Chihuahua is the capital of the state of Chihuahua in Northern Mexico. The colonial center of Chihuahua is beautiful and pedestrian friendly. The centro has museums dedicated to Pancho Villa (a major folk hero in the north of Mexico), another museum about the national mint, government palaces, and historic churches as well as luxurious mansions and villas. Chihuahua is famous for Norteño food (a form of Mexican cuisine), a delicious if not particularly heart healthy cuisine that makes liberal use of beef, flour, cheese, and chiles.
Chihuahua has a population of about 880,000 (2017). The predominant activity is light industry. The capital of the state of Chihuahua, it is a large prosperous city in the center of the state. The outer areas of the city, while affluent by Latin American standards, don't likely hold a lot of appeal for the average tourist. Chihuahua's natives are friendly and helpful and don't show any resentment towards visitors like you might expect to experience in Mexico's more southerly cities. The city is at high latitude and at relatively high altitude, meaning it will get cold here during the winter. It even snows once or twice a year. During the summer, temperatures can reach 40°C.
Taxi, rideshare (Uber), or bus are the ways to get to places you can't walk to. Most urban transit in Chihuahua is privately operated. Although the network is extensive, it can be difficult to navigate due to the lack of consistent branding, clear route maps, and published schedules. Fares are cash-only. Bowí, by contrast, is a modern bus rapid transit (BRT) line running along a central north-south corridor. It uses a prepaid smart card system, which can be purchased and recharged with cash at designated locations.
Chihuahua is a great tourist destination; a Professional Bull Riding championship, concerts, art and international festivals take place all year-round, but mostly on mid-October, you will find the city and its people very charming and down to earth. Even though Chihuahua suffered a massive destruction of colonial buildings during the 1970s in order to widen the main streets and avenues in the downtown, it stills preserves some valuable monuments from the 19th and 20th centuries. Some of the most impressive pre-revolutionary residences in the city are on Avenida Zarco. 1 Chihuahua Cathedral (Catedral de Chihuahua), Calle Libertad 814, ☏ +52 614 416 8410.
1 Grutas de Nombre de Dios. a huge system of caves with stalactites and stalagmites. Easy going as everything has concrete floors and handrailings. To get there, by bus 'Nombre de Dios/Ojo' to the grutas (M$6), Entrance fee M$50. 2 Hike Colorado Peak (close to the exit of Grutas de Nombre de Dios). Hike up 300 m to Colorado Peak. You can start after visiting the caves. Don't get into the bus at the cave exit, walk the street about 100 m then turn right ca. 500 m along a 4WD-Road. Cross the street and look for the small path that goes straight up the mountain in front of you. It's only a few km walk up and down, but very strenuous.
Be careful! The best chiles rellenos in the world, served on a flour tortilla. The seeds are not removed, making for a fire in your mouth that is unsurpassed. 1 La Casona, Aldama 430, Zona Centro, ☏ +52 614 410 0063. 08:00 - 00:00. Elegant restaurant in the heart of el centro. International menu and first class service. (updated Nov 2022) 2 Mochomos, Calle Vía Lombardía 3001, Col. Saucito (in the District Uno shopping plaza), ☏ +52 614 4255276. 13:00 - 01:00. Upscale Latin fusion restaurant though they claim it's the tastes of Sonora, located near the San Francisco golf course. (updated Nov 2022) 3 Los Cinco Panes, Priv. Simon Bolivar 2524-10, Fracc. Sicomoros, ☏ +52 614 410 8182.
Chihuahua is home to an ever-growing number of small craft breweries. 1 Casa Cervecera Bolívar, Paseo Simon Bolivar 806, Bolívar (across the street from Parque Lerdo), ☏ +52 614 100 1234. Daily 12:00 - 01:30. Good place for local craft beers, though they do waste effort promoting national brands as well. Good food including a pulled pork sandwich. The beers are mostly straightforward English style ales, but a Belgian amber is interesting, as is a Berliner weisse served with blackberry syrup and two stouts which are oddly about identical in terms of flavor, strength, and overall drinkability. 2 Cerveceria Local, Av. Diaz Ordaz. W-Sa 13:00 - 00:00, Su 13:00 - 20:00, closed M-Tu.
Northern Mexico, especially the state of Chihuahua, has experienced a sharp increase in violent drug-related crime since 2007. Chihuahua is much safer than Ciudad Juárez but still has had its share of cartel killings in the last two years. Most killings have specifically targeted drug dealers and their families, and tourists have rarely been affected by violent crime. Avoid bars and nightclubs that cater to a criminal element. Military checkpoints may be set up in the city and the roads around the city. Always stop at these checkpoints. In case of emergency, dial 911, the number for all emergencies (fire, police and medical) in Mexico.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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