Mazatlán

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Overview

Thanks to 20km of sandy beaches, Mazatlán became one of Mexico’s most alluring and inviting beach destinations in the mid-20th century, before it lurched past its prime into a mid-market, package-tourist category. Recently, however, Mazatlán's historic core – referred to as 'tropical neoclassical' – has been restored and peopled by the creative class. The result is a coastal city with plenty of allure. A boldly engineered new highway from the interior means the beaches are now more accessible to Mexicans too, and the good-time vibes have returned.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Rows of shoe shine booths at the Plaza Republica square outside the Church of Immaculate Conception in the historic old town of Mazatlan, Mexico.

Old Mazatlán

Mazatlán

Mazatlán's restored old town is a picturesque compendium of noble 19th-century buildings and pretty plazas. It's set back from Playa Olas Altas, a small…

Plaza Machado

Mazatlán

Surrounded by splendid 19th-century buildings, this gorgeous tree-lined plaza comes alive in the evening, when market stalls pop up, couples stroll hand…

Las Labradas

Mazatlán

More than 600 petroglyphs, some believed to be more than 5000 years old, are depicted on volcanic rocks along a sublime stretch of coast, some 60km north…

Isla de la Piedra

Mazatlán

A popular half-day escape from the city, this peninsula (not an actual island) is just southeast of Old Mazatlán and boasts a beautiful, long sandy beach…

Teatro Ángela Peralta

Mazatlán

Named after a 19th-century soprano and constructed between 1869 and 1874, this 1366-seat theater just off Plaza Machado was a thriving center of local…

Museo Arqueológico de Mazatlán

Mazatlán

This absorbing museum focuses on pre-Hispanic Sinaloan civilizations. Among obsidian tools and ceramics, standout exhibits include beautiful Aztatlán…

Acuario Mazatlán

Mazatlán

One of Mexico’s largest aquariums has tanks with hundreds of species of freshwater, pelagic and reef fish, a display of skeletons, and birds and frogs in…

Onilikan

Mazatlán

This tiny distillery is the only one of its kind, specializing in brewing up mango liquors, which can be sampled here in their pure form or as part of a…

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