Aguascalientes is among the best places to enjoy Charrera, Mexico's national sport. (Photo Credit: Tourism Ministry of Mexico, Sectur)
To know deep Mexico, Aguascalientes is the ideal place, thanks to the vast cultural heritage that the visitor can enjoy in history, colonial architecture, and unique gastronomy, which are joined by attractive Magical Towns where visitors enjoy adventure and wellness tourism, as well as lots of experiences for all kind of tourists.
With the slogan, the most authentic place in Mexico, Aguascalientes (city of the same name of the state), located 300 miles northwest of Mexico City, aims to consolidate its position as one of the most representative places of Mexican traditional culture, such as charrera (cowboy sports), a national sport and recognized as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
Beyond the internationally famous San Marcos Fair, which this year was attended by artists such as Rod Stewart, Black Eyes Peas, Ricky Martin, and Maluma, among others, the state of Aguascalientes offers visitors a vast mosaic of experiences that includes adventure tourism, cultural tours, gastronomy, sporting events, and a modern infrastructure focused on the celebration of events and meetings (MICE).
To ensure the momentum of these activities, the tourism authorities of Aguascalientes carry out an ambitious promotion strategy. The Congress and Visitors Bureau was created, which gets 100 percent of the lodging tax channeled to promotion, says Guillermo Gonzlez Engelbrecht, Tourism Advisor for the State of Aguascalientes.
This consultant explains that the state has four Magic Towns, very popular for national and international tourism, among which Calvillo stands out, where the National Museum of Magic Towns is located. This place features an essential collection of artisan pieces. In addition to this attractive place are tours of emblematic places such as La Cruz de Calvillo, which measures 33 meters high.
In the Magical Towns of Aguascalientes, visitors find important colonial treasures. (Photo Credit: Tourism Ministry of Mexico, Sectur)
On the other hand, there are experiences like the Tour del Toro, where tourists visit several cattle ranches in the region where fighting bulls are raised, says Guillermo Gonzlez, who adds that in this experience, visitors know about the breeding of fighting bulls. It should be noted that some of the haciendas are owned by renowned Mexican bullfighters such as Arturo Macas (El Cejas) and Joselito Adame.
For adventure sports lovers, Gonzlez says, Aguascalientes has Boca de Tunel. Visitors practice zip lines, suspension bridge walks, and off-road vehicle tours in this extensive canyon system.
There are also cabins for visitors that, like zip lines, are managed and run by local communities, he says.?There is also a wide range of spas where visitors can do mind and body relaxation activities and receive healing treatments with natural products and traditional and contemporary techniques.
In the Boca de Tunel canyon system, visitors practice adventure tourism. (Photo Credit: Tourism Ministry of Mexico, Sectur)
According to Gonzlez, since Aguascalientes has more than 740 acres of vineyards split among 16 wineries, tourists have the opportunity to enjoy the different wines of the area in tours by a series of factories where Cabernet Franc, Nebbiolo, Petit Shiraz, Zinfandel wines are developed, among others.
Also, Aguascalientes is essential in religious tourism with places like San Jos de Gracia and the Parish of Calvillo, which has the second largest dome in Latin America, says the expert.
Regarding the infrastructure for the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) market, Aguascalientes is among the best positioned in Mexico. In San Marcos, there is a convention center for 8,000 people, with a lake located next to the San Marcos de Charrera Arena where sports, medical, scientific, and technological congresses are held, says Guillermo Gonzlez.
It offers over 5,500 rooms in international Brand-name hotels, traditional hotels, and spa boutiques. Also, the city of Aguascalientes is distinguished by the high gastronomy provided in a growing number of specialty restaurants that fuse conventional flavors of the region with contemporary techniques.
In the Nahual restaurant, for example, the chef creates dishes such as duck in guava mole and highlights that the most popular food is pork, bread with cream, and the botaneros (snack bars) where customers, when consuming a drink, have the right to eat free dishes such as steak, tacos, tortilla soup, or pork skin, among others.?
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