Mazamitla

Festival de las Flores in Mazamitla

Mazamitla is a 1,000-year-old small town in the mountains of Jalisco, Mexico. With its abundant forests and rugged terrain, it is a popular weekend destination for active outdoorsmen and for young couples looking for a romantic small town getaway. The town has been designated as one of Mexico's Pueblos Mágicos.

Understand

The town of Mazamitla was founded by the Aztecs in 1165, conquered by the Purhepecha 300 years later, and a century later, conquered by the Spanish conquistadors. It's a peaceful place today, with very little conquering going on, but a lot of cool mountain air and cool traditional vibes. About 8,000 people live in the town itself with another 3,000 or so in the outlying farms and villages that are part of the greater municipal area.

The town is set in a mountainous area known as the Sierra del Tigre. Most of the landscape is pine forest hills. The highest mountain in the area is about 2800 meters (the two highest points are Cerro El Jackal and Cerro del Tigre). The climate is warm in the summer, but quite cool in fall, winter and spring. You'll want a jacket in the evening, which can get downright cold. The area has several springs, streams and rivers in it. The area gets quite a bit of natural rainfall with the wettest months from June through October. The mountain forests have quite a bit of biodiversity, from deer to porcupines, while bird watchers can find more than 100 avian species living in the pine and oak forests, including wild turkeys (which the locals call guajolote) and chachalaca.

Get in

The town is located about 140 km from Guadalajara, south of Lake Chapala.

By bus

Mazamitla has frequent bus service to and from Guadalajara through Autotransportes Mazamitla. It is a second-class bus line with a mix of older buses and very modern buses. Most buses are local routes that stop frequently in every small town and anyplace someone on the side of the road waves a hat. As a result, the trip from Guadalajara takes almost 3 hours. Buses depart Guadalajara from the Central Vieja (old bus station). Tickets cost M$150 (Nov 2023).

• 1 Estacion Autotransportes Mazamitla (bus station), Calle 16 Septiembre 34, La Gloria. Small bus terminal in the heart of downtown. Use the restrooms in the waiting area because the buses don't have on-board loos. 

Get around

Most people get around by driving their own (or rental) cars. Be aware though that all the streets in Mazamitla are very rough cobblestone, dotted with holes and topes. Get good directions and save a route using Waze or Maps because cell signal usually drops outside town. Traffic in town is very difficult: there is basically one intersection as you come into town that has a traffic light and it is usually grid-locked (even at non-busy, weekday hours).

Uber and its fellow ride-hailing apps don't work in Mazamitla, but local taxis work, though there aren't enough to meet demand when weekenders arrive. Sitios are outside the bus station and in the town center at the zocalo. Fortunately, the town is small, compact, and very easily walkable, though you will want a taxi or a tour to visit the nearby forests, dam, and the El Salto waterfall. ATVs are a very popular way to get around and dozens of local businesses do a brisk side business in renting ATVs. ATV tours are also offered into the mountain forests where rugged trails abound.

See

Parroquia San Cristobal

• 1 Parroquia San Cristobal (St Christopher Church), Gomez Farias 4, Centro. Strikingly unique church that looks historic but was actually built in the 20th century. It is known for its Chinese look and feel with large, wide bell towers and central clock tower with flared rooflines that resemble a pagoda. 
• 2 Plaza Municipal José Parres Arias (Zocalo), Reforma, Centro. The town's main square is a lively central plaza with manicured trees and shrubbery, a bandstand, iron benches along paved walkways, and lined with shops and historic buildings including the Palacio Municipal and the big colorful letters spelling out the town's name, just waiting for you to snap the selfie and post to Instagram. 

Do

• Cascada el Salto. Scenic 50-meter-high waterfall that involves a brisk hike along cobblestone roads going past woodland cabins in the Los Cazos area, then the trail continues along the river to get to the falls. If you don't want to hike, you can rent a horse for M$250, though you may still need to do some walking. There are pools near the falls where you can swim. M$30 (Nov 2023). 

• Valle de Juarez. Nearby village with a dam and lake where you can ride trajineras (flat wooden boats like those used in Xochimilco). 

• Outdoor activities in the nearby forests include: hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, climbing, and zip lining. Tours in town can be arranged that include guided trips to these places by horse or in safari trucks or ATVs.

Festivals

• Festival de las Flores - last 2 weeks of October, includes flower shows, parades, and special events throughout town
• Fiestas de San Cristobal - the town's patron saint is celebrated the second week in July

Buy

• 1 Mercado Municipal, Allende 15, Huricho. Daily 07:30 - 20:30. Busy main marketplace with lots of fruit, vegetable, meat and other food vendors. Vendors selling prepared foods sell some of the most authentic regional cuisine you can buy. Great place for an early, affordable breakfast or some browsing at any time. 

• 2 Mercado Artesanal, Gomez Farias, Centro. Indoor shopping plaza with small spaces for independent vendors selling authentic hand-made artesanias such as pottery, blankets, jewelry and wood carvings. Good opportunity to practice your haggling skills. 

Eat

Cafe on the town square in Mazamitla

• 1 Casa Magna, Hidalgo 3, ☏ +52 382 688 0390. W-M 13:00 - 23:00, closed Tu. Traditional regional cuisine in a comfortable courtyard style restaurant. If you're adventurous, try the guacamole con chapulines (made with dried grasshoppers). If you're a bit less bold, the moles are delicious and completely bug-free. (updated Nov 2023)
• 2 Casa Alpina, Reforma 8, Centro (on the zocalo), ☏ +52 382 538 0104. Regional Mexican cuisine in an open second-floor dining room looking over the zocalo. Great people watching over breakfast or dinner. (updated Nov 2023)
• 3 Posada Mazamitla, Hidalgo 2, ☏ +52 382 538 0608. Daily 08:00 - 19:00. Popular restaurant in a colonial era building near the zocalo. Traditional Mexican cuisine. The cafe de olla and chilaquiles are good for breakfast. (updated Nov 2023)

Sleep

There are hotels in town, but much of the magic of Mazamitla is its setting amid forested mountains. There are many cabanas that resemble Swiss mountain chalets or rustic log cabins. Many couples stay just outside Mazamitla for the romance and privacy of these cabanas.

• 1 Monteverde, Jacinto Chavarria, ☏ +52 333 616 1060. Check-in: 17:00, check-out: 14:00. Individual mountain cabins, some small, romantic and perfect for two, with others having up to 3 bedrooms and more suited to families. Cabins include fireplaces and WiFi but are generally rustic (no TV, no AC), evenings can get cold. M$1400+. (updated Nov 2023)
• 2 Hotel El Lenador, Netzahualcóyotl 4, La Gloria, ☏ +52 382 538 0185. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Moderate traditional hotel in the central downtown area, 1 block walk to the zocalo. Rooms are clean and spacious. Parking available at extra cost. M$1000 (Nov 2023). (updated Nov 2023)
• 3 Hotel Huerta Real, Reforma 36, Alta, ☏ +52 382 538 0993. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Rustic elegance in mountain lodge and individual cabins. Wood-burning fireplaces in all rooms. Alpine restaurant on-site. (updated Nov 2023)
• 4 Hotel Cabañas Colinas de los Ruiseñores, Allende 50, ☏ +52 332 249 4031. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Rustic traditional hotel with clean rooms and attractive gardens. M$1300 (Nov 2023). (updated Nov 2023)

Connect

Cell coverage is good in the town of Mazamitla with 4G service available and reliable coverage on the main roads heading toward Guadalajara or Chapals. Coverage drops completely in many of the backwoods areas where the cabins are located. Internet and WiFi are available in most hotels and restaurants in town so you should have no trouble viewing Wikivoyage pages for more entertaining and informative travel info.

Go next

• Ajijic
• Colima
• Volcan Nevado de Colima National Park