Things to do in Toluca
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Plaza Garibay
Just northeast of Plaza de los Mártires is Plaza Garibay.
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Templo del Carmen
On Plaza Garibay's north side is the 18th-century Templo del Carmen.
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Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez
This is a museum, on Bravo, dedicated to painter Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez.
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Luis Nishizawa
This musuem exhibits the work of multifaceted Mexican-Japanese artist Luis Nishizawa.
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IMAX
The new Museo Modelo de Ciencias e Industria complex has an IMAX theater.
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José María Velasco
On Bravo, opposite the Palacio de Gobierno, is a museum dedicated to landscape painter José María Velasco.
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Portal Madero
The 19th-century Portal Madero, running 250m along Av Hidalgo, is lively, as is the commercial arcade along the pedestrian street to the east, which attracts mariachis after 21:00.
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Museo de Bellas Artes
The ex-convent buildings adjacent to the Templo del Carmen, on the north side of Plaza Garibay, house Toluca’s Museo de Bellas Artes, which exhibits paintings from the colonial period to the early 20th century.
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Centro Cultural Mexiquense
This large cultural center, 4.5km west of the city center, houses three good museums (which all keep the same hours). It’s a worthwhile diversion for visitors interested in local arts and crafts, local archaeology and modern art.
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Plaza de los Mártires
A block north of the Portal Madero, the large, open expanse of Plaza de los Mártires is surrounded by fine old government buildings; the 19th-century cathedral and the 18th-century Templo de la Santa Veracruz are on its south side.
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Mercado Juárez
This gigantic daily Mercado Juárez is behind the bus station. On Friday, villagers swarm in to exchange fruit, flowers, pots, clothes and plastic goods. The market may be colorful, but it’s also chaotic and not a great place to buy local handicrafts.
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Museo Modelo de Ciencias e Industria
The new Museo Modelo de Ciencias e Industria is one of the odder museums you’re likely to encounter in Mexico. Devoted to the corporate history of the Modelo beer company, the museum feels like an edifice for propaganda; it is, however, good for a laugh.
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Hostería Las Ramblas
On a pedestrian mall, one of Toluca’s best and most atmospheric places to eat and drink (there’s a full bar) serves full breakfasts and a variety of ambrosial antojitos, including sopes (soup) ,mole verde and conejo al ajillo (liberally garlicked rabbit).
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Museo de Culturas Populares
The Museo de Culturas Populares has a wonderfully varied collection of México's traditional arts and crafts, with some astounding 'trees of life' from Metepec, whimsical Day of the Dead figures and a fine display of charro gear. There are also mosaics, traditional rugs, a loft and a gift shop.
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Cosmovitral Jardín Botánico
Just northeast of Plaza de los Mártires is Plaza Garibay. At the east end of Plaza Garibay stands the unique Cosmovitral Jardín Botánico. Built in 1909 as a market, the building now houses 3500 sq meters of lovely gardens, lit through 48 stained-glass panels by the Tolucan artist Leopoldo Flores.
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La Vaquita Negra del Portal
On the northwest corner of the arcades, smoked hams and huge green-and-red sausages hanging over the deli counter signal first-rate tortas. Try a messy toluqueña (red pork chorizo sausage, white cheese, cream, tomato and salsa verde ), and don’t forget to garnish your heaping sandwich with spicy pickled peppers and onions.
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Museo de Antropología e História
The Museo de Antropología e História is the stand-out museum, and presents exhibits on the state's history from prehistoric times to the 20th century, with a good collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts. It also traces pre-Hispanic cultural influences to the modern day in tools, clothing, textiles and religion. Sadly, nearly all the labels are only in Spanish.
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La Gloria Chocolatería y Pan 1876
You feel lucky just to be here, and you’ll almost certainly be the only foreign visitor when you are. This wonderful, friendly, family-run snack spot and café serves up a tempting, changing menu of local cuisine, from tacos al pastor (spicy pork tacos) and tortas stuffed with oven-baked pork or shredded chicken bathed in red or green mole poblano.
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Museo de Arte Moderno
The Museo de Arte Moderno is the least exciting of the three museums. It traces the development of Mexican art from the late-19th-century Academia de San Carlos to the Nueva Plástica and includes paintings by Tamayo, Orozco and many others, but frankly there's little to be excited about beyond the impressive spherical mural of people fighting against slavery, which makes up part of the building itself.
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Ambar
On the upper level of the new Museo Modelo de Ciencias e Industria building, Ambar is laid out in a massive, appropriately industrial space with exposed beams and piping, two-story-high ceilings and sleek wooden furniture. Sports matches are projected on the stark white walls. The food, however, compensates. Dishes like salmon in asparagus sauce, giant shrimp with pistachio salsa, and duck with hibiscus sauce are a delight.
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Casart
You’ll find quality arts and crafts in more peaceful surroundings at the state crafts store, Casart. There’s a big range, and the crafts are often top-end pieces from the villages where the craft styles originated. Prices are fixed, and higher than you can get with some haggling in markets; gauge prices and quality here before going elsewhere to buy. Craftspeople, such as basket weavers from San Pedro Actopan, often work in the store.
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