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The Pueblos Magicos (Magic Towns) program was initiated by the Mexican government to help preserve towns that embodied the best of Mexican culture, history and tradition. Launched in 2001, the program provides financial assistance to places that "reflect the beauty of traditional Mexican culture" according to Tourism Secretary Rodolfo Elizondo. The program has met with stunning success in terms of increasing tourism and bringing a much needed cash injection into these areas. Currently, there are 34 towns that are officially listed as Pueblos Magicos. If you want to experience Mexico's rich history and architectural past then these places are definitely worth visiting.
Jerez
The wonderful city of Jerez, which is the birthplace of the celebrated poet Ramon Lopez Velarde, can be found 57 km to the east of Zacatecas in the state of the same name. Geographically, Jerez lies in a large, flat valley which sits at the entrance to the Tlaltenango Canyon. With a dry, temperate climate Jerez is ideal for the traveller looking to experience a traditional Mexican town within a natural environment.
In the center of this idyllic town is the Rafael Paez garden, which is a beautiful, tree-lined plaza which includes a kiosk of moorish design and a water-fountain. It is a popular meeting point for local residents and is the town's main outdoor venue for musical events. A couple of blocks from the plaza is the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, Jerez's principal church, and which like most churches in Pueblos Magicos boasts a neo-classical design with two immense towers on either side of the entrance.
Jerez is also famous for its highly-skilled stone masons and the best example of their work can be seen in the Edificio de la Torre which was built at the end of the 19th century. The building has an ostentatious facade with a heavy, gothic design and was originally used as a girls' school but now functions as the town's public library and cultural center.
Perhaps Jerez's biggest claim to fame is being the birthplace to Mexico's first post-modernist poet. Although Ramon Lopez Velarde is hardly known outside of Mexico, he is considered as the father of Mexican post-modernist poetry largely due to his poem "La Suave Patria" and his collected works "Zozobra." There is a museum dedicated to Velarde in Jerez that has preserved his bedroom and valuable personals including manuscripts, family photographs and the desk where he produced his early work.
The local passion for art and literature is encapsulated in Jerez's theater house, Teatro Hinojosa, which is a splendid example of Baroque architecture. The theater was inaugurated in 1878 and to this day regularly puts on productions.
A big local attraction is the annual Parade of the Cowboys (Desfile de los Charros) which falls on Holy Saturday and culminates with the burning of effigies of Judas (Quema de los Judas) in the early afternoon. The main street is closed to traffic and taken over by a procession of hundreds of horsemen.
Jerez was officially made a Pueblo Magico on July 13, 2007.
Local Cuisine
Jerez includes many gastronomical delights. One dish that stands out is "asado de boda" which is a combination of pork meat, marinated beef meat, "menduo" (a spicy soup made with tripe), and "pozole rojo" (which is a pre-Columbian soup made of pork, chili and other seasonings). Another popular dish is "birria estilo de Jerez" which is a spicy meat stew usually made with goat, lamb, or mutton. Generally, one would accompany these dishes with pulque which is the fermented juice of the maguey plant.
Places to Stay
Leo
Calz. Suave Patria s/n, Centro
Tel. (494) 945 2272
Wendy
Guadalupe Victoria 37
Tel. (494) 945 2815
Posada Santa Cecilia
Constitucion 4
Tel. (494) 945 2412
Jardin
Plaza Principal 5 Pte. Centro
Tel. (494) 945 2026
Places to Eat
Juana Gallo
Guanajuato 9, Centro
Tel. (494) 945 5188
La Cofradia
Constitucion 19, Altos-2
Tel. (494) 945 4286
Cenaduria la Paloma
Pino Suarez 27-B
Tel. (494) 945 3462
Hacienda Camino Real
Crucero Jerez - Fresnillo
Los Ortiz 2
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