Saltillo Overview

Saltillo (pop. 900,000) is an often overlooked retreat from Monterrey. Cosmopolitan yet friendly, Saltillo is home to cafes, bustling markets, rows of book stores, and sunny, pink-paved plazas. Founded in 1577, the city was named for the small salto de agua (spring) that sprung miraculously from the desert. Today, Saltillo is famous for its hand-woven sarapes (shawls), pan de pulque, abundant silver, and calming centro, an oasis of relaxing plazas and a gorgeous cathedral.

Transportation. The Central de Autobuses is 3km southwest of the centro on Echeverría Sur. To get to the centro, exit the terminal and catch minibus #9 (20min., 6:30am-11pm, 5 pesos). To return to the station, catch minibus #9 at the corner of Aldama and Hidalgo, a block down the street from the cathedral, in front of the furniture store’s entrance. A taxi from the bus station to the centro costs 35 pesos. From the bus station, Frontera (☎417 0076) runs to Matehuala (3hr., 7 per day 6:15am-11pm, 178 pesos) and Monterrey (1hr., every hr., 55 pesos). Ómnibus de México (☎417 0315) serves: Aguascalientes (7hr., 10 per day 4am-11pm, 321 pesos); Guadalajara (10hr., 5 per day, 479 pesos); Reynosa (5hr., every hr. noon-9pm, 207 pesos); San Luis Potosí (6hr., 278 pesos); and Zacatecas (5hr., 6 per day, 240 pesos). Transportes del Norte (☎417 0902) goes to many of the same destinations for similar prices. Autobuses Saltillo-Parras (☎417 0063) goes to Parras de la Fuente (2hr., 9 per day 6:30am-7:15pm, 85 pesos).

Practical Information. The tourist information on Saltillo and the state of Coahuila can be found in the hut on the corner of Acuña and Coss. (☎432 3690 or 3692; www.saltillomexico.org. Open M-Sa 9am-2pm and 4-7pm.) Pick up a copy of the bilingual magazine “Saltillo, una ciudad de altura,” in hotels or in the kiosk in Plaza de Armas. Other services include: Banamex, Allende at Ocampo, behind the Palacio de Gobierno and right off the Plaza de Armas, with a 24hr. ATM. (open M-F 9am-4pm); luggage available at the bus station (5 pesos per hr.; open 24hr.); the police (☎434 0450) at Treviño and Echeverría Ote., with another branch in the same building as the tourist module on Acuña and Coss; emergency ☎066; Red Cross (☎414 3333) at the corner of Cárdenas and Cepeda; Madero pharmacy across from Mercado Juárez at the corner of Aldama and Allende (☎412 2559; open daily 8am-11pm) and Internet access at CyberBase, upstairs at 159 Padre Flores (8 pesos per hr.; open M-Sa 8am-10pm, Su noon-10pm). The local government also provides  free Wi-Fi, accessible in the areas surrounding Plaza de Armas. The post office is on Victoria 303, and has Mexpost inside. (☎412 0242. Open M-F 9am-5pm, Sa 9am-1pm.) Postal Code: 25000.

Accommodations And Food. Echeverría, which runs past the bus station at the town’s periphery, has several cheap, low-quality places to rest your head. There are few lodgings in the centro, except for some luxury options. Don’t be put off by having to walk into a shopping center to reach Hotel Bristol 2, Aldama 405. The simple, clean rooms are arranged around an indoor sala totally insulated from the noise of the street below. Rooms come with a TV and there is free coffee in the lobby. (☎154 0134. 24hr. bell. Singles and 1-bed doubles 150 pesos; 2-bed 200 pesos. Cash only.) Hotel Jardín 2, on Pedro Flores across from the Mercado Juárez, has plastic-covered chairs, turquoise walls and dim lights straight out of the 1960s. The rooms, while large, are less than sparkling. (☎412 5916. Reception 24hr. Singles with TV 150 pesos; each additional person 50 pesos. Cash only.) Hotel Urdiñola 5, Victoria 211 (☎414 0940), behind the Palacio de Gobierno, is exquisite but expensive. This retreat comes equipped with fans, cable TV, phones, and room service. (☎414 0940. Singles 300 pesos; doubles 328 pesos; triples 355 pesos; quads 395 pesos.) Hotel Saade 5, Aldama Pte. 397, just before Hotel Bristol, has quiet, well-furnished rooms; top-floor digs offer a panorama of Saltillo. There are three types of rooms: económico (singles only), standard, and ejecutivo. (☎412 9120. Singles 265/300/320 pesos; doubles 355/375 pesos; triples 410/430; each additional person 55 pesos.)

The area in and around Mercado Juárez holds a huge number of cheap taquerías, selling tacos, tortas and licuados. The most popular is Tacos El Pastor 2, on Plaza Acuña at the corner of Aldama and Padre Flores. Four types of salsa adorn each table, waiting for your order of bistec for 30 pesos or verduras for 28 pesos. (Open daily 8am-10pm. Cash only). More upscale cafes surround the Plaza de Armas and its neighboring streets. Be sure to sample Saltillo’s pan de pulque (bread made with an unrefined cactus juice). Sweet and full of pecans and brown sugar, it’s available at  Mena Pan de Pulque 1, Madero 1350, three long blocks west from Carranza. (☎412 1671. 4 buns for 18 pesos. Open daily 7am-8pm. MC/V.) Restaurante Principal 5, Allende Nte. 702, seven blocks north of Palacio de Gobierno, will satisfy your inner caveman with their cabecita (steamed goat’s head; 70 pesos) or a goat leg or kidney (130 pesos). Squeamish diners can try the enchiladas (60-65 pesos) and delicious cheese and chicken chilaquiles (corn tortilla casserole) for 54 pesos. (☎414 3384. Open daily 8am-midnight. Cash only.) On the other end of the dietary spectrum, El Vegetariano Feliz 3, Hidalgo 423, serves soy-filled burritos (35 pesos), vegetable tamales (35 pesos), yogurts, and fresh-squeezed juices. Comida corrida 45 pesos. (☎410 0875. Adjoining Internet cafe; Internet access 10 pesos per hr. Open daily 9am-9pm. Cash only.)

Sights. Saltillo’s pride and joy is the recently opened  Museo del Desierto, Pérez Treviño 3745, in Parque Las Maravillas. An incredible variety of prickly cacti grow in the museum’s garden, mingling with tortoises and prairie dogs. Inside, exhibits range from dinosaur skeletons unearthed in the Coahuilan desert to a massive ant farm. Getting here is complicated: Friday through Sunday, take the tranvía trolley from the cathedral (4 per day 10:25am-5:25pm, 20 pesos). Otherwise, take a taxi for about 35 pesos. (☎410 6633. Open Tu-Su 10am-6pm. 34 pesos, children 24 pesos.) Back in town lies Museo de las Aves de México, Hidalgo 600, at Bolívar. The museum is home to more than 2350 species of birds, stuffed and displayed in natural settings. Over 75% are species native to Mexico. A rear garden holds live raptors and other birds currently being rehabilitated for release into the wild. (☎414 0168; www.museodelasaves.org. Open Tu-Sa 10am-6pm, Su 11am-6pm. 10 pesos, students and children 5 pesos.)

Saltillo’s most stunning sights are its cathedral and open plazas. The Catedral de Santiago was built from 1745 to 1800 and towers above the city. Pilgrims visit the Catedral’s Santo Cristo chapel to venerate its 1608 image of Christ. (Open daily 9am-1pm and 4-8pm). A few blocks east of the center lies Alameda Zaragoza, a pleasant park which features statues of heroes of Mexico’s independence and a small lake in the shape of Mexico. To explore Saltillo’s history and panoramic view, hike up Miguel Hidalgo and turn left on Gómez three blocks after the Museo de las Aves. The Iglesia del Ojo de Agua was built in 1905 on the spot where the saltillo was first discovered in 1577. Continue past the church up to the small pink-painted plaza. Known as Plaza Mexico or El Mirador, this is where US President Zachary Taylor’s army camped before their battle with Santa Anna’s troops in the Mexican-American War in 1846-48. The site offers a breathtaking view of Saltillo.

Shopping And Entertainment. Since the 1600s, Saltillo has been known for its tradition of weaving. Famed throughout Mexico for its colorful wool sarapes (shawls), the city has invented its own style, called the “saltillo.” The best place to buy sarapes is El Sarape de Saltillo, Hidalgo 305, before Museo de las Aves. (☎414 9634 or 4889. Open M-Sa 9am-1pm and 3-7pm.) For less expensive sarapes, crafts, and silver, visit Mercado Juárez behind Plaza Acuña.

The downtown Centro Cultural (Teatro García Carrillo), on Aldama in Plaza Acuña, presents regular sculpture and art exhibitions, films, and concerts free of charge. Drop by to check the list of weekly events. (Open Tu-Su 10am-2pm and 4-7pm. Free.) The Instituto Coahuilense de Cultura (ICOCULT), on the Plaza de Armas at Juárez and Hidalgo, has an artsy cafe, bookstore, and gallery featuring local and international artists, as well as information on cultural events throughout Saltillo and the state. (☎410 2033; www.icocult.gob.mx. Open Tu-Su 10am-9pm.) In mid-summer, catch the two-week Feria de Saltillo, featuring agricultural and art exhibitions, performances, and sarapes, a celebration that dates back to the 16th century. Most of the action takes place outside the city, on Mex. 57. On the weekends, trams leave from Plaza de Armas; alternatively take a taxi (25-30 pesos). Pick up a schedule of performances at hotels or the tourist office.

Nightlife. Most of Saltillo’s nightlife is concentrated around the centro, with bars featuring live music on the streets Padre Flores, Ocampo, and Juárez. Heavy wooden tables, alternative rock, and cubist paintings lend an artsy air to  Cerdo de Babel Taverna, Ocampo 324, popular with young locals. (☎103 3934. Beer 17-20 pesos. Mixed drinks 30 pesos. Open Tu-Sa 7pm-3am. Cash only.) Los Gitanos, upstairs at Juárez 259, behind Palacio del Gobierno, offers live rock or trova nightly, free chips, and a 2-for-1 Happy hour daily 7-9pm. (Beer 20 pesos. Mixed drinks 30 pesos. Open Tu-Sa 7pm-late. Cash only.) True clubbers will want to hit Frug’s, at Acuña and Aguirre. This big club with an open pavilion plays norteño and Spanish pop music. (Beer 15 pesos. Open Th-Sa 9:30pm-4am.)