San Luis Potosi (capital city)

Location: San Luis Potosi State, central Mexico
Distance from Mexico City: 257 miles north
Population: 670,000
Closest major airport: Ponciano Arriaga Intl aka San Luis Potosi Intl (SLP)
Time Zone: Central Standard Time

The capital city of San Luis Potosi owes its existence and architectural splendor to a wealth of mineral deposits. It was founded as a Franciscan mission in 1592, but it wasn't long before the Spanish discovered rich deposits of gold and silver in the country and began to develop the area.

After the independence, the city played important roles in several political upheavals. General Santa Ana trained his troops here before confronting the invading Texans at the Alamo in 1846. In the 1860’s, ousted president Benito Juarez twice established the city as Mexico’s provisional capital.

San Luis Potosi, "The City of Gardens," has at least one garden in each of its seven original districts. There is also at least one magnificent church in each of the seven districts, giving San Luis Potosí a strong religious feel. The main historical district is concentrated in the center of the city, with several streets closed to traffic.

The town is packed with architectural extravagances that reflect its early wealth. The 18th-century cathedral and the imposing municipal palace face each other across the main plaza, the Plaza de Armas. The magnificence of the Iglesia de San Agustin, the Iglesia de San Francisco, and the Teatro de la Paz grace other plazas throughout the city.

Several interesting museums are also available throughout the city. The Museo Regional Potosino, Museo de Culturas Populares and Museo Nacional de las Mascaras, where more than 700 ceremonial masks are on display, are some of the highly recommended museums to visit. Depending on the subject of interest, travelers can learn about the local history, the Huastec culture, handicrafts and costumes from various regions in Mexico.

San Luis Potosi is also a town of festivals. In mid-January, pilgrims flock to the shrine of San Sebastian. Music, theater and dance entertain revelers at the ten-day Festival de las Artes in May. July brings the Festival de la Danza and performances by contemporary dance troupes, while the town's patron saint, San Luis Rey, is commemorated in August with a parade and fiesta.

San Luis Potosi is also a suitable place for ecotourism activities set in wonderful landscapes of waterfalls, rivers and lagoons. Whitewater rafting on the Rio Maria and Gallinas is available in the Huasteca region from November to May, and kayaking is available at the Rio Verde and the Cascada de Micos. Huasteca cuisine is another local specialty, highly recommended at the Orizatlán restaurant for a true taste of tradition.

The royal city of San Luis Potosi has admirably preserved its original urban layout of colonial civil and religious buildings, a site worth visiting for its beauty.