Tlacololero at Christmas in Chilpancingo
Chilpancingo is the capital of Guerrero, Mexico. It is a popular stop on the drive between Mexico City and Acapulco and is known for a large festival the week before Christmas each year.
Understand
It is a mid-size city with a population of about 283,000 in 2020.
Get in
By bus
From Mexico City's Taxqueña bus terminal, there are many buses on various lines including Futura, ETN and more. Hourly buses on Estrella de Oro depart throughout the day. The 3½ hour bus trip costs about M$500.
- 🌍 Central de Autobuses Chilpancingo, Av. Benito Juarez 16. Busy bus station with many buses stopping on the Mexico City - Acapulco route.
Get around
Car or taxi is best.
See
- 🌍 Zoologico Zoochilpan, Sta. Cruz, Jose Lopez Portillo, ☏ +52 7474725906. 09:00 - 16:00 (closed M). Small city zoo with a good variety of animals. Inexpensive but could use renovations and better maintenance.
- 🌍 Pezuapan (Pezoapan), Zirándaro 27, Unidad Guerrerense. Small archaeological site with a small pyramid and some covered ruins. Fenced off and closed to the public, but you can see some things through the fence.
Do
Masks for Pendón
- Paseo del Pendón - Sunday before Christmas, since 1825 this festival has filled the streets of Chilpancingo with dance, music, and masks. Over 1,500 dance groups come to participate in the event. The largest and most popular of the regional dances is the Tlacoleros dance (tigres y tlacoleros). As tigers (jaguars) threaten the farm hands, the boss organizes everyone and gets them to dance with thunderous stamping to scare away the threatening tiger. This dance is an iconic part of local culture.
- Grutas de Juxtlahuaca - about 45 km southeast of Chilpancingo is a natural park featuring an archaeological site in a natural cave system. The caves feature drawings created during the Olmec civilization around 1200-900 BC. The caves are open to the public but a local guide is required.
- Gral. Juan Alavrez National Park - about 50 km east of Chilpancingo on federal highway MEX 93 is a remote mountainous natural area with forests of pine and oak. A number of animals live in the park including lynx, coyote, skunk, grackle, opossum, badger, iguana, deer, rabbit, partridge, quail, dove, rat, snake, vulture, and hawks.
Buy
- 🌍 Mercado San Francisco, C. Juan Ruiz de Alarcón SN, Centro. 07:00 - 20:00. City's main marketplace. Lots of vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables as well as food stalls with the city's best variety of street food at inexpensive prices.
Eat
- 🌍 Restaurant Senorial, José Francisco Ruiz Massieu S/N, Fracc.villa Modern, ☏ +52 7474712041. 07:00 - 23:00 (closed Su). Upscale restaurant with varied regional Mexican menu. Small off-street parking lot. Live music evenings. M$500.
Drink
Sleep
- 🌍 Hotel Parque Sur, Av. Lázaro Cárdenas, Colonia La Haciendita 75, ☏ +52 747 116 0022. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Clean, comfortable rooms with modern decor but hotel lacks some amenities. No AC in rooms, no restaurant on-site (but bars and restaurants are located within walking distance).
- 🌍 Hotel Torre Esmeralda, Lázaro Cárdenas 41, Loma Bonita, ☏ +52 747 116 1008. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Clean, comfortable hotel with good service and off-street parking. Rooms have AC, mini-bar, and work desk. M$600.
Go next
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