Along with Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende and Zacatecas, Taxco is commonly considered one of the most beautiful colonial cities in Mexico.
Like Guanajuato and Zacatecas, Taxco is a series of winding alleys on the side of a mountain and has a history connected with the earliest silver mining in Spanish Mexico. Lavish buildings, such as Santa Prisca Cathedral, were built during the boom years.
The silver mines in Taxco have been in use since before the time of Montezuma II and provided much of the Spanish crown's New World income after the conquest; however, it wasn't until the 20th century that Taxco started producing exquisite silver pieces by local artisans.
Beginning in the 1930s, a U.S. citizen from New Orleans pioneered a thriving industry: the production of silver jewelry. Today, it's still a great place to shop for fine jewelry, with more than 300 shops in town and at the Mercado de Artesanias Plata. Don't be fooled by the cheaper prices of silver being sold in the street stalls that have flooded Taxco; it has most likely been imported from Thailand and is of inferior quality. For those who want to look but not buy, there is also the Museo de la Plateria that chronicles the rise of Taxco artisans to the forefront of Mexican silver work.
Taxco is a beautiful town with white stucco buildings, geraniums and steep cobblestoned streets. It's become a popular destination for U.S. travelers. Visitors not in top physical condition will huff and puff going up and down the town's hills, although a cable car, when it's working, will take you to a mountaintop overlooking town. Otherwise, you can take a taxi to the top.
Many people see Taxco as they drive through the Sierra Madre while traveling between Mexico City (100 mi/160 km northeast) and Acapulco.
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