Aguascalientes, Mexico.

The cathedral of Aguascalientes, on Plaza de la Patria.

Underrated and overshadowed by more famous colonial towns, this Northern city shows a nice slice of real Mexican life.

It was nighttime when our bus pulled into its bay at the Aguascalientes coach station. It wasn’t supposed to be this way, but a stranded truck on the highway between Celaya and Irapuato had delayed us by an hour.

I don’t really enjoy getting to a city I don’t know after sunset - not that I am worried that this may be a more dangerous time to be finding one’s way around, but because I like my first impression of a place in the daylight, when life is at its most normal, stores are open and kids are playing in the street.

This didn’t happen in Aguascalientes, and it was close to 9pm when I checked into my accommodation, a nice, modern corporate hotel on the outskirts of town.

This was the first time I had chosen a hotel that wasn’t located in the center of the action, which, in Mexico, usually means the historical downtown area. I wanted to try something else, perhaps experience the town not like an average tourist. It helped that the hotel was fairly close to the bus station, as I had planned to visit three pueblos mágicos during my stay, and close to a gym I knew offered day passes. On paper, this was a nice location.

Plaza Fundadores, in the historical center of Aguascalientes.

It’s only when I got out, the morning after, that I realized it might not have been a great idea after all. Not that the hotel was bad. If anything, the service, the food and the room were probably better than what I would have found in the center of town, in an older building. However, the Fiesta Inn I was staying at was surrounded by a Walmart, a few car dealerships and a mall. Very convenient, yes, but hardly the experience I was looking forward to. I was in Aguascalientes for the colonial buildings, typical restaurants and a slice of history.

Instead, I got modern Mexican suburban vibes, with a big serving of American big box retail and restaurant chains. I only had myself to blame. Had I stayed in the suburbs of Guanajuato or Morelia when I visited these incredible cities, I would probably have felt the same way.

I let myself slide on a bench, enjoying a pure slice of Mexican life.

It just colored my first impression of Aguascalientes in shades that were less bright than I had anticipated.

I had planned my first day to visit the city (and the next ones to check out several magical towns within the state), and I walked under a bright sun towards the center of town. It took me about thirty minutes to get to the historical downtown.

House detail on Matamoros street.

The city of Aguascalientes was founded by the Spaniards in 1575, on a territory claimed by the Chichimeca people. The goal was to create a military outpost on the road between Zacatecas and Lagos de Moreno, to help protect silver shipments traveling on the Silver Route between Mexico City and the north. It was called Aguascalientes (literally “hot waters”) for all the hot springs present in the region.

In the 19th century, two events helped grow the city’s economic and political power: Aguascalientes and its surrounding areas were separated from the state of Zacatecas and became their own state, with the city as its capital. During the second half of the century, Aguascalientes was chosen to be the main workshop for the Mexican Railway company, which kickstarted the region’s industrial development.

Today, the city hosts more than a million people in an area with beautiful, sunny weather year round, and the state is deemed as fairly safe. It’s also, still, an affordable city by Mexican standards, so much so that the city’s name comes up often on relocation forums, as an underrated Mexican gem for US pensioners.

I wasn’t going to Aguascalientes to assess if this was the case, and in fairness, didn’t see obvious western tourists during my stay. I imagine they live in modern development outside of the city’s first ring.

Galeana street, Aguascalientes.

I couldn’t help but feel, however, how nice life must be there. After walking through a mile or so of industrial blocks, I finally got to the town’s center. My first sight was the immense, almost daunting Plaza de la Patria, the central square or zócalo. Just like in Tequisquiapan, I felt overwhelmed by how big and wide it was, versus what I expected. It made me feel very small, but it also felt the opposite of welcoming, and I assumed that was the point. In front of me was the magnificent cathedral, and to my left the government palace. If anything forces you to note how small you are in front of authority, a huge square housing austere buildings embodying Church and State will certainly do.

Aguascalientes isn’t a UNESCO World Heritage site. However, the city is part of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, or Silver Route, itself a World Heritage itinerary, and the Aguascalientes cathedral is definitely a notable site on the route. Built in the 18th century, the cathedral is famous for the rather unique pink sandstone that was used to erect it, as well as for its very intricate facade.

The other attention-worthy building on the Plaza de la Patria is the government palace. Originally built in the 17th century as an estate home for the Rincón Gallardo family, the building became a hotel before being converted into the seat of government for the state, around the time of the separation from Zacatecas. Its double inside courtyard is stunning and worth a look.

Writing about Aguascalientes without mentioning the Feria de San Marcos, or St Mark’s Fair, would be like blogging about New York without writing about the Statue of Liberty. In many ways, the Feria is Aguascalientes and vice-versa. Originally a traditional fair celebrating and showcasing the city’s harvest and its livestock, it has now become the biggest fair of its kind in Mexico, and is celebrated for about three weeks around St Mark’s Day, in April each year.

An alley in Jardín San Marco.

Millions of visitors flock to the city at this time for its cultural attractions, cultural exhibitions and concerts by world-renowned artists. I chose to wait until after the feria to discover the city. Selfishly, I wanted to have the city to myself, and I certainly did.

Historically, the fair was set up in and around St Mark’s square, which used to be part of a different locality before Aguascalientes integrated it. Today, the fair is much bigger and touches many other neighborhoods, but still calls St Mark’s square its beating heart. Created in the mid-19th century, the garden was designed in a neoclassical style, with a rectangular layout featuring entrances on all four sides and surrounded by an elegant balustrade. It’s beautifully designed, and you can spend some time walking its wide, geometrical shaded alleys. What adds to the garden’s charm is that, on three of its sides, it is flanked by rows of ancient colorful townhouses that are so close you feel you can almost touch them from the garden.

On the fourth side sits the beautiful Templo de San Marcos. An graceful mix of Baroque and Gothic architecture on the outside, the church was finished in the 18th century, but construction had started more than one hundred years, before, explaining the various stylistic influences seen on the building.

It was almost time for lunch, and as I was heading towards the old train station, hoping to find a tacos place to satisfy my hunger, I realized that my walk between the Jardín de San Marcos and the station was  encompassing most of what makes Aguascalientes beautiful. The straight path between the two, successively called Avenida Venustiano Carranza, Moctezuma and finally, Francisco Madero, showcases the best of the city, from the famous gardens to the colorful, colonial architecture of its streets to the cathedral and the Plaza de la Patria, and finally, through quieter and more peaceful neighborhoods, the gorgeous gardens surrounding the train station.

The Aguascalientes train station’s gardens.

This walk was thoroughly enjoyable, and if you only have a couple of hours to dedicate to Aguascalientes, this is probably what you’ll want to see (that and the bullring, which I wasn’t especially interested to visit, although it wasn’t very far from this local version of the Golden Mile).

Aguascalientes used to be a big rail hub at the turn of the 20th century, and the remains of the station and its adjoining workshops have been preserved to serve as a museum. They are housed in a beautiful garden, el Jardín de la Estación, where you might think you have been teletransported to Barcelona, as the benches lining the alleyways were inspired by Gaudi’s best work in the Catalan capital. It’s a great, tranquil space to enjoy a break or to have lunch after walking through the colonial heart of the city.

Aguascalientes comes up often on relocation forums, as an underrated Mexican gem.

I wish I could have stopped for lunch, but I hadn’t yet found my tacos place. Finally feeling like I was really in need of food, and dead set on trying tacos de birria, I stumbled upon a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it local restaurant called Birreria Santa Cruz, a few minutes from the station, and sat down to enjoy what has now become one of my favorite dishes in Mexican cuisine (as always, restaurant info and location can be found in the Practical Information section below).

Birria is a typical plate from northern Mexico, traditionally made as a beef stew with either goat, beef or both, slow-cooked in a spice-infused broth. Tacos de birria are a little different in the sense that the broth is served on the side as a consommé and the beef goes into tortillas. The meat I was served was so tender and flavorful, that I asked for seconds, and honestly, had I found the space in my stomach, I would probably have ordered a third serving (but didn’t).

The Encino park fountain, in Aguascalientes.

After lunch, I initially wanted to visit the Museo de Aguascalientes, known for its extensive collection of work by Saturnino Herrán (among other things). A well-known Mexican painter originally from Aguascalientes, he is remembered for being part of the indigenismo movement which meant to represent Mexican people in all their ethnic diversity. I wish I had had the energy to go, and this is one of my regrets. I may make me come back to Aguascalientes, especially because I only visited two of the four pueblos mágicos of the state (Calvillo and Real de Asientos).

Instead, I took an Uber back to my hotel to escape the worst of the day’s heat. I went out again around 5pm. On the way back from the town’s center, my driver had taken Díaz de León street, and at some point, I glanced at a beautiful plaza with a fountain, and a church in the distance: I wanted to head back there to see the area, now that the heat was more manageable.

It turned out I had stumbled upon the Encino gardens and the Templo del Encino. Recessed from the street, the plaza and its adjacent park feel like a quaint oasis of calm, even with happy children and rambunctious dogs passing by. The large fountain at the center of the square creates a great contrast with the colorful buildings around it. Further to the left, the Templo del Encino seems to call in the distance.

A Baroque building with some neoclassical features typical of the 18th century, its main entrance is pure, exuberant Baroque architecture, and a feast for the eyes. The fact that this church was away from the main commercial streets of the historical downtown area made it even more stunning.

The dome of the Encino church just before sunset.

I let myself slide on a bench in the square and delighted in looking around, watching people going by, enjoying a pure slice of Mexican life. As the sun was slowly going town towards the horizon, the square colors kept changing, and the church’s dome, covered with blue and white Talavera tiles from Puebla, highlighted with deep yellow accents, kept looking more and more magical.

I reluctantly walked back to my hotel as the sun was finally setting on a city with much more to offer than I initially thought.

Practical information (updated as of June 2025)

Getting to Aguascalientes

Getting to Aguascalientes from the US: the easiest way is to fly into Aguascalientes’ international airport (AGU). It is served daily by American Airlines from Dallas Fort-Worth (DFW) and United Airlines from Houston (IAH). Volaris serves both Chicago (ORD) and Los Angeles (LAX) with less than daily flights. You may also fly into Mexico City’s main airport (MEX) and connect to one of the four AeroMexico flight linking both cities. The airport is about 20 minutes from the city center, and taxis and Ubers are available.

Note that Mexican bus companies also offer bus trips from the US to Aguascalientes. The trip from Dallas takes almost 24 hours and the cost isn’t that much cheaper than flying, so I don’t recommend this option.

Getting to Aguascalientes from Mexico City: while flying is an option, as AeroMexico offers four flights daily between the federal capital and Aguascalientes, taking a bus is a viable alternative. The trip lasts about 6h30 and can be done in luxury or first class buses. I picked ETN, the luxury bus company serving the north of the country for this trip, and paid around USD100 round trip, for a spacious, comfortable, reclinable seat. The whole trip is on toll roads that are safe and well-maintained, and if you book early enough, you can snag one of the three seats at the front of the bus on the upper deck that offer a panoramic view of the landscape. It’s worth it! For a few dollars less, first-class bus companies like Primera Plus or Futura can get you there as well. If you’re not sure about the differences between luxury and first-class buses in Mexico, head here for an article that explains it all.

Most buses to Aguascalientes leave from Mexico’s Terminal del Norte, a big, safe bus station that’s easily accessible from central CDMX via metro (station Estación del Norte on line 5), bus or Uber. They will all drop you off at Aguascalientes bus station, where again, buses, taxis and Ubers are readily available.

When to go to Aguascalientes

Aguascalientes enjoys a semi-arid climate that’s pleasant almost year-round (WeatherSpark shows this visually very well). The city is pretty much a go-whenever-you-want destination. I can personally attest it gets very hot in May and June, but it’s a dry heat that is much more bearable than summer in Florida, for instance. It does rain from June to September, but like in the rest of the Mexican high plains, these summer rains usually happen towards the end of the afternoon and only last a couple of hours. You can still enjoy beautiful, sunny days before and after, so do not let that stop you.

Note that Aguascalientes is very famous for the feria de San Marcos, a three-week festival happening in April and May every year. Millions of visitors come to the city then for concerts, exhibitions and many other things, and as a result, the city is busy and accommodation prices soar. I chose to visit at another time to really enjoy the city as it usually presents itself, but you may want to check it out when it is bustling with things to do (Feria website, Spanish only)

What to see and do in Aguascalientes

The city’s rich colonial history is centered downtown, and you can easily check it all out in a day. Key highlights include the Plaza de la Patria, where both Aguascalientes cathedral and the government palace are located, St Mark’s gardens, a few minutes to the west, not far from the bullring, and the area around the old train station, about fifteen minutes to the east.

Try to visit the Aguascalientes Art Museum for its collection of work by local painter Saturnino Herrán, one of Mexico’s most famous artists, and do not forget to detour via the Barrio del Encino to discover the Encino temple and the streets around it.

Safety

Unlike neighboring states, like Zacatecas or Guanajuato, Aguascalientes is considered as safe as major European countries, with a level 2 travel advisory, meaning “Exercise increased caution when traveling”.  As such, there are no more precautions to take while you visit the state than whatever you would in France or Italy.

The Aguascalientes neighborhoods that aren’t super safe, especially at night, have no interest for tourists whatsoever, so you’re very unlikely to find yourself there at any point. When in doubt, always ask your hotel.

It’s always good to know where you’re headed before getting out on the street, as as a general advice, to not flash expensive clothing, cameras or phones. Don’t make yourself a target, but, on the other hand, you don’t need to look over your shoulder every second or so. The city and the eponymous state are safe by any standard.

Just keep an eye on the US Department of State travel advisory, especially if going north (to Real de Asientos for instance). Zacatecas state is closer than you think, and the situation there is very different, with a Level 4 “do not travel” advisory. There is no reason to think this could spill into Aguascalientes, but it’s always better to check before confirming your plans.

In any case, I never felt unsafe during my 4-day stay in Aguascalientes, whether in the city or in the countryside, in a Uber or a colectivo, during the day or looking for great tacos at night.

Food and lodging

Tacos de birria: the first objective of my culinary journey through Aguascalientes was to try tacos de birria (actually, that’s not true, I really wanted to sample guava liquor, ha!). Birria is a typical plate from northern Mexico, traditionally made as a meat stew with either goat, beef or both, slow-cooked in a spice-infused broth. Tacos de birria are a little different in the sense that the broth is served on the side as a consommé and the beef goes into tortillas. I stopped on my way back from Aguascalientes old train station and got myself some in a tiny little store I would’t even have noticed had Google Maps not found it for me. Birreria Santa Cruz was, like many Mexican restaurants, fairly basic in appearance, but serving incredibly flavorful food. It was my first time trying tacos de birria, but certainly not the last.

Tacos de lechón: one of my DiDi drivers recommended I tried tacos de lechón, an Aguascalientes specialty. Lechón refers to steamed suckling pig that is slow-cooked in fat, with the skin on, and then chopped into pieces with onion and cilantro, served in warm tortillas.  Lechón Rudy was somewhat close to my hotel and well-rated so I gave them a try. The tacos were delicious. It is by no means a fancy place, so don’t expect white tablecloth and a wine list, but the food was absolutely worth it. I had six small tacos for less than USD8.

Hotel: for once, I decided not to stay in the center of town. I knew I wanted to visit various pueblos mágicos during my stay, and thought it would be easier to find a hotel close to the bus station, south of downtown. I actually regretted it and would stay in the historical center if I came back. My hotel, the Fiesta Inn Patio, was great: modern, with bright rooms and a really good (albeit a little pricey) buffet breakfast. The night cost was around USD70. If you’re looking for American-style accommodation, there are plenty of US chains around, from Marriott to Hampton Inn.

I almost stayed at the Quality Inn Aguascalientes, ideally located in front of the cathedral on the town’s zócalo, and, having checked it out, would recommend it as a great option for travelers willing to stay in the center of the action. It’s fairly easy (and cheap) to grab a Uber to get to the bus station from there, and you’ll have plenty to see and do around.

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