Top things to do in Taxco Mexico

Top things to do in Taxco Mexico

Taxco de Alarcon is a city which is located in the state of Guerrero in southern Mexico. It is more commonly referred to as just Taxco and is a small city with a population of around 40,000 residents. Its history dates back hundreds of years with the city being founded by Hernan Cortes due to the abundance of silver in the area. Taxco has always been associated with this precious metal due to the mining in the area and also the crafting of silverware which took place. Although small the city offers many attractions for residents and tourists alike and some of the best of these include the following. We hope that you love this Top things to do in Taxco Mexico post.

Santa Prisca Church

The Parish of Santa Prisca y San Sebastien is more commonly known as the Santa Prisca Church. This building was constructed in the period 1751 to 1758 and is one of the most beautiful churches in Mexico. It was built under the orders of Jose de la Borda who had become wealthy through the silver mines in the area, although it is reputed that building the church came close to bankrupting him. The church is constructed from pink stone and is highly decorated both inside and out. The main building is flanked by two towers which are plain on their lower half but beautifully carved around the upper bell area. The inside of the church features many highly decorative and beautifully carved areas which typically show angels and saints amongst flowers and birds. There are also a number of beautiful paintings in the church many of which were painted by Miguel Cabrera, a famous Mexican painter. The church is definitely the top site to see in Taxco and entry is free with opening times being 6.30am to 8.00pm every day.

Cableway

For some fantastic views of Taxco and the surrounding landscape a trip on the cableway is worth doing. This is open from 8.00am to 7.00pm every day with a fee being charge to ride on it. The cableway runs up to the top of Mount Taxco which is the highest hill in the area and overlooks the city. The trip to the top and back again offers some stunning views of the area and is a definite must do when you are in the city plus it's one of the Top things to do in Taxco Mexico.

Grutas de Cacahuamilpa Caverns

This attraction is a series of caverns located in the Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park which is around 30km to the north east of the city. These were first discovered in the early 1800’s and feature a series of high dripstone caverns. There are around 16 chambers to view with some being more than 1km high and the system is still live with groundwater filtering through. This means that the dripstone formations are still growing and they are an amazing sight to see. Tunnels have been made through the caves for a distance of some 16km and the limits of the system have yet to be reached. The caves and formations are a wonder of the natural world and trip to see them makes for a fantastic experience. A fee is charged for entry with the opening times being 10.00am to 5.00pm every day.

Silver Museum

With the silver mines that surround the city, Taxco has a long association with this precious metal which extends back to the time of the Aztecs. Although silver had been mined in the area for many centuries the art of silver working in the area had died out until the arrival of an American silversmith named William Spratling. He settled in the area and began working with the locals to produce designs based on traditional motifs and his influence was such that he became known as the Father of Mexican Silver. The Silver museum located at Plaza Borda 16 showcases much of the history of silver in the area and displays many examples of silver pieces that have been fashioned in the area. It is a fascinating place to visit to learn of the history of silver in and around Taxco and is open from 10.00am to 5.30pm every day. You can even take a day trip to visit Silver City.

Holy Week Processions

The processions and ceremonies which are carried out during Holy Week in the city of Taxco Mexico have become world renowned and a great time to visit the city is when these are being held. The celebrations begin on Palm Sunday and are held daily until Good Friday. In all there are around ten major processions held during the week with most taking around 2 hours to complete. The high points are on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday when included in the processions are penitents, some of whom walk with foot chains, others who carry heavy thorn bushes on their bare backs and some who whip their bare backs with scourges. This is done in the hope and of gaining redemption from their sins and is an amazing sight to see.

Taxco is a small city in Mexico which has retained its unique charm and offers visitors some fantastic attractions to visit. If you are ever in the town, make a trip to some of those mentioned above and you are sure to have a great day out. We hope that you are inspired by this Top things to do in Taxco Mexico post. Happy travels!