that framed part of famous silversmith William Spratling’s collection. Peruse the displays showcasing everything from fractured bones to semi-valuable stones. The feature is the skull adorned in jade green mosaics.
5. Silver Shopping
Once a booming silver mining town, the Mexican city of Taxco is famous for its silver. It’s been named Mexico’s silver capital, even though its assets are currently dwindling. Visitors travel from far and wide to shop the top-notch sterling silver gems and trinkets available to be purchased here.
The majority of the silver workshops in Taxco are reputable, offering everything from handcrafted individual parts to mass-created keepsakes for tourists. The things are estimated by weight, depending on the quality of the silver.
6. Christ the Redeemer Statue
Towering above the city on the Cerro del Atache slope, the Christ the Redeemer Statue is one of Taxco’s main tourist attractions. Implicit 2002 north of eight months, it offers the absolute best 10,000-foot perspectives of the city from the El Cristo Panoramico (the Christ View Point).
Similar to Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro however on a lot smaller scale, this national monument watches over the city with great enthusiasm. The best chance to climb the slope to see the view and the statue is not long before the sun sets, so plan accordingly.
7. Semana Santa
The Semana Santa (Easter Sacred Week) is a famous strict festival running for seven days over the Easter holidays in Mexico. Held from Palm Sunday until Easter Sunday – the exact dates vary each year – Semana Santa is one of Mexico’s most important occasions on the strict and social calendar.
While a large portion of the Semana Santa occasions has mellowed throughout the long term in other places in Mexico, Taxco clings to the original celebrations – marking the week with rather brutal reenactments of Biblical occasions.
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