Things To Do in Taxco
Taxco Attractions
Shopping for jewelry and other items is the major pastime for tourists. Prices for silver jewelry at Taxco's shops are about the best in the world, and everything is available, from 10-peso trinkets to artistic pieces that cost hundreds of dollars. In addition to the workshops listed below, there are several standout shops in town, including TeGo, Benito Juárez 46 (tel. 762/622-0615), which features the unique jewelry of designer Teresa Gonzalez. In addition, Taxco is the home of some of Mexico's finest stone sculptors and is a good place to buy masks. However, beware of so-called "antiques" -- there are virtually no real ones for sale.
If you purchase a large item during your stay and need help with packaging and/or mailing it, visit Empaques San David, Miguel Hidalgo 15 (tel. 762/622-2036).
The impressive Las Grutas de Cacahuamilpa, known as the Cacahuamilpa Caves or Grottoes, lie less than a half-hour north of Taxco. Hourly guided tours run daily at the caverns, which house fascinating stalactite and stalagmite formations. To see them, you can join a tour from Taxco or take a combi from the Flecha Roja terminal in Taxco; one-way is 50 pesos, and admission to the caves is 50 pesos.
- Landmark
Casa de la Cultura de Taxco
Diagonally across from the Santa Prisca Church and facing Plaza Borda is the home José de la Borda built for his son around 1759. Now the Guerrero State Cultural Center, it houses a bookstore, library, classrooms, and exhibit halls where period clothing, engravings, paintings, and… Rancho Emilia Castillo
Don Antonio Castillo was one of hundreds of young men to whom William Spratling taught silversmithing in the 1930s. He was also one of the first to branch out with his own shops and line of designs, which over the years have earned him a fine reputation. Castillo has shops in several…Nearby Places
- Religious Site
Santa Prisca y San Sebastián Church
This is Taxco's centerpiece parish church; it faces the pleasant Plaza Borda. José de la Borda, a French miner who struck it rich in Taxco's silver mines, funded the construction. Completed in 1758, it's one of Mexico's most impressive baroque churches. The ultracarved facade is… - Cooking Class
Spratling Ranch Workshop
A trip to William Spratling's hacienda-style home will show you what distinctive Spratling work was all about. Although the prices here are higher than at other outlets, the designs are unusual and considered collectible. There's no store in Taxco, and most of the display cases hold…Nearby places
Taxco Nightlife
Located upstairs at Plaza Borda 12, Acerto (tel. 762/622-0064) is an enticing all-purpose hangout overlooking the square. It serves as an Internet cafe, sports bar, and restaurant. Taxco's popular, modern dance club, Windows, sits high up the mountain in the Monte Taxco (see above; tel. 762/622-1300). The entire city is on view, and music runs the gamut from Latin pop to '80s hits. For 30 pesos cover, you can dance away Friday or Saturday night from 9pm to 3am. The club seldom gets crowded.
Completely different in tone is Bar Berta's (tel. 762/622-0172), next to the Santa Prisca Church at Plaza Borda 9. Opened in 1930 by a lady named Berta, who made her fame on a drink of the same name (tequila, soda, lime, and honey), it's the traditional gathering place of the local gentry and tourists. Spurs and old swords decorate the walls. Grab a seat on the balcony overlooking the plaza and church. A Berta (the drink, of course) costs about 55 pesos; rum, the same. It's open daily from 11am to 8pm.
La Concha Nostra (tel. 762/622-7944), has a local, edgy feel and features live rock music Saturday nights for a 25 pesos cover. It's located upstairs inside the Hotel Casa Grande at Plazuela de San Juan 7 and is open nightly until 1am. If you're looking to get down on the dance floor, Ibiza Night Club (tel. 762/627-1664; www.ibizataxco.com) is the place to go. Located on Av. de los Plateros 137, it hosts local disc jockeys and theme nights; check their website for upcoming events.
