San Luis Potosí

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Founded in 1592, San Luis Potosí is another mining town with an attractive historic core and industrial outskirts. Until recently, on tourist circuits it was best known as a stop on the way to the magical ghost town of Real de Catorce, a time-warp treasure in the desert famed for Huichol Indian peyote rituals. However, over the last two years tourism promotions have attracted visitors to San Luis’ Semana Santa parades, the splendid Federico Silva sculpture museum, the city’s pretty parks, and the area’s tasty culinary traditions.

Lying 300 miles to the north of Mexico City, San Luis Potosí is a bit outside the Central Highlands/Heart of Mexico zone, but bears some similarities to the other towns in the region. The state, especially the more tropical eastern part known as the Huasteca Potosina—full of canyons, waterfalls, caves, springs and lagoons, musical traditions, and fiestas—is becoming an ecotourism attraction. The city, which has a population of about 900,000 people, now promotes itself as la ciudad de los jardines (The Town of Gardens).

This is generally a prosperous and safe region, but certain parts are very re-mote, with no English spoken, a shortage of drinking water, and a tough climate of extremes in the highland areas. Visitors wishing to explore it should come well prepared for the heat, with appropriate equipment, plenty of good drinking water, and first aid knowledge if engaging in adventure sports. First, check out the reputation and safety record of your tour agency if you want to raft, rappel, climb, or enjoy any of the other extreme sports activities that are springing up in the state, and make sure you are in good physical condition.