Travel Guide TOLUCA Contents DISCOVER TOLUCA 01 TOLUCA PROFILE 02 TOLUCA ATTRACTIONS 03 TOLUCA DINING 09 TOLUCA SHOPPING 10 TOLUCA NIGHTLIFE 12 THINGS TO DO IN TOLUCA 13 DISCOVER TOLUCA Toluca, officially calledToluca de Lerdo is the modern capital of the State of Mexico, located 40 miles west of Mexico City and flanked by the Nevado de Toluca Volcano rising 8,792 feet up above sea level. The city is in the Valley of Matlazinco, a privileged region in the country’s center with fertile soils, unique scenery, historic landmarks and rich culture. Many of the older houses in Toluca boast French neoclassical architecture, a style popular in the 19th century. Toluca offers a blend of old and new with modern, major, industrial parks and residential areas, as well as a well-preserved historic district and landmarks, such as Los Portales and the cathedral, considered among the most important buildings of the colonial period and the 19th century. MODERN, INDUSTRIALIZED CITY AND BUSINESS DESTINATION The city is currently undergoing a transformation in urban development and is one of the most popular destinations for meetings and conventions. Toluca attracts a lot of visitors and investors that have stimulated the region’s economy and created jobs. Toluca is home to international company headquarters, like Nestle, General Motors, Bimbo and Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc, a Mexican brewing company. CAPITAL OF ART AND CULTURE Toluca offers a lot of cultural attractions with several traditions and religious festivities throughout the year, including the Solemn Procession of Silence on Good Friday. Toluca ranks second in the list of cities with the most museums in Mexico, many of which are located at the Centro Cultural Mexiquense. 1 TOLUCA PROFILE Known as the industrial and financial capital with excellent infrastructure for meetings and events A rich culture and host of several domestic and international cultural events Features outstanding regional cuisine Home to important companies in the auto, trade and electronics industries Large producer of meats and sausages Home to several prominent universities Has the ideal surroundings for adventure travel 2 TOLUCA ATTRACTIONS METEPEC Metepec is a city in the State of Mexico that borders Toluca, so many consider it part of the metropolitan area. This city has experienced a major boom in investment and economic growth in recent years, with the creation of modern shopping centers and new residential areas. Culture and traditions are important to the community and the city encourages old trades and crafts, such as the famous Metepec pottery and ceramic art, and the tree of life, one of the most famous and representative handmade ceramic designs of the State of Mexico. IXTAPAN DE LA SAL Located 30 minutes from Toluca, Ixtapan de la Sal has mineral hot springs, a mild climate and a calm and peaceful atmosphere. This small town features beautiful Jacaranda tree-lined roads, a large main square, cobbled streets and houses with red tile roofs and picturesque architecture. 3 PARKS In the suburbs of Toluca, you’ll find some the most beautiful national parks in the country, like theSierra Morelos Park, with over 700 acres of pine, eucalyptus and oak tree forest, with barbecue grills and pic- nic tables by the lake. There is also the Bosencheve National Park, situated 40 miles into an important lake basin and a great place for long walks along the edge of the lakes. Finally, the Alameda 2000 Park is the perfect place for cultural, sporting or political events, featuring a network of bicycle trails. CHURCHES AND TEMPLES There are several churches in the historic downtown district of Toluca that are worthy of mention, like the Templo del Carmen dating from the 18th century and decorated with the coat of arms of the Carmelites religious order. This building also houses the Museum of Fine Arts, featuring one of the most important collections of paintings ranging from the colonial era to the present time. In the historic district, you can also find the Templo de la Merced, designed in baroque style which dates back to the 17th century and the Toluca Cathedral, built over the remains of the old St. Francis Convent from the 16th century. PLAZA DEL PARIAN This well-known restaurant takes pride in promoting the state’s culinary traditions, local arts and crafts and “charreria” or Mexican traditional horsemanship skills. It is located on the Mexico-Toluca highway and boasts the most breathtaking views of the Sierra del Ajusco, the Valley of Lerma and the Nevado de Toluca. 4 THE COSMOVITRAL The Cosmovitral is a spectacular landmark built in early 1900 to house a market. It was remodeled in the 1970s and became an art nouveau style building with 65 stained glass windows and more than 1,500 pieces of glass imported from Europe, made by the local artist Leopoldo Flores Valdes. This stained glass window is considered one of the greatest works of art in the country and the building is home to an amazing botanical garden with 400 species of plants surrounded by more than 32,000 sq. ft. of stained glass in 28 different colors and shades. LA MARQUESA Toluca offers beautiful forests, like the Insurgente Miguel Hidalgo National Park, commonly known as “La Marquesa,” where you can enjoy outdoor activities and adventure sports. Located about 20 miles from Toluca, La Marquesa is a huge valley of about 4,000 acres with a temperate climate. It features a trailhead that promotes conservation of the forest and responsible tourism practices. It offers trails for hiking and horseback riding, as well as beautiful scenery. 5 VALLE DE BRAVO Valle de Bravo has become a vacation hotspot because it has a beautiful lake, a lush forest and warm climate, where you can do outdoor activities like horseback riding and tennis. Some popular attractions are the Plaza de los Tres Arboles, the viewpoint at the chapel, and the pier where you can rent boats for a ride on the lake. NEVADO DE TOLUCA If you love nature and the outdoors, you must go to the Nevado de Toluca, the 4th highest peak in the country. There are two crater lakes on the floor of the basin that you can reach by car. It is great for hiking and ecotourism activities, like rock climbing, on El Fraile and the Pico del Aguila. CALIXTLAHUACA The Calixtlahuaca Ceremonial Site shows the archeological remains of an old city that was inhabited by the Matlazinca people, located 6 miles northwest of Toluca. Worthy of mention are two buildings dedicated to the gods, Quetzalcoatl and Tlaloc. Because of the architectural elements found in these buildings, it is believed that this site was once inhabited by the Teotihuacan and Toltec people. 6 ZACANGO For animal lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, the Zacango Zoo offers great family fun just 8 miles from Toluca. The area’s 118 acres are home to more than 200 animal species in their natural habitats. It also has a lake where you can take boat rides and a museum of taxidermy displaying animals from the area. TEOTENANGO Teotenango is another impressive pre-Hispanic archeological site built by the Matlatzincas that was an important military and religious center. It is about 13 miles southeast of Toluca and sits at the top of Tetepetl Hill. Teotenango is home to the Roman Pina Chan Archeology Museum, where they exhibit the archeological objects uncovered at the site. EL ORO El Oro is a small mining city, located 40 minutes north of Toluca. Many of the houses have French style architecture which evokes the wealthy fortunes made at the height of the mining industry in the area. This place is famous for its old gold mines and the Brockman dam, surrounded by a lush forest of pines and cedar trees where you can enjoy a nice picnic, a walk or a fishing trip. 7 MUSEUMS There are several museums in Toluca, including the Fine Arts Museum, with paintings and sculptures of great artistic importance, the Estampa Museum, which exhibits works by renowned artists such as Jose Luis Cuevas, Pedro Coronel and Gunther Gerzo. The Jose Maria Velasco and Felipe Gutierrez museums, display the work of these two artists, known for their realistic style. Also worthy of mention are the Acuarela Museum, which exhibits watercolor paintings, located in one of the oldest buildings in Toluca; the Museum of Anthropology and History which houses a collection of over 7000 pieces; the Museum of Modern Art with works by leading artists from the 19th and 20th centuries; the Museum of Popular Art and Folklore, which displays everyday objects, such as kitchenware, toys and Mexican horsemanship items. Opened in 1987, the Numismatic Museum is the only one of its kind in Latin America and it displays coins from different periods of the history of Mexico. SENOR DE CHALMA TEMPLE Located 45 minutes from Toluca, Chalma is home to the Senor de Chalma Temple, a place of worship where pilgrims come to pray to the image of the Black Christ. Legend has it that in 1537, some Spanish friars discovered that the Indians were worshipping the god of known as Oxtoteotl and doing human sacrifices the cave, so the friars made the Indians destroy the idol, replacing it with a statue of Christ, whose image remained in the cave for 125 years until the Temple of the Lord of Chalma was built. Thousands of people come to worship this image of the Black Christ and they sing and dance in his honor. 8 TOLUCA DINING During colonial times, Toluca experienced a boom in the production of meat and sausage. Processing and marketing of cold cuts made from pork meat soon became the city’s main industry and diversified the local cuisine.