With its historic buildings, cathedral, plazas and museums, Old Mazatlán provides a fascinating glimpse into the city's past. This is the downtown historic center, a charming place of quiet streets filled with beautiful architecture.
Go on a self-guided walking tour of the sights, which are within a short distance of each other. The heart of Old Mazatlán is the Plaza Machado, a pretty square surrounded by 19th-century buildings, restaurants and cafés. A few blocks north of the square is the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, a double-spired neo-Gothic cathedral that was built in the 1800s. Tour the interior for its stunning collection of stained-glass windows and the gilded, Baroque main altar. Facing the church is the Plaza of the Republic, a palm tree-shaded square with an ironwork bandstand at its center that dates back to 1909.
Stop at the Juarez Building, Casa Garcia and other historical properties from the 1800s and 1900s to study their architecture. Step inside the late 19th-century City Hall to view two murals depicting the city’s bicentennial in 2010 and the revolution of Sinaloa.
Pick up additional insights into the history of Old Mazatlán in its museums. Inside the Archeology Museum, study weapons, tools, clothes and other artifacts that once belonged to the ancient inhabitants of the state of Sinaloa. To learn more about the history of the state go to the Museo Que Viva Sinaloa.
Shop for clothes, food and souvenirs in the Pino Suarez Municipal Market, which has been operating from the same spot since 1900. Enjoy a change of scenery with a visit to the nearby Olas Altas Beach. Relax on the sand, swim in the public saltwater swimming pool and stroll along the picturesque promenade.
In the evening, take your seat for a theatrical performance at the Angela Peralta Theater. This restored 19th-century theater hosts operas, plays, ballets and concerts.
Old Mazatlán is easy to get to from elsewhere in the city by public transportation, taxi and open-air cabs called pulmonias.
