Underrated/Mexico
Path 02 · Central Mexico

Aguascalientes

A calm, walkable colonial city in the heart of the country — hometown of the artist who drew the first Catrina, and host of Mexico's biggest fair.

Getting thereFly into Aguascalientes airport (AGU), or drive about three hours from Guadalajara.
Best timeMid-April to May for the Feria de San Marcos. Late October for the Festival de Calaveras.
Known forLa Catrina, the Feria and hot springs — the name means "hot waters."
Garden bandstand in Aguascalientes under strings of colorful papel picado and a canopy of dried flowers
The ironwork gazebo in Jardín de San Marcos bursts with colour.

Birthplace of La Catrina

Printmaker José Guadalupe Posada was born here in 1852. His satirical skeleton in a fancy hat mocked the upper classes; decades later Diego Rivera painted her into a famous mural and gave her the name we know — La Catrina, now the face of Day of the Dead.

Feria Nacional de San Marcos

Held every spring since the 1800s, the fair takes over the San Marcos neighborhood for weeks with concerts, charreadas, palenque shows, rides and food stalls. It's known as Mexico's national fair for a reason.

Nights at the Feria

Sting playing an acoustic guitar under blue stage lights
British music legend Sting performs on stage during Feria de San Marcos 2024.
A rider on a mechanical bull under a red, yellow and blue striped tent at night
A man rides a mechanical bull beneath a colorful tent at a lively nighttime fair.
A neon-lit Ferris wheel reflected in the water at night
Illuminated in dazzling neon, the Ferris wheel at Isla San Marcos.

Three days in Aguascalientes

01

Centro & Posada

  1. Morning
    Plaza de la Patria

    The main square, the cathedral, and the red-stone Palacio de Gobierno with its murals of the state's history.

  2. Afternoon
    Museo José Guadalupe Posada

    See Posada's original prints, Catrina included, beside the Templo del Encino in the quiet Barrio del Encino.

  3. Evening
    Jardín de San Marcos

    Stroll the balustraded garden at the heart of the Feria neighborhood, then dinner nearby.

02

Death, water & fiesta

  1. Morning
    Museo Nacional de la Muerte

    Thousands of objects tracing how Mexico has honored death, from pre-Hispanic times to the modern Catrina.

  2. Afternoon
    Baños de Ojocaliente

    Soak in the historic thermal baths that gave the city its name.

  3. Evening
    The Feria — or Teatro Morelos

    In season, spend the night at the fair. Otherwise, catch a show at the historic theater that hosted the 1914 Revolutionary Convention.

03

Pueblo Mágico day trip

  1. Morning
    Calvillo

    Drive about an hour west to this "Magic Town," famous for its guava orchards.

  2. Afternoon
    Guava sweets & deshilado

    Try guava candies and browse the town's traditional drawn-thread embroidery.

  3. Evening
    Back to the centro

    A farewell dinner and one last walk around the Plaza de la Patria.

Book Feria stays earlyThe fair draws huge crowds — reserve rooms months ahead.
Festival de CalaverasAround Day of the Dead, the city honors Posada with a Catrina parade and events.
Easy to walkThe centro, Encino and San Marcos are all close together — skip the car in town.

Try another path

Path 01Valle de Guadalupe→ Path 03Mérida→