We have long dreamed of visiting Alamos, one of the Pueblo Magico towns of Mexico. In fact, one quest on our route south is going to be our attempt to visit ALL of these magic towns, an epic quest if there ever was one, with 64 currently on the list! On our recent Trafalgar trip around Northern Mexico, we were lucky enough to check three of the list. All wonderful, but alas, all scream out to be further explored at a later time!

Originally founded in 1865, Alamos gained fame for the rich silver mines in the surrounding area. As the mines became spent, the city endured constant Indian attacks and disastrous floods, and the city lost inhabitants and became a virtual ghost town. Luckily, the the 1940’s found a resurgence in interest in the town and families, many ex-pats, began to move back into the area to renovate the historic haciendas.

After the government declared almost 200 buildings as National Historic Monuments, tourism began to surge in town. Renovations continue across town, creating an ever evolving landscape.

Many of the formerly private haciendas have been turned into hotels and we were fortunate enough to stay at the stunning Casa de los Tesoros, originally built as a convent in 1789. A strong Moorish influence brings back memories of Southern Spain with arched doorways, pillars and rooms opening into inner courtyards. Water is used in abundance in the form of fountains and pools, creating a soothing influence against the suns rays.

The small town proved to be a photographers delight. We spent hours wandering the colorful streets, stopping every few steps to capture yet another charming scene.

We climbed the 374 steps to the viewpoint overlooking the city, admiring the view of the verdant hills as we caught our breath.

The next morning we joined a local expert on a walking tour of the city, taking in some of the extensive history while getting a chance to check out several of the private haciendas, as well as several that have been turned into hotels and bed & breakfasts. One of the more charming options proved for sale, inspiring dreams of moving to Alamos to become Innkeepers!

Named a Pueblo Magico in 2005, it is is comforting to know that the government and citizens will continue to renovate this special place in the manner to which it was originally intended.

Much of the town exists in a state of elegant decay. Crumbling walls shared blocks with elaborate ironwork and elegant doors, some having seen better days. Many of our stops boasted properties still in a state of renovation, a long-term prospect when dealing with 400-year old architecture.

After another delightful meal at our enchanting hotel, it was time to hit the road to our next stop, but what we discovered was that our trip south has suddenly taken on a new route as we will surely be back to explore Alamos in greater depth!

*** Although we were hosted by Trafalgar, all opinions are our own. ***