The Magic of Mazatlan

The Mercado

Oh My! Which Way to Turn?

Vibrant Bustle of Mazatlan

Mazatlan is an exciting, vibrant city! The hustle and bustle of cars, buses, and people crisscrossing through the narrow streets of Mazatlan is like a fascinating dance. We were captivated by all the activity and equally amazed by the Mercado located in the center of town. The Pino Suarez Mercado is similar to our Pike Place Market in Seattle but less touristy and used extensively by locals for their daily shopping. The sights, smells, and sounds of the Mercado is a feast for the senses – there are rows of fresh fruits and vegetables and loads of meat brought in each day including chicken, pork, and sides of beef cut to order. Mazatlan being the shrimp capital of Mexico offers a wide variety of shrimp along with other seafood like Tuna, Snapper, and Dorado. There’s so much to see it was hard to decide which way to turn and which aisle to investigate next, we were like kids in a candy shop. After filling our bag with fresh fruits and vegetables, we walked up a set of stairs that led to the second floor where several cafes are located; we found one called “Restaurante Lorena.” The menu looked good but I didn’t want to miss our next destination, the Cathedral Basilica located a block from the Market. The beautiful Cathedral, a combination of Moorish and Gothic architecture, was built from 1875 to 1890. The interior is equally stunning with gold leaf decorated murals, crystal chandeliers, and baroque alters. After a respite at the church, we walked to the tree-lined Plazuela Machado. The plaza is the center of "Old Town," a historic area of colonial style buildings created by the French, German, and Spanish influence of the mid to late 1800’s. In fact it reminded us of the French Quarter in New Orleans; Germans too left their influence here with the establishment of the Pacifico Brewery in 1900. Many of the buildings in Old Town are being restored thanks to the Historical Center Project that came about in 2002; many of these historic buildings however still stand empty and in need of restoration. One of Old Town’s most famous attractions is the Teatro Angela Peralta, built in 1865 under dictator Porfirio Diaz during a time of wealth and sophistication for Mexico’s privileged class. Beautifully restored, the theatre offers world-class opera and theatre performances while providing a glimpse into the city’s illustrious past.