Hidalgo is a state in Central Mexico. Within this state you can enjoy various archaeological sites and historic haciendas, places to practice extreme sports, and enjoy nature. There are also the so-called Magical Towns of the state such as Huasca, Mineral del Chico and Real del Monte, which are part of the most visited municipalities.

Waterfall over the Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla, Huasca de Ocampo

Regions

• La Huasteca
• Sierra Alta
• Sierra Baja
• Sierra Gorda
• Valle del Mezquital
• Valle de Tulancingo
• Comarca Minera
• Sierra de Tenango
• Altiplanicie Pulquera
• Cuenca de Mexico

Cities

• 1 Pachuca — the state's capital and main city has a well-preserved historical center and lots of mining heritage
• 2 Actopan — colonial small town with a 9km 16th century aqueduct and some tasty gastronomic specialties
• 3 Huasca de Ocampo — charming small town with spectacular waterfalls and nearby national parks
• 4 Huichapan — elegant viceregal town where the tradition of Mexico's president re-enacting Father Hidalgo's famous cry for freedom first began in 1812
• 5 Ixmiquilpan — charming colonial town with 16th century churches, thermal spas, and waterparks
• 6 Mineral del Chico - quaint small town, gateway to El Chico National Park, a designated Pueblo Magico
• 7 Mineral del Monte (also known as Real del Monte) — an old mining town with centuries of industrial, cultural and gastronomic history
• 8 Omitlán de Juárez — popular weekend getaway destination with colonial haciendas and outdoor activities in nearby mountain forests
• 9 Tecozautla — come for the waters...Tecozautla is famous for hot mineral springs, aquatic parks, and spa treatments
• 10 Tulancingo de Bravo — home to the Huapalcalco archeological site, which was the forerunner to the Teotihuacan civilization
• 11 Zimapán - colonial mining town, close to Los Marmoles National Park

Other destinations

• 1 Tula — archeological site of the capital city of the Toltec civilization, destroyed in the 12th century
• 2 El Chico National Park — national park preserving pine forests in a mountainous terrain
• 3 Los Marmoles National Park — national park preserving pine-oak forests in a mountainous terrain with its own ghost town

Understand

The state has a number of relatively intact native cultures such as the Otomi. There are also three notable immigrant cultures, those of the descendants of Cornish miners from Cornwall (in South West England) who arrived in the 19th century, a few self-proclaimed Italian descendants, and a small Jewish enclave which claims to be descended from Sephardi Jews which came to New Spain in the 16th century.

The state contains a number of ecotourism, cultural and archeological attractions including the Huasteca area, the ruins of Tula, natural hot water springs, old haciendas and mountain ranges.

Hidalgo is known for its mountainous terrain but part of the state is on a coastal plain.

Talk

Spanish is the most widely spoken language. Other indigenous languages can be heard but Spanish is the language to get you by. English is spoken on random circles of people specially with younger educated individuals and in touristic places.

Get in

By bus

There are several bus lines that serve the state of Hidalgo from major cities in Central Mexico, The bus system is very big and will get you everywhere in the region. The biggest bus station in the state is in Pachuca, which is served by ADO, Estrella Blanca and a variety of smaller bus lines.

From Mexico City, ADO buses to Pachuca run from the city's Central de Autobuses Norte terminal. Futura buses to Pachuca depart from the terminal inside Benito Juarez International Airport. Buses between Mexico City and Pachuca run about every 30 minutes, throughout the day and night, and they offer a range of service levels, from very economical to executive class accommodations. Prices are affordable.

From Pachuca, you can catch a bus to most cities in Hidalgo.

By car

There is several toll roads and public roads that run from all surrounding states. Mexico-Pachuca and Mexico-Tulancingo are main roads that go through the state capital and main cities.

Get around

Buses run throughout the state, fairly often. at reliable schedules. within cities or towns you will find "combis" or "micros" "ichiban" or taxis that serve the local population to get around. Make sure to ask around about a way to get to your destination since the local buses don't have an online ticketing version. Fares at local buses vary, around five pesos or less. Taxis are widely available. Car rentals are offered in the major cities.

See

The state has a wide variety of scenic natural scenes to offer. The landscape varies, from deserts with beautiful cacti to humid dense forests. Being in the boundaries of Mexico's arid north and the Tropical south the state has a unique contrast of natural wonders.

• Grutas de Tolantongo are a communal run complex with caves, warm springs, and several campsites, pools and restaurants complex.
• Santa Maria Amajac is another warm springs pools and saunas complex in the middle of beautiful wilderness.
• Los prismas basalticos are a rock formation of prisms and waterfalls.
• The forest of real del monte in the north of Pachuca with a Cornish heritage.

There is a wide variety of colonial treasures and whole cities to be found as well as precolonial vestiges of the Toltec and Aztec people, including the town of Huasca de Ocampo, the Toltec warrior statues, and the ruins of Huapalcalco

• The Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque Hydraulic System, a UNESCO World Heritage site (partially located in Mexico State)

Do

There is a corridor of spas of around 77 different locations, where most have hot springs of around 38 °C.

Eat

One can find different kind of dishes served in the state, most which shares with the rest of central Mexico, Like Tamales, Tacos, Tortas. There is some ingredients that can make regional dishes atypical, even for other Mexicans, You can find mainstream Mexican dishes made of plants like mesquite beans, nopal and other cactus and various cactus fruit such as “tuna” and “xoconostle.”

Another of the rarities that you must try while visiting Hidalgo are dishes that are made of a variety of edible insects, many of which are considered delicacies such as escamoles (ant eggs) and maguey larvae as well as others such as larvae found on nopal plants, “chacas ” (beetles) and “chicharras” (cicadas).

Other local animals still, but rarely used for food include tadpoles (called atepocates), salamanders and their larvae, squirrels and rabbits. You can also find a variety of moles and a specialty of central Mexico, mixiote.

Another common central Mexican dish popular in the state and through central Mexico is Hidalgo's barbacoa. This dish has its origins in the pre-Hispanic period, when it was meat cooked in an underground pit. Today, it is most often cooked in pots in more conventional ovens, but the meat, today mostly pork, is still smothered in the alcoholic beverage pulque and wrapped in maguey leaves for flavor. This preparation of barbacoa is considered to be the state dish.