Taxco Silver Town

Taxco de Alarcon is a colonial silver-mining town in the mountains of the state of Guerrero in southern Mexico, about 170 kilometres southwest of Mexico City. The town was founded in the 16th century and grew wealthy on silver extraction, and its narrow cobbled streets climb steep hillsides lined with white-washed houses and terracotta roofs. The centrepiece is the baroque Santa Prisca Cathedral, built in the 18th century with a richly carved pink stone facade and an elaborate gilded interior. It faces the Plaza Borda, a small square where silver shops, cafes and restaurants gather. Taxco is known for its more than 300 silver shops, where artisans produce jewellery, tableware and decorative items, and the town has a silver museum and several workshops open to visitors. A cable car rises to the Monte Taxco hotel and viewpoint, with a round trip costing around 90 MXN, giving sweeping views of the roofs and the cathedral. Walking is free, though the steep slopes and uneven stones make it tiring, and distances are short. Small white Volkswagen taxis and minibuses are used to move around the town. A visit takes a half day or a full day if a visitor wishes to explore the museums, markets and workshops. Weekends are busiest, especially during Holy Week, when processions of hooded penitents fill the streets, and the National Silver Fair draws crowds in late November and early December. Silver shops usually open from about 10 AM to 8 PM. Visitors buying silver should look for the 925 stamp and compare prices between workshops. Travellers can reach Taxco by intercity bus from Mexico City's Terminal Sur, a trip of about two and a half to three hours, and should check local safety guidance before travelling. Accommodation ranges from small family guesthouses to hillside hotels with terraces over the cathedral, and many visitors stay a night to see the town after the day groups have left and the lanes grow quiet.