A ghost town lost in the desert, venerable haciendas, and majestic Baroque and Neoclassical buildings are part of the charming surroundings of the city of San Luis Potosí, Mexico, capital of the state of the same name.

San Luis Potosí is in central Mexico, 250 miles from Mexico City. It is a metropolis that combines its mining past with the magical touch of beautiful buildings from Mexico's colonial past. In 2010, the historic center of the city was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site within El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (the Royal Road of the Interior Land) National Historic Trail.

This trail was a trade route that wound 1,600 miles (2,560 kilometers) between Mexico City and San Juan Pueblo in New Mexico. It operated from 1598 to 1882, when the railroad replaced the need for wagons. The section of the route within the United States was named a National Historic Trail in 2000. In 2010, the southern section of the trail was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

A must-see on any tour are the city's churches and public buildings with their varied architectural styles, including Baroque and Neoclassical. More than 500 years after its founding, the stately aspect of its squares and gardens welcome visitors to the warmth and tranquility of provincial life.

To complement your cultural tour, the metropolis of San Luis Potosí has a number of cultural centers displaying fragments from Mexican history as well as museums in a smart modern style such as the Federico Silva Museum, the first cultural complex in Latin America to specialize in contemporary sculpture.

Another valuable addition to a travel experience here is to visit the surrounding countryside. As it is a state which boasts a variety of ecosystems, San Luis Potosí is the hub from which to go and visit its three touristic regions: the Central Area, which has a forest climate and springs for diving; the desert of the Altiplano (high plateau) featuring Real de Catorce as its star attraction; and the Huasteca Potosína (the Huastec region of San Luis Potosí), the area of thick jungle with waterfalls and unsurpassed scenery.

Visitors will want to sample the enchiladas potosinas, which really are empanadas. But however you call them, they are delicious and are usually served fried with refried beans and guacamole. Also try the famous sparkling mineral water, Aqua de Lourdes, in the nearby town of Santa Maria del Rio.

In short, getting to know the capital of San Luis Potosí is in itself memorable and gives visitors access to a great many outlying attractions.