Things to do in Chihuahua

Downtown Chihuahua

The downtown is easily accessed by taxi or Uber or even by walking if your hotel is close enough. Once there it should be fairly easy to visit most of these sites on foot or with just a short Uber ride. There are, however, trolley tours, which leave every few hours and stop at a few of the destinations below. Their location is marked on the map above but note that their tours are only done in Spanish unless booked in advance.

• In the very heart of downtown is the Plaza de Armas. A central square surrounded by shops, cafes, restaurants and street stalls. It’s an excellent area to wander around, shop for souvenirs, eat and people watch.
• Situated in the centre of the Plaza de Armas is the 18th century Cathedral of Chihuahua. In the catacombs of the cathedral you can visit the Museum of Sacred Art, which houses religious artworks from the colonial era.
• The Museum of the Revolution, sometimes referred to as Francisco ‘Pancho’ Villa’s House or Quinta Luz, is probably one of the most interesting museums in Chihuahua and even houses the car in which Pancho Villa was killed. It’s located 1.6 km (1 mi) south of Plaza de Armas. They don’t provide English tours but most of the written information throughout the museum is in English and Spanish.
• Halfway between Plaza de Armas and the Museum of the Revolution is Quinta Gameros, a mansion built in the early 1900s and now used as a cultural centre. On the main floor you can see and read about the Art Nouveau decor while upstairs houses different art exhibits.
• Casa Chihuahua, just a few minutes walk from Plaza de Armas, provides an excellent overview of the history of Chihuahua and its many diverse cultures. Although the current structure was built in the early 1900s, it does maintain one tower from the original structure built centuries earlier. The tower is were Miguel Hidalgo, often considered the Father of Mexico, was imprisoned in 1810 before he was executed at the Government Palace next door. Displays throughout Casa Chihuahua are in both English and Spanish but guided tours in English are not provided.
• The interior courtyard of the Government Palace, just around the corner from Casa Chihuahua, is adorned with colourful murals depicting the execution of Miguel Hidalgo. There is also an alter located in the very spot where he died.
• The Mammoth Museum attempts to cover the natural history of Chihuahua. It’s old, dusty and out-dated but does house an almost complete mammoth skeleton and a grey whale skeleton among many other unrelated items. It’s only 1 km (0.6 mi) from Plaza de Armas.
• About 2.5 km (1.5 mi) north of the Plaza de Armas is the Roundhouse Museum, an old railway roundhouse converted into a museum. It houses a few relics from its original use but is primarily an art museum containing works from famous Mexican artists such as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, among others.
• The Museum of Republican Loyalty, also known as Casa de Juarez Museum, is a house museum restored to look as it did when President Benito Juarez lived in it from 1864-1866. It’s just a few minutes walk from Plaza de Armas.
• If you’re travelling with kids check out the Semilla Museum of Science and Technology, an interactive learning centre geared towards children. It’s located 1 km (0.6 mi) west of Plaza de Armas.

Hours of Operation and Prices

Things to do Around Chihuahua

There are a few notable attractions that aren’t quite within walking distance of the downtown core. The easiest way to reach these places is to take an Uber or taxi, though cheap, organized tours are available in the case of Nombre de Dios caves.

• The Chihuahua Gate is a 46 m (151 ft) tall structure designed by Mexico’s well-known sculptor, Sebastian. His sculptures can be found scattered throughout the country and in a few other places around the world but he’s originally from the state of Chihuahua. The gate is located about 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of downtown.
• Nombre de Dios caves are located only 12 km (7.5 mi) from downtown Chihuahua. Here you’ll walk about 1.6 km (1 mi) through the caves, taking approximately an hour, as you go through multiple chambers and take in the impressive stalactites and stalagmites. The trolley tour company located downtown Chihuahua organizes daily tours to the cave, although only offered in Spanish the sights are interesting nonetheless.

 Hours of Operation and Prices

Cuauhtémoc

The city of Cuauhtémoc lays roughly 100 km (62 mi) to the west of the city of Chihuahua and is actually one of the stops along El Chepe. However, if you’re not planning to spend the night here then it’s much more practical to go by bus from Chihuahua.

The city is known for its Mennonite inhabitants who arrived in the 1920s and now comprise about one third of the city’s population. The Mennonites are well known for their cheese and this is the main attraction for tourists. You can see cheese being made at La Quesería América.

To know a bit more about the Mennonite culture visit the Museo Menonita just north of the Quesería América.

Cuauhtémoc is also well known for its apple orchards, which have contributed greatly to the city’s economic growth. If you’re into apples you may want to pick up a few apple snacks for the ride back to Chihuahua.

How to get to Cuauhtémoc

El Chepe: The Chepe Regional leaves Chihuahua from the Chepe Station (marked on the map above) at 6:00 am on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and arrives in Cuauhtémoc at 8:25 am. If you’re coming from Creel you’ll arrive around  7:00 pm on a Tuesday, Friday or Sunday. To travel onward by train you’ll have to stay for at least two nights. For more details about booking train tickets see How to Visit Copper Canyon by Train.

Bus: You can reach Cuauhtémoc by bus in the same way you’d reach Creel, with either Rápidos Cuauhtémoc or Autotransportes Turísticos del Noroeste.

Rápidos Cuauhtémoc has over 15 departure times throughout the day between 4:30 am and 8:30 pm. Buses leave the Central Bus Terminal (marked on the map above) and a ticket costs $141 MXP.

Noroeste buses depart every hour between 5:45 am and 5:45 pm. They have their own station (marked on the map above) and tickets cost $115 MXP.

Casas Grandes

Located almost 300 km (186 mi) north of the city of Chihuahua, Casas Grandes is a town bearing the “Pueblo Magico” status and is home to the archaeological site of Paquimé, now recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Next to the archaeological site is the Museum of the Northern Cultures featuring artefacts of the pre-hispanic inhabitants of the area.

About 30 km (18.6 mi) south of Casas Grandes is the small town of Mata Ortiz, the home to world famous potter, Juan Quezada. Maestro Quezada, attempting to replicate pottery relics from Paquimé culture, wound up developing his own modernized style. When interest in his pieces sparked in the U.S. he taught friends and family his technique and the Mata Ortiz art movement was born. Today many of the villagers produce Mata Ortiz pottery for international exhibits and sale. You can view and purchase these unique pieces of pottery at the Quezada Gallery in Mata Ortiz.

How to get to Casas Grandes

The best way to get to Casas Grandes and Mata Ortiz is to rent your own vehicle for a day or two. However, if driving yourself is not an option you can take a Chihuahuenses (Estrella Blanca) bus to Nuevo Casas Grandes. From there you can either take a taxi or a bus another 16 km (10 mi) to Casas Grandes.

Omnibuses to Casas Grandes leave every hour between 8:30 am and 7:30 pm (4:30 pm on Sundays). The location is marked on the map above.

If you want to see the town of Mata Ortiz you’ll need to take a taxi another 30 km (18.6 mi) south.