San Luis Potosi (state) travel guide

Real de Catorce (Photo: Antonio de Jesús Pérez Cruz, CC BY-SA 4.0)

San Luis Potosí is a state in the Bajío, in Central Mexico. The state lies mostly on the Mexican Plateau, with the eastern part descending into the tropical valley of the Tampaon River. The state has relied largely on mining through its history, and its agricultural sector produces large crops of wheat, maize, beans and cotton in the uplands. In the low tropical valleys, sugar, coffee, tobacco, peppers and fruit are staple products. Livestock is also an important industry.

Regions

San Luis Potosí has four distinct regions each with a different climate, culture and history.

Regions of San Luis Potosí (Photo: Edgaromarhe, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Cities

San Luis Potosí - State capital

• Matehuala - Large dusty city in the north, gateway to Real de Catorce
• Real de Catorce - Old silver mining community, now a ghost town popular with artists
• Santa María del Río - Charming small town that calls itself the birthplace of the rebozo
• Aquismón - Small town in the heart of the Huasteca
• Ciudad Valles - Largest city of the Huasteca region and commercial and cultural center.
• Tamazunchale - Large town on the Rio Moctezuma and at the foot of the Sierra Madre
• Xilitla - Edward James created the surrealistic Las Pozas here

Other destinations

Archaeological sites

Both of the archeological parks are located near the town of Tamuín, just east of Ciudad Valles.

• Tamohi (also known as El Consuelo - an older Huastec site with a large number of excavated structures.

Tamtoc (Photo: Angeles Tamez, CC BY-SA 3.0)

• Tamtoc, east of Ciudad Valles: its discovery has resulted in a reevaluation of the Huastec culture. A calendar and ball park are part of the discoveries.

Central Plateau

• Wirikuta: the place of pilgrimage for the Huichol (Wirrárika).
• Sierra de la Mojonera
• Real de Guadalcázar: the largest variety of cactus on the American continent.

Capital city

• Ejido San Juan de Guadalupe
• Paseo de la Presa San José
• Parque Nacional El Gogorrón
• Reserva Forestal y de la Fauna Sierra de Álvarez
• Parque Nacional El Potosí extends from Santa María to Río Verde Valley.

Huasteca Potosina

• Reserva de Tancojol
• Reserva Forestal Nacional Porción Boscosa del Estado de San Luis Potosí
• Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra El Abra Tanchipa

Understand

San Luis Potosí is a central Mexican state known for its colonial state capital, its desert mountains, contrasted against the lush waterfalls of the Huasteca Potosina in the east. Key events in the state's history include its founding in 1592 as a silver-mining settlement, its role as a federal capital in 1863 during the French invasion, and the launch of the 1910 Mexican Revolution via the Plan of San Luis, an inciteful document authored by Francisco Madero calling for the overthrow of dictator Porfirio Diaz.

=Climatə

The state features a diverse climate ranging from the hot, arid desert in the north and west to tropical and humid jungles in the south. Winter nights can get quite cold in the north, west, and central valley areas of the state. In the Huasteca Potosina area in the southeast, temperatures are milder and likely to be quite nice all year-round. The tropical humidity often gives way to frequent rain showers.

Get in

By plane

Ponciano Arriaga International Airport (Aeropuerto Internacional Pociano Arriaga) (SLPIATA) is the only airport in the city of San Luis Potosí. It is a really small airport for a medium city. Having only 2 gates and only two international inbound/outbound destinations (Dallas and Houston) and only one daily national destination (Mexico City) and twice weekly service to Monterrey. It is served by Aeromexico, Aerolitoral, American Airlines, and United.

The closest large airport to the eastern part of the state is Tampico. Both have car rentals.

There is a smaller airport in Tamuin just east of Ciudad Valles. Tamuin offers flights to the border and San Luis Potosí.

By car

The major highways are the Old Pan American Highway (85) that runs along the coastal plain and through Ciudad Valles. Another is the Olympic Highway from Laredo to Mexico City which travels the central plateau and passes through San Luis Potosí. Highway 70 runs from San Luis Potosí to Rioverde and the remaining part to Ciudad Valles.

By train

A major railroad runs north-south through San Luis Potosí. Another railroad connects Ciudad Valles to Tampico and to San Luis Potosí in the other direction. These are freight railroads, but a lot of migrants from Central America hitch rides on the train on their journey north to the U.S. If you're adventurous you could join the campesinos.

By bus

There is extensive bus service running both major north-south highways as well as local buses and taxis. You can use Greyhound in the USA to get to San Luis Potosi cheaply, especially if coming from the regions that border Mexico. See Bus travel in Mexico for further information. The article includes a listing of bus companies with contact info.

Get around

Within the state, bus, automobile, and taxis are the primary source of travel. Buses are listed above. Rental Cars are available only in the city of San Luis Potosí. Taxis are available throughout the state.

See

Museums

• Huasteca Potosina
  Ciudad Valles
  Museo de las Culturas de la Huasteca Potosina Tamuatzán
• Museo Regional Huasteco
• Tamuín

Museo Universitario Lariab de Historia Antigua de la Huaxteca

• Xilitla
  Museo Edward James

Central Plateau

• Festival del Desierto del Altiplano Potosino (April - May) Music, dance and theater in towns throughout the Altiplano.

Capital City

• Encuentro Bianual de Decimistas y Versadores de Latinamérica y el Caribe (October) - Open air concerts, recitals, lectures and round tables of genres from Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe.
• Festival de Danzas Étnicas de la Huasteca Potosina (December) - Festival of the ethnic dances of the Huasteca Potosina
• Festival del Son (March) - Promotes the musical form son.
• Festival de Música Antigua y Barroca (November) - Celebration of the founding of the city of San Luis Potosí featuring Medieval, Renaissance, Colonial, Arab, Andalusian and Baroque music.
• Festival de Música Vernácula (March) - Festival of regional and popular music.
• Festival de San Luis (April - May) - Festival of art and culture.
• Festival Internacional Letras en San Luis (May) - Festival of literature.
• Festival Internacional de Danza Contemporánea de San Luis Potosí Lila López (September - October) - Festival of contemporary dance.
• Muestra Anual del Folklor (December) - Exhibition of folk dance.
• Muestra International de Folklore y Artes Tradicionales (September) - Exhibition of folk music and folk dance of Mexico and other countries.

Huasteca Potosina

• Feria Nacional de la Huasteca Potosina (FENAHUAP): March in Ciudad Valles
• Xantolo (Huastec version of Day of the Dead): October

Río Verde Valley

Pame festivals

• Candlemas or Purification of the Virgin Day (February 2)
• Saint Joseph's Day (March 19)
• Holy Week (Semana Santa): Most important celebration
• Holy Cross Day (May 3)
• The Assumption of the Virgin Mary (August 15)
• Day of the Dead (All Souls' Day)
• Christmas

Protected historical areas

The center of the city of San Luis Potosí has been declared a "centro de monumentos históricos." Some of the buildings that have been preserved are the Museo Federico Silva (modern sculpture), the Museo Nacional de la Máscara (National Museum of the Mask), the old Penitenciaría and the Teatro de la Paz (Peace Theatre).

Central Plateau

• San Juan de Vanegas

Capital City

• El Gogorrón

Huasteca Potosina

There are many springs. Taninul is a warm springs that has been developed into a swimming pool with a resort hotel. There is also a small cave with some climbing routes. Often, the springs are called nacimientos or ojos.

• Nacimiento de Huichihuayan

Río Verde Valley

Laguna de la Media Luna (Lake of the Half Moon) is a clear spring-fed lake. Scuba diving and camping are available. Other springs are

• Ojo Caliente

Huasteca Potosina

Sótano de los Golondrinas (Pit Cave of the Swallows) is the most well-known cave. The swallows spiral up out of the cave every morning and return every evening. For cavers it is a 1,100 ft (340 m) vertical descent to the floor of the cave. There are many caves in this area including

• Sótano de las Huahuas (or La Hoya de las Huahuas)
• Cuevas de Mantetzulel
• Cuevas Sagradas del Viento y la Fertilidad en Chununtzen I
• Grutas los Sabinos

Río Verde Valley

Grutas de Catedral is the most well-known cave and does not require special equipment. Other caves

• El Ángel

Huasteca Potosina

Cascada de Tamul is a 100-m (345-foot) waterfall where the Río Gallinas pours over the canyon wall into the Río Santa Maria, forming the Río Tampoan. Travertine forms many waterfalls in this region, including

• Cascadas Minas Viejas
• Cascadas Micos
• Cascada El Meco
• Cascada El Salto

Río Verde Valley

• Cascada La Llovisnosa (The Big Mist Waterfall) is the largest of three waterfalls on the Río Verde. The volcanic rock in this area forms these waterfalls and other interesting formations such as the narrow gorge at Pinihuan.

Capital city

Valle de los Fantasmas (Valley of the Ghosts) is a rock formation that has a ghostly look under a full moon. It is near the highway from San Luis Potosí to Rioverde.

Huasteca Potosina

Puente de Dios, El Trampolín and Balneario Cascadas de Tamasopo is an area of springs, grottos and waterfalls.

Puente de Dios (Río Tampoan) is a travertine bridge a short distance upstream of the mouth of the Río Tampoan. A short paddle (or swim) on flatwater or raft trip through the canyon allows access to the travertine bridge and the pools that form on top for about half the year.

Do

Many activities are possible at attractions listed under See, such as hiking, caving, rappelling, kayaking, swimming, and tubing.

Eat

The enchiladas potosinas, the meat "Cesina", and "Pipian".

Drink

The capital of San Luis Potosi is awesome for night life. There are great clubs such as Mantra, Play, Roush.

Stay safe

San Luis Potosi is generally a safe place to travel. Of course, there are some incidents of petty theft, with pickpocketing and cases of robberies at ATMs occasionally occurring, but at levels that are comparable to the risk of theft when visiting U.S. or European ski resorts (i.e., not much). With a temperate and fairly dry climate, the risk of natural disasters is very low, though the state experiences drought conditions in some years. As in all areas of Mexico, be cautious about drinking waterː tap water should be avoided, though many hotels provide purified tap water.

Go next

• Nuevo León
• Tamaulipas
• Queretaro

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