Hidalgo Del Parral Overview

In 1640, when silver from local mines began pouring into Spain, King Philip IV himself christened Parral the “Silver Capital of the World.” The title remained until the mines became unprofitable in the 1950s. Locals—unphased by this turn of fate—simply dropped the silver bit, renaming Hidalgo “Capital of the World.” The pueblo was notably the site of Pancho Villa’s breakfast-time assassination. Buses also connect Parral to Guachochi on the eastern end of the Sierra Madre Occidental, making Parral the backdoor to surreal, unparalleled Copper Canyons .

Transportation. To go downtown from the bus station, exit left out of the front door and walk two blocks down Pedro de Sille. Turn left onto Independencia and follow it downhill to the centro. A 25-peso taxi ride can replace the 15min. walk and is often a better alternative to navigating the confusing streets. Estrella Blanca (☎523 0075) runs buses to: Chihuahua (4hr., 7 per day, 108 pesos); Ciudad Juárez (7hr., 8 per day, 372 pesos); Guadalajara (1 per day, 713 pesos); Mexico City (20hr., 3:30pm, 856 pesos); Guachochi (2hr., 66 pesos). To get to Torreón, change buses at Jiménez (1hr., 8 per day, 48 pesos). Taxis can be hailed at Plaza Principal, along Mercaderes or Jesús García.

Practical Information. The 9am to 5pm routine is unheard of in Parral; this city takes its siesta seriously. Except for a few cantinas and restaurants, everything closes from 1-3:30pm. Expect no help during siesta hours, even if you beg. Parral has no official tourist office, but hotel and museum staff—especially the history buffs at the Museo de Pancho Villa—will be happy to point out sights. Parral has many competing casas de cambio, and the most centrally located ATM is at Banamex, on Mercaderes just before Ojinaga. Other services include: police, at Independencia and Lozoya (☎523 0575); Red Cross, at Balderas and Chapultepec (☎523 4700); Farmacia Independiente de Parral, Independencia 43, in the centro (☎523 2584; open daily 8am-midnight); Hospital de Jesús, at Cintrón and Zaragoza (☎522 0027 or 0064); Internet access, copy and fax service at AMPM Ciber Cafe, on Jesús García across from Hotel Chihuahua on the second floor, (Internet access 10 pesos per hr.; open M-Sa 9am-9pm); and the post office, at Rago and Libertad, a few blocks from the cathedral (open M-F 8am-3pm). Postal Code: 33800.

Accommodations And Food. The most central budget option is Hotel Chihuahua 3, Colón 1. From Plaza Baca, walk on Mercaderes toward the centro and turn left on García. Keep left on García until Colón. The hotel is across from Club Viet-Nam. The friendly, helpful staff keeps clean rooms with good ventilation and hot showers. (☎522 1513. Singles 150 pesos, with cable TV 180 pesos; doubles 200/250 pesos. Cash only.) Hotel San Miguel 2, Jesús García 41, across from the Chihuahua, has cheap green-brick rooms with TV. (☎522 6066. Singles 150 pesos; doubles 200 pesos).

Watch as your food is cooked over a wood fire at Restaurante el Aseradero 3, Independencia 345, after Primavera toward the centro. Chow down on chicken, beef, and cabrito (goat) for 40-50 pesos. (☎523 0271. Open daily 10am-10pm. Cash only.) Closer to the centro, Cafe Chihuahua 2, attached to the hotel, serves excellent egg-based desayunos for under 30 pesos. (Open daily 8am-10pm. Cash only). Buy groceries at El Camino (☎523 0663), on Independencia just outside downtown.

Sights And Entertainment. Parral’s mining days may be over, but the city has just begun to capitalize on the history left behind. A good place to get a sense of Parral’s former wealth is the Palacio Alvarado, at Calle Riva Palacio and Licenciado Verdad. Constructed from 1899 to 1903 by French architect Amérigo Rouvier for Don Pedro Alvarado—a mine owner so wealthy he once offered to pay off Mexico’s entire national debt—the building has just been extensively restored and decked out with all its original furniture. (☎522 0290. Photography prohibited. Open daily 10am-6pm. 10 pesos, children 7 pesos.) Pancho Villa spent the last years of his life in Mercaderes across the river until assassins riddled him and his car with 150 bullets. Right next to the scene is the Museo de Francisco Villa, Gabino Barrera 13, which indulges his cult-like followers with a downstairs shrine and an upstairs exhibit focusing on Villa’s martyrdom, complete with pictures of his gory end. A starred plaque next to a small tree outside the museum marks the spot of Villa’s assassination. (☎525 3292. Open Tu-Su 9am-1pm and 3-7pm. 10 pesos, children 5 pesos.) Many artifacts of Parral’s former glory are still kept at Museo Regional en La Mina La Prieta outside of town. (☎525 4400. Call for hours and directions; generally open daily 10am-5pm). A visit to the Templo de la Virgen de Fátima, Barrio de Fátima 19, gives a sense of the local devotion to the patron saint of miners. The walls are constructed from thousands of glittering chunks of local ore, and the square pews copy those in the mine’s shrines. Many of the city’s other churches are also elaborately decorated. The oldest is the Templo de San José at Morenos and 20 de Noviembre, which was finished in 1684 and is an excellent example of the Spanish Baroque influence in Mexican architecture.

For big-screen fun, visit Mega Cinema (☎523 3060), at Independencia and Constitución. Outside of the usual male-dominated cantinas found in the centro, good times roll at J. Quísseme, a lounge and dance club on Independencia near the bus station. Things start hopping after 10pm. (Beer 25 pesos. Cover 30 pesos. Open Th-F 8pm-1am, Sa 9pm-2am.) The club Lone Star, by the stadium, is another local favorite, especially among Parral’s youth. (Beer 25 pesos. Cover 30 pesos. Open W-Sa 9pm-3am.) Every July 14-21, Las Jornadas Villistas take hold of Parral. This festival, commemorating the assassination of Pancho Villa, draws thousands of cult enthusiasts and bikers to Parral, where they participate in days of cultural activities and nights of debauchery. The streets fill with cockfights, concerts, bike rallies, and theater shows, culminating on July 21 with a dramatic reenactment of Villa’s assassination.