He Magic Town Jalisco from Mazamitla, in the greenery and beauty of the Sierra del Tigre, awaits you with its beautiful and comfortable mountain cabins and with all the charm of its streets and village spaces. We present you this complete guide so that you can make the most of your stay in Mazamitla.
1. Where is Mazamitla located?
Mazamitla is the head of the Jalisco municipality of the same name, located in the eastern central region of the state. Nestled in the Sierra del Tigre, at 2,240 meters above sea level, the small city enjoys an excellent mountain climate throughout the year and is made up of cozy cabins that are filled with visitors on weekends, mainly from Guadalajara, a city that is located only 135 km. In 2005, Mazamitla was incorporated into the Mexican Pueblo Mágicos system because of its enchanting landscapes, ideal for relaxation and ecotourism.
2. What is the weather like?
Mazamitlans and visitors enjoy an average annual temperature of 15 ° C. In the period from December to February, in Mazamitla it is between 11 and 12 ° C, although the thermometer can drop to 3 ° C, while in the months From June to September, the temperature rarely rises above 18 ° C on average. Because of this enchanting climate and the beauty of its mountains, covered with alpine vegetation, Mazamitla is called the Mexican Switzerland. Rainfall reaches 975 mm per year, mainly concentrated between June and September, a period in which 75% of the annual amount of rain falls.
3. What is the history of Mazamitla?
The first records of Mazamitla date from the 12th century, when it was part of the Aztec manor of Tzapotlán. Towards the year 1481, the territory was invaded by the Purépechas, who ruled until 1510, when they were defeated in the Salitre War by the Señorío de Colima and its allies. The first Spanish conquerors to arrive were Cristóbal de Olid and Juan Rodríguez de Villafuerte, in 1522, and the area was delimited by the Spanish crown in 1537, with the name of San Cristóbal Mazamitla. In 1894, the state congress created the municipality.
4. What are the main distances to Mazamitla?
The Jalisco capital of Guadalajara is 135 km away. from Mazamitla, traveling west from Lake Chapala. With respect to the nearest state capitals, Mazamitla is located 127 km. from Colima, 283 km. from Morelia, 287 km. from Guanajuato, 289 km. from Aguascalientes, 321 km. from Zacatecas, 327 km. from Tepic and 464 km. from San Luis Potosí. León, Guanajuato, is 251 km away. from the Magic Town, while from Mexico City the route is 544 km. heading west.
5. What are the main attractions of Mazamitla?
Mazamitla is the ideal place to settle in a cozy cabin with a fireplace in the heart of the Sierra del Tigre and get to know the picturesque town and its beautiful surroundings. Among the attractions of the town are its streets and houses, the church of San Cristóbal, the Plaza Municipal José Parres Arias and the forest and park La Zanja. Nearby are the Enchanted Garden, and hundreds of hectares of forests, with rivers and beautiful waterfalls. Mazamitla is a very festive town, highlighting the Cultural Festival of Flowers.
6. What are the attractions of the town?
Mazamitla is a town of picturesque cobbled streets and traditional houses where you can breathe the fresh and healthy air of the mountain. The houses have long eaves, white walls, gabled and hipped tile roofs, and wooden doors, some with beautiful balconies and fences. Mazamitla instantly transports you to the times when life was not carried on in such a hurry and when the neighbors did not waste an opportunity to share a coffee or a snack or simply chat about the latest event.
7. What is the Parroquia de San Cristóbal like?
This peculiar and attractive church of eclectic style, but with clear influences from Chinese architecture, was built in the middle of the 20th century. It is white in color and the façade features a semicircular arch, the choir window and a large clock on the rectangular pediment. The two twin towers are of three bodies and with conical finishes. Inside three naves, the tall columns and colorful stained glass windows stand out.
8. What can I do in the José Parres Arias Municipal Square?
During your visit to Mazamitla you cannot miss spending time in its main square, located in the center of town. It is named after José Parres Arias, an educator and cultural promoter native to Mazamitla, who was rector of the University of Guadalajara. The square is beautifully lined with trees, it has a nice kiosk and in its surroundings there are cafes to spend a very pleasant time. There are also shops that offer artisan products from the town, such as cheeses and other dairy products, sweets and liquors.
9. What are the attractions of the Sierra del Tigre?
The beautiful hills of the Sierra del Tigre, covered with oaks, pines, oaks, Indian apple trees, pear trees and capulines protect the beautiful town of Mazamitla. From the top of the mountain range, located 2,800 meters above sea level, the views of the extensive landscapes are spectacular. Along the paths of the mountains there are picturesque cabins with chimneys, to stay in an environment of pure nature.
10. What is the Enchanted Garden like?
On the outskirts of Mazamitla, in the beautiful Los Cazos subdivision, you will find this dream garden, full of greenery and color. This wooded Eden is crossed by a stream of crystalline waters that runs between stone slabs, while it is crossed by picturesque little bridges. Cozy thatched kiosks are arranged on the sides in the middle of the lawn. Visitors tour the large and beautiful garden on foot, by bicycle, on horseback and even by motorcycle, breathing fresh air and being ecstatic with the landscape.
11. Is there a waterfall that stands out?
The beautiful El Salto waterfall, 35 meters high, is located in the Los Cazos subdivision within a private property, so you have to pay an entrance fee. It is a place to stop to see and hear the water fall in contrast to the rocks and the greenery of the beautiful place. On site they offer horseback riding and there are restrooms. On the way to the waterfall there are beautiful cabins with some displaying flags of European countries, making it clear why Mazamitla is called Los Alpes de Jalisco.
12. What is in La Zanja forest?
It is a beautiful forest of the town planted at the initiative of the Mazamitla municipality in 1977. The beautiful wooded park is dotted with paths, benches and picturesque cabins, with grills for rent, ideal for spending a pleasant day with family or friends. La Zanja Park is the scene of the traditional walk held on September 17 of each year in Mazamitla within the framework of the National Holidays.
13. When is the Cultural Festival of Flowers?
The wild poppy is the emblem of Mazamitla and since 2007 a cultural festival dedicated to the flora of the place has been held during the weekends of October, in which the beautiful flower acts as "patron saint". During three or four weekends of week, Mazamitla fills with visitors who go to admire the flower and handicraft exhibitions and to enjoy concerts, mariachis, alleys, horseback riding and other shows offered by the festival, with the poppy as sovereign.
14. Can I do a tour with an operator?
Yes. Sierra Tour Mazamitla Adventure is a tour operator that offers tours of the most interesting places in the Magic Town. The tours include a specialized guide, a cooler for drinks, travel insurance and a tasting of typical products such as punches and eggnog. The standard tour includes several stops on the route through the mountains for rest and photo sessions from the points with the best views, as well as learning and fun activities.
15. Can I practice adventure entertainment in Mazamitla?
The Sierra Tour Mazamitla Adventure operator offers an ATV tour through selected routes to enjoy both the fun of driving and the beauty of the landscape. With this tour you will have the privilege of knowing places that are very difficult to access, which are not reached by conventional vehicles. You can choose between the one hour tour and the two hour tour. They also have several combos in which you can choose a certain number of entertainments, between zip line, suspension bridges, climbing wall, gotcha and ATVs.
16. Is there an ecological park?
16 km. from Mazamitla is the Tierra Aventura Ecological Park, a space of more than 500 hectares that has several diversions, such as zip lines for adults and children, a camping area, ATVs, horseback riding and a barbecue area and feeders. The zip line for adults is more than 1,000 meters long, being one of the longest in western Mexico. There is also a small waterfall.
17. Is it true that there is an important trout farm?
Rainbow trout have become a favorite species to farm in freshwater due to their delicate meat and ease of raising. In Barranca Verde, Mazamitla, there is a rainbow trout farm that provides fish to much of the region. The hatchery is available to tourists, who can observe the process of raising the trout, try to catch one and if there is no luck, buy a beautiful specimen to take away. The Sierra Tour Mazamitla Adventure operator offers a tour to the hatchery, following the beautiful path parallel to the course of the river.
18. What other parties are there in Mazamitla?
Apart from the patron saint festivities in honor of San Cristóbal, which take place around July 25, and the Cultural Festival of Flowers, Mazamitla has other interesting festive events. In the bullfighting festivals, which take place between February 14 and 24, there are bullfights, charrería shows, jaripeos, serenades, traditional dances and a gastronomic fair. The foundation of Mazamitla is remembered with another popular festival between March 27 and 30.
19. How is the crafts?
Mazamitla artisans have turned the construction of miniature or small-scale wooden cabins and furniture into art. They also make beautiful wooden chairs with seats and backs woven in ixtle and other confections with this natural fiber. Likewise, they make jorongos, sarapes, and leather guaraches and do delicate carved stonework. Mazamitla harnessed candles are highly appreciated.
20. What stands out in the gastronomy of Mazamitla?
The atmosphere of Mazamitla invites you to eat succulently. One of the star dishes of the town is El Bote, a combination of three meats (beef, pork and chicken) cooked in pulque with various vegetables such as corn, spring squash, potato, carrot, cabbage and serrano pepper. Pork beans, made with pork skin and longaniza, cooked in pulque, are another typical dish. The menguiche, the mole de olla and the sudados tacos are other delicacies. To drink you cannot miss a fruit punch or a mead atole.
21. Are there nearby towns with notable attractions?
Only 12 km. from Mazamitla is the Jalisco town of Valle de Juárez, also nestled between the pine forests and holm oaks of the Sierra del Tigre. In front of the town square is the parish church of San Pascual Bailón, a temple with a simple facade that stands out for its slender tower with a clock and its dome, both bodies crowned by individual crosses. The Plaza de Valle de Juárez is beautifully shaded by large palm trees and other trees and features a picturesque kiosk. Other places of tourist interest located near Mazamitla are La Manzanilla de la Paz, Tamazula de Gordiano, Concepción de Buenos Aires and the Magical Town of Jiquilpan de Juárez.
22. What stands out in La Manzanilla de la Paz?
22 km. to the northwest of Mazamitla is La Manzanilla de la Paz, head of the municipality of the same name that has about 4,000 inhabitants. The main architectural attraction of the town is the church of San Miguel Arcángel, a temple beautifully restored in 1968. In the Municipal Palace there is a mural alluding to Benito Juárez and the Reform Laws, as well as the Mexican Revolution and the oil nationalization. The Manzanilla de la Paz produces juicy pears and peaches.
23. What are the main attractions of Tamazula de Gordiano?
This head town of the municipality of the same name is located 48 km. southwest of Mazamitla. It has a magnificent sanctuary consecrated to Our Lady of the Sagrario. The Sanctuary of the Virgin of Guadalupe is a beautiful colonial building with a single nave and a tower. The Zaizar Brothers Museum exhibits pre-Hispanic art and sacred art, and has a room dedicated to the Zaizar brothers, vernacular interpreters born in Tamazula de Gordiano. Other attractions of the town are its haciendas, among which Santa Cruz stands out, of which its splendid façade has been preserved.
24. What can I see in Concepción de Buenos Aires?
This municipal head is located 27 km. southwest of Mazamitla and is considered the gateway to the Sierra del Tigre. Among its main attractions are the Church of the Immaculate Conception, a 19th century temple in whose construction the archery of the nearby farm of Toluquilla was used. Near Concepción de Buenos Aires there are several archaeological sites at Cerro Borracho, Cerro San Gregorio and Cerrito del Valle, where clay figures and mounds have been found.
25. What is Jiquilpan de Juárez like?
48 km. from Mazamitla, in the neighboring state of Michoacán, is also located the Magic Town of Jiquilpan de Juárez, a charming city in which the Franciscan convent, the temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Cuauhtémoc Urban Forest, is located. famous Stone House that was the resting place of Lázaro Cárdenas; the Juarez Urban Forest and other monuments. Jiquilpan also has an archaeological site whose buildings date back to 900 years BC.
26. What if I want a time of clubs and bars?
Although most people go to Mazamitla to rest in a cabin and admire nature, if you fancy a bar time, you can go to some places. One of the busiest is Bar 11 to 11, located on Calle Miguel Hidalgo 1A. The place is renowned for its attention and the quality of its drinks, especially the peppermint, the canijas and the micheladas. In addition, it is one of the few places in Mazamitla, if not the only one, that has karaoke.
27. What are the best hotels in Mazamitla?
Monteverde Hotel de Cabañas, between Chavarría and Constitución, in the center of Mazamitla, is praised for its first-class facilities and in impeccable condition. Hotel Huerta Real has a series of cabins located on the edge of a beautiful orchard, about 10 minutes walk from the center of Mazamitla. Hotel Bosque Escondido, in Vista Nevada 100 of the Pueblo Bonito subdivision, is in the middle of a forest ideal for walking and is noted for its exquisite cuisine. Villas Mazamitla, on the Guadalajara highway, 300 meters from the entrance of the town, has comfortable cabins and a lake for trout fishing. Best Western Sierra Mazamitla, Hotel Sierra Paraíso, Casa Rural Mazamitla and Cabañas Sierra Vista are also excellent lodging options.
28. What are the best restaurants?
GIGI’s Restaurant, in Epenche Grande, is an excellent place to warm up your body with a soup in Mazamitla. It is such a special gourmet house that some people from Guadalajara are going to eat to return the same day. La Troje Restaurant, on Calle Galeana, offers typical regional food and has live music. Posada Alpina, near the main square, serves Mexican and international food. Other options are Quinta del Bosque, Antigua Europa and Guinumo.
29. Is it true that the Municipal Market is a good place to eat?
The Municipal Market of Mazamitla, located between Galeana and Allende, is a clean place where you can eat tasty at affordable prices. It is a two-level building in which the ground floor is used for stalls selling vegetables, fruits, grains, spices, meats and other products. On the second level there are small restaurants, where you can order a snack or a complete meal. The local goat birria is well known. It also works as a handicraft market
Ready to leave for Mazamitla to light the fireplace in a charming cabin and enjoy the pure mountain air and the beauty of the landscape? We hope that you return from Mazamitla fully recharged and that you can tell us about your experiences there. See you soon.
