Durango

Durango is the capital of the state of Durango in Northern Mexico. It is a very friendly city. The Historic Center of the city contains the largest number of historic buildings catalogued in the north of the country, and is part of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Understand

Panoramica plaza de armas Durango

It was named Victoria de Durango in 1828 in honor of Mexico's first president Guadalupe Victoria who hailed from here.

Durango was founded by Captain Francisco de Ibarra in 1563. Prior to the city's establishment, it had been the refuge of tribes like the Nahoas, Zacatecans, and Tepehuanos. Ibarra picked the site for Durango due to its proximity to silver mining prospects and a mission called Analco that furnished essential supplies. Over the years, Durango saw the deaths of revolutionaries like Miguel Hidalgo during the War of Independence and direct action a century later during the Mexican Revolution. Then, more fun times came about with the introduction of filmmaking industry to the area, mostly related to westerns, which still colors the city's personality today.

The city was built on a rectangular street grid during the colonial era; it was not until the 1990s and much of the first decade of the 21st century that the city's government decided to clear some of the narrow colonial-era streets to build parks, plazas, and wider avenues that today continue to act as roads between the city's sprawling neighborhoods.

Durango sits in a bit of a bland high (~6200 ft) plain called the Valley of Guadiana, but sits close enough to the Sierra Madre Occiendental to the west to make excursions to sites like Parque Nacional Mexiquillo possible.

Climate

The city of Durango has a temperate semi-dry climate, with rains during the summer and slightly cold in winter with some frosts and drizzles. Summers are warm, reaching temperatures of up to 37 °C and regular rains in the months of June, July and August, reaching 400 mm of precipitation on average.

Get in

• 1 Durango International Airport (DGO  ^IATA) (General Guadalupe Victoria International Airport), Carretera Miguel Alemán 15.5, ☏ +52 618 118 7012. A very small airport that has flights from Mexico City and direct flights from the U.S. from Chicago on certain days. The airport is a 15-minute drive from the city center of Durango by taxi. (updated Nov 2020)

• 2 Central de Autobuses (La Camionera), Blvd. Felipe Pescador, Col del Maestro. Main bus station, close to downtown at a busy highway interchange. Different bus lines connect the city with the rest of the state and the country. (updated Mar 2023)

Get around

You can easily cover the main attraction of the center by foot. The bus station is around 4-5 km northeast from the city center; you can get a local bus from the center (M$10).

Transportation in the city is cheap compared to other cities in the country. A network of buses cross the city establishing as a transfer point and starting point the historic city center and moving towards the periphery. It is easy to get to any point of the city on buses. The color of the bus indicates its direction of travel:

• The blue with yellow color is heading south of the city.
• The green color moves through the south west.
• The yellow color runs through the city from east to west through the center.
• The orange color is directed either to the east or to the northeast of the city.
• The red color runs through the northeast.
• The golden color transits the south east.
• The color white travels throughout the city from south west to north east.
• The brown color is heading north of the city.

The paint designs on the bodies of public transport are sometimes very different than those of the minibuses on the same route, however the color code is respected and in general the corresponding color is mixed with white while it is add details to the shape of the stripes.

Taxis

The charge for the service is based on the meter and is relatively low compared to other cities in Mexico. There are numerous bases, taxis are often hired by telephone and mostly have a radio to communicate with other units. A color code similar to that of minibuses also applies to taxis. The reds operate from the bus station, the greens are found throughout the city, and the yellows are commonly based in the center. A last variation, the pinks, serve women and children only.

Ride-hailing services, such as Uber and Didi, are also readily available.

See

• The Historic Center of the city of Durango (El Centro Histórico) has about a thousand buildings built in past centuries, with very diverse styles ranging from neoclassical and baroque to neo-Gothic. Walking through the beautiful streets of downtown is like touring a huge open-air architectural museum, with beautiful works of art on each side of the road. The Historic Center of the City of Durango is considered the one with the greatest architectural wealth in northern Mexico. At dusk , many buildings have spectacular lighting.
• In front of the Cathedral, in the heart of the Historic Center is the Plaza de Armas. In the center of it there is a traditional kiosk. This square is also the access to one of the new attractions which is the Mining Museum-Tunnel, whose underground route culminates in the archbishopric square. Examples of buildings that stand out for their beauty and history are El Palacio del Conde de Súchil, El Teatro Ricardo Castro, Victoria Theater, the Cathedral, the Government Palace, Bancomer Building and Escárzaga Palace.
• Constitution walk (Paseo Constitución) is a pedestrian corridor along which you can find all kinds of food, cafes, ice cream parlors, handicrafts, souvenirs, and temples. It is framed by majestic renovated and illuminated colonial-style buildings. Especially on weekends, a great diversity of high-level cultural shows are offered for all tastes. There is also a viewpoint from which, at night, you can appreciate the "Legend of the Cathedral Nun", one of those mysteries that this land.
• Las Alamedas/Cuchillas is a walk of more than 2 km full of leafy trees through the 2 oldest neighborhoods of the city, Analco and the center.

Basilica of Durango

• 1 Basilica of Durango (Basilica Menor Inmaculada Concepción), Av 20 de Noviembre, ☏ +52 618 812 5077. Founded around 1695 and finished in 1844, its design includes Byzantine vaults and a cupola with angels painted inside. Don't miss the Museo de Arto Secro while checking out the structure. Also, fronting the basilica is the Plaza de Armas around which the city of Durango is centered. (updated Feb 2016)
• 2 Regional Museum of Durango, Victoria Sur 100, ☏ +52 618 812 5605. Museum in a French-style palace that belonged to Francisco Gómez Palacio. It has over 1000 items to showcase the history of the state of Durango. (updated Nov 2020)
• 3 Ganot-Peschard Museum of Archeology, Zaragoza 315, ☏ +52 618 813 1047. Tu-F 10:00-18:00, Sa Su 11:00-18:00, closed M. This museum has some skeletons and pottery and other significant elements pertaining mostly to the pre-Hispanic human history of the area. ~M$10. (updated Nov 2020)
• 4 Museo Francisco Villa, Calle 5 de Febrero (inside government palace building). Tu-F 09:00-17:00, Sa Su 09:00-16:00, closed M. Museum about the colorful Mexican historical figure Pancho Villa who was from Durango State. The architectural aesthetic of the Palacio Gobierno in which it is housed is also intriguing. (updated Nov 2020)
• 5 Palacio del Conde del Valle de Súchil (Casa de Cultura Banamex), Avenida 5 de Febrero Ote (inside Banamex bank), ☏ +52 618 811 7136. M-Sa 10:00-19:00, Su 10:00-18:00. Colonial-style home of the former Count of Suchil. (updated Nov 2020)
• 6 Museo de la Ciudad 450, Av 20 de Noviembre, ☏ +52 618 137 8490. Lime/sandstone building from 19th century that used to be a local miner's residence called Escárzaga Palace. Features a lot of exhibits related to area filmmaking history. (updated Nov 2020)

Teatro Castro at night

• 7 Teatro Ricardo Castro, Calle Bruno Martínez, ☏ +52 618 811 4694. French-style building built in 1925 with murals. (updated Nov 2020)
• 8 Palacio de Zambrano (Teatro Victoria). Dates to 1798 or so and is the oldest theater in northern Mexico. It was built as a part of the estate of someone with the surname Zambrano. (updated Nov 2020)
• 9 Templo de San Agustín. Neoclassical style with rose window. (updated Nov 2020)
• 10 Museo Palacio de los Gurza, Calle Negrete 901, ☏ +52 618 811 1720. Daily 10:00-18:00. Gallery for art and sculpture and area for reading/relaxation. Part of the Durango cultural center. (updated Nov 2020)
• 11 Museo de las Culturas Populares, Calle 5 de Febrero 1107. Tu-Su 08:00-18:00, closed M. Showcases implements and handicrafts of indigenous people in the surrounding area. (updated Nov 2020)
• 12 Paseo Túnel Mineria Durango, Calle Lic. Benito Juárez 313. Tu-Sa 10:00-21:30, Su 13:00-21:30. Tour of underground mining passageways below the City of Durango where you can learn all about the mining heritage here. M$40. (updated Jan 2024)
• 13 Parroquía de San Juan Bautista. Church standing in the area where the original Analco mission and historic area were located. (updated Nov 2020)
• 14 Templo Expiatorio Del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, Calle 5 de Febrero s/n, ☏ +52 618 811 2696. Neo-Romantic style. Vaulted ceilings and a large-scale grandeur will catch your attention here. (updated Nov 2020)
• 15 Templo de Santa Ana. Another big one from colonial times. (updated Nov 2020)
• 16 Old railway station (Antigua Estacion de Ferrocarril). While it's not longer possible to travel by train to Durango, the restored old station with a beautifully restored steam engine, is worth a visit. (updated Feb 2016)
• 17 Fundidora de Ferreria Parque, ☏ +52 618 137 7811. Daily 08:00-21:00. Old mining ruins (iron foundry) that has some real eye appeal. In this case, last does not mean least in this list of attractions. (updated Nov 2020)

Do

Durango, pueblo de Chupaderos

• The city is famous for hosting the Durango National Fair (Feria Nacional de Durango), the most important in northern Mexico, and the second most important in Mexico, only after the San Marcos National Fair, in Aguascalientes.
• See the western filmsets:
  • 1 Chupaderos. Pueblo retains the movie sets and overall character of an old Western town with gallows and such eccentricities. It was used as a filming location for many movies including John Wayne films. (updated Nov 2020)
  • 2 Villa del Oeste, Puente Carretera a Parral Km 12 (Villa del Oeste about 1km southeast of Chupaderos, walkable), ☏ +52 618 137 4386. Tu-Su 11:00-19:00, closed M. Main movie set area set up for tourists with about three re-enactments of shootouts or other exciting theatrics a day. Nominal fee. (updated Nov 2020)

Baseball

• 3 Estadio de Béisbol Francisco Villa (Pancho Villa Stadium), Avenida Universidad 1641, Los Remedios. Intimate family-friendly stadium that was refurbished and modernized in 2016. It seats just under 5,000 fans. The stadium is home field to Los Generales de Durango, a professional team playing in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol with games scheduled from April through September each year. The stadium has a very fan-hostile payment policy requiring you to waste money on a silly rechargable card for payments. Be prepared for red tape and excess costs. (updated Nov 2023)

Within city limits

Teleférico de Durango

• 4 Teleférico, Mirador de los Remedios. Tu-Su 10:00-21:30, closed M. Enjoy a cable car ride across the city with a narrated tour. (updated Nov 2020)
• 5 Paseo Constitucion. To get a solid feel for the historical quarter, try this pedestrian walkway stretching from the Hidalgo Garden to the north past the plaza de armas and basilica to the Paseo des Alamedas in the south. It is very tourist-friendly. (updated Nov 2020)
• 6 Sahuatoba Park and Zoo. Tu W Sa Su 11:00-17:00; unknown hours other days. Zoological park and additional parkland of the city. (updated Nov 2020)
• 7 El Bebeleche, Lic. Armando del Castillo Franco Km 1.5, Parque Sahuatoba, ☏ +52 618 827 2525. Interactive children's museum. (updated Nov 2020)
• 8 Guadiana Park. Durango's main greenspace for exercising or relaxing along ponds. (updated Nov 2020)

Buy

• 1 Mercado Gomez Palacio. M-Sa 08ː30-20ː30, Su 08ː30-13ː30. This market goes back over 200 years and can be a good place to find your favorite Mexican handicrafts as well as plants and other accessories. (updated Nov 2020)
• 2 Paseo Durango, Blvd Felipe Pescador. 10ː00-22ː00. Durango's main modern shopping mall, with theater. (updated Nov 2020)

Eat

Some of the more authentic dishes from Durango are caldillo Duranguense (a type of stew with meat and poblano peppers), asado rojo (meaty chunks in sauce), and gorditas (literally: little fatties). Also associated with Durango is the practice of eating a scorpion (el alacrán) on your food, though whether this is actually practiced by the inhabitants or just folklore may require some investigation.

• 1 Restaurante La Victoria, Victoria Nte. 161, ☏ +52 618 825 5332. Daily 08:00-22:00. A place to try some local fare in the historical downtown center. Here you can get some gorditas or enchiladas, huevos rancheros, sopas, etc at a decent price. M$200-400. (updated Nov 2020)
• 2 Restaurante Mendoza, Hidalgo 317, ☏ +52 618 811 5643. Daily 08ː00-17ː00. Bit of a testament to Durango's movie production and colonial theme here. And offering of authentic dishes with a finely attuned nuance for turning out delicious flavors. M$200-400. (updated Nov 2020)
• 3 Jardín de los Canarios, Fray Carlos Medina 200, ☏ +52 618 815 3740. Daily 08:00-13:45. Good breakfast place with coffee and Nahuatl chilaquiles. (updated Nov 2020)

Sleep

Mid-range

• 1 Hotel Posada San Agustin, Av 20 de Noviembre 906, ☏ +52 618 837 2000. A hotel with a very old-world feel. And you can walk to all the historical sites in town. M$925. (updated Jan 2024)

Splurge

• 2 Fiesta Inn Durango, Avenida, Blvd. Felipe Pescador 1401 (in Paseo Durango mall), ☏ +52 618 150 0900. Should be a fairly fun stay given that it's attached to a mall with a movie theater and such things. Also has a restaurant of its own. M$1300. (updated Jan 2024)
• 3 Hotel Gobernador, Av 20 de Noviembre 257, ☏ +52 618 827 2500. It's kind of spendy, but you get the Durango hacienda flavor here with the architecture and persona. Plus has a pool and nice dining room experience. M$1300. (updated Jan 2024)

Connect

Durango has 4G from all Mexican carriers. Telcel provides 5G coverage.

Go next

Try some Sierra Occidental sightseeing like the Parque Ecologico El Tecuan or Parque Nacional Mexiquillo, particularly noted for its waterfalls and mountain scenery, for some outdoor recreation.

• Mazatlán – The toll highway 40D to Mazatlán is an engineering marvel with 68 tunnels and 115 bridges (including the famous Baluarte Bridge) that traverses some of the most beautiful scenery in Mexico
• Zacatecas – A historic mountain mining city with gorgeous architecture