PACHUCA
The city of Pachuca,
known as the Windy
City
due to its strong afternoon winds, lies 97 km (60 mi) north of Mexico
City, off Highway 130. The city has a
moderate semi-cold climate, with an average year-round temperature of 24º C
(75º F).
In this city
of beautiful baroque- and neoclassical-style buildings you can admire such
edifices as the Capilla de Nuestra
Señora de la Luz and the Ex-Convent of San
Francisco, which houses one of Latin
America?s most important photo archives. The
ex-convent, which faces the main plaza, has a striking public clock that was
modeled after England?s famous Big Ben. As for contemporary architecture,
important examples include the Teatro de la Ciudad,
which ranks among the top seven theaters in Latin
America, and the Estadio Hidalgo,
Mexico?s
most modern stadium.
In the Windy
City?s
surrounding areas you can enjoy El Chico National Park, home to a wide variety
of flora and fauna. It?s also a great place to do various adventure sports,
such as rappelling, climbing and camping. Nearby you?ll find Mineral del Chico,
Real del Monte and Huasca de Ocampo,
picturesque towns known for their gorgeous 19th-century
architecture, cobblestone streets, parks with beautiful gardens, and white
houses with red tile roofs. In Huasca de Ocampo you can visit the gorgeous ex-haciendas of Santa
Maria Regla and San Miguel Regla,
as well as the famous Prismas Basalticos
(basaltic rock formations).
When it
comes to food, Pachuca
offers some of the state of Hidalgo?s
most traditional dishes, such as pastes,
turnovers stuffed with potatoes, beef, chicken, pineapple or leeks, among other
ingredients.
During the
month of October, be sure to visit the Pachuca Fair,
the state of Hidalgo?s
most important cultural event. There you can enjoy numerous activities for the
whole family, including a food fair, livestock and industry expositions and
live performance by world-famous artists.
