Why Durango may just be Mexico’s most underrated city

Even for most Mexicans and the most intrepid explorers, swaths of the country fly under the radar, and this is a shame.

Durango is full of fantastic architecture, vibrant colors, friendly people, and great food, yet hosts very few tourists. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

Durango de Victoia, the capital of Durango state, is one of these places. Before last spring, if you had asked me what came to mind when I thought of Durango, my answer would have been “Uh… desert and not much more.”

Especially in the countryside, landscapes in Durango look almost like they could be Martian. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

One of the things that struck me when I first arrived in the city was its tremendously varied architecture which ranged from adobe homes, over-the-top baroque churches, and neocolonial hotels and office buildings.

Built in the late 17th century, Durango’s cathedral is a feast for the eyes. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

Being from the southeast (the Yucatán to be specific) I need to fess up to my prejudices. Though states like Baja California Sur have always intrigued me, in my mind the north of the country was full of boring industrial centers like Torreon and vast dunes where not much happened other than turf wars between narcos.

Built-in the ‘40s, there is something about the Edificio Duran in downtown Durango, which houses the Casa Blanca hotel and a wonderful restaurant that simultaneously feels like it does not belong yet fits in perfectly. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

There is no denying that cartels are active in Durango, but at least in the capital at no time did this feel palpable. I was (now to my shame) surprised at how friendly and welcoming everyone seemed to be. It felt like everywhere I went, be it restaurants, museums, shops, or bars, people seemed to be relaxed and joyous.

An exhibit at the main city museum features some fun movie posters from México’s golden era of cinema. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

As my friend Alejandro put it, “Here in Durango we feel ignored and probably overcompensate a bit through politeness. This is probably because we don’t make headlines for bad reasons, which is great, but on the other hand, despite being the fourth-largest state in the country we just aren’t part of the national conversation.”

The next morning, I was struck by a few things. The first was the weather, despite it being April, the temperature was just 37F (3C). I put on a coat and was then struck by how enormous the sky loomed and how crisp, though dry, the air was. I was not in Kansas, er Yucatán, anymore.

Aside from being arid, Durango’s landscapes are downright dramatic. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

Being determined to make the most out of every day in the city, I made my way out early to explore as many museums as humanly possible, stopping before only for a coffee and a sandwich with the most delicious Mennonite cheese I had ever tasted.

One of the oddest things about Durango is an apparent obsession with scorpions. Scorpion-infused mezcal, candied scorpion, scorpion toys, silverware, plates… After a while, it all started to feel bizarre.

I prefer my spirits or everything for that mater, scorpion-free, thank you very much. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

The third realization of the morning then set in: the altitude. Now, 6,500 feet (2,000 meters) may not sound that high an elevation to anyone living in places like Colorado, but as someone who has lived his entire life at sea level, I was huffing and puffing after every staircase.

Speaking of staircases and museums, I was struck by the amount and quality of the museums in the city. One of the most impressive was the Museo General Francisco Villa, housed in an enormous casona, featuring dozens of exhibits centered mostly around the Mexican Revolution.

The Museo General Francisco Villa is noteworthy for its splendid murals, many of which were created by renowned muralists including Luis Sandoval and Flores Esquivel. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

Being the archaeology buff that I am, I of course made my way to the Ganot-Peschard Archaeology Museum, which despite its relatively small size was full of interesting artifacts and word class museography.

The Ganot-Peschard’s collection offers archeological materials from the region’s landscapes and dwellings including funeral urns, skulls, vessels, arrowheads, winches, pectorals, and other ornamental materials of pre-Hispanic peoples native to Mexico’s north. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

Durango de Victoria is not exactly known for its party scene, but there is no shortage of bars and clubs — everything from heavy metal bars to cantinas blaring corridos.

Avenida Constitución is home to several bars, restaurants, and clubs and feels safe, day or night. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

At the far south of Durango de Victoria is La Ferrería, an archaeological site that holds the distinction of being the most northern Mesoamerican settlement. Though its monuments are eroded, it is nonetheless interesting and also has a great little museum.

While the exact boundaries of Mesoamerica are a point of contention, the consensus is that it runs south of the Mexican city of Durango de Victoria down to the Gulf of Nicoya in Costa Rica. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

Another thing Durango de Victoria has going for it is its relative proximity to major Mexican cities like Mazatlan (three hours), Zacatecas (3.5 hours), Guadalajara (six hours), and its highway to the US border city of Juaréz (roughly 10 hours).

Overall, the roads in Durango are good, but there is no lack of windy dusty terrain to explore. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

The kink in Durango’s armor when it comes to tourism is how small its airport is and how few flights it receives. From the United States, your only choices are connections through Dallas or Chicago. Domestically there are not many choices either, with flights being limited to and from CDMX and Monterrey.

The total solar eclipse as seen from Durango on April 8, 2024 — it was quite the show. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine

Carlos Rosado van der Gracht

Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican expedition/Canadian photographer, adventure leader, and PhD candidate. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds multimedia, philosophy, and translation degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.