Arteaga is a small mountain town in the northern state of Coahuila, Mexico. With its constant mild temperatures and surrounding pine forests, the town is a popular weekend getaway for city dwellers in Saltillo and Monterrey. It is one of Mexico's designated Pueblos Mágicos.
Understand
[edit]Outdoors enthusiasts find much to love about Arteaga with its mountainous landscape covered in deep pine forests. The town often receives snowfalls in winter and has a ski lodge with an artificial ski slope for those times (often the whole year) when snow is but a distant memory. Much more reliable (and natural) are cool weather days that invite hiking the mountain trails and bringing some binoculars for Birdwatching.
Get in
[edit]
By plane
[edit]The nearest commercial airport is in Saltillo, though it is a smaller airport offering limited connections. A taxi from the Saltillo airport to Arteaga takes about 20 minutes and costs about M$300. Most foreign visitors will find it easier to arrive in Monterrey (MTY IATA), which is a large airport with many flights throughout Mexico and international flights from the United States, Canada, Cuba, and Spain. A taxi from the Monterrey airport to Arteaga will take about 1½ hours and cost about M$1500.
By bus
[edit]Long distance bus service is provided by several major companies including Omnibus de Mexico, Grupo Senda, and Estrella Blanca to the city of Saltillo (a major connecting terminal for Northern Mexico). From the Central de Autobuses, take a local taxi to Arteaga.
By car
[edit]Arteaga is 15 km east of Saltillo. Drive east on federal highway MEX-57. The trip will take about 20 minutes.
Get around
[edit]Walking is the easiest way to get around in the historic Centro area but you'll want a taxi (or your own car) to get out into the more remote Backcountry places.
See
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The historic downtown (Centro) is scenic, peaceful and an enjoyable place to meander the cobblestone streets and learn about the town's history.
- 1 Parroquia San Isidro Labrador, Hidalgo 204, Centro. The town's main church is a beautiful neoclassic church that's white both inside and out with a tastefully sparse collection of religious sculptures adorning the facade and mid-19th-century oil paintings inside. The church features a large single bell tower with a distinctive tile cupola. The church dates from the mid-19th century.
- 2 Plaza de Armas (Zocalo), Centenario 122, Centro. The town's main plaza is a pleasant place for some quiet people watching for to just sit on one of the myriad park benches to feed the pigeons. The park has a number of very old, very big shade trees, the most famous of which is called La Llorona for an embedded sculpture of a wailing woman.
Do
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- Bosques de Monterreal, Carretera San Antonio De Las Alazanas KM 32, Sierra de Arteaga, ☏ +52 844 438 8170. Recreational mountain resort in the forests east of Arteaga. Hotel and restaurant facilities are available. Recreational amenities include artificial ski slopes, a golf course, horseback riding, swimming pools, tennis courts, and access to marked hiking trails.
- Parque Ecoturistico El Chorro, Carr. a los Lirios KM 1, ☏ +52 844 881 5787. Tu-Su 09:00 - 18:00, closed Su. Family-oriented outdoor recreation area with picnic areas, hiking trails, and educational programs about the local enviroment.
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- 1 Las Reliquias, Av Roman Cepeda Flores 107, Centro. Th F 09:30 - 13:00, Sa Su 09:00 - 14:00, closed M-W. Traditional Mexican restaurant serving breakfast and lunch. A variety of eggs, omelettes, chilaquiles and bowls of menudo. M$100.
- 2 Cafe Peregrino, Hidalgo Oriente 107, ☏ +52 844 213 5854. Th F 08:30 - 13:00, Sa Su 08:00 - 14:00, closed M-W. Traditional Mexican breakfast and lunch items. Ample portions and reasonable prices. Homemade tortillas. Dogs allowed (children too). M$100.
- 3 Carnitas San Jose, La Palma 8, Zona Centro. Daily 08:30 - 16:00. Carnitas are chunks of lean pork, marinated and slow-roasted. This local favorite prepares carnitas like they do in Michoacan. Tortillas are very large and handmade and make for a filling taco. Other dishes, such as pozole, are also available. M$150.
- 4 Los Camperos, Fundadores, Las Glorias, ☏ +52 844 880 5951. M-Th 08:00 - 19:00, F-Su 08:00 - 20:00. The place to get regional Northern Mexican cuisine with a decided emphasis on cabrito (slow-roasted kid goat). M$200.
- 5 La Chavela, Av Roman Cepeda Flores, Hacienda del Refugio, ☏ +52 844 483 0001. M-Sa 09:00 - 23:00, Su 09:00 - 02:00. Casual traditional Mexican restaurant serving a smattering of regional specialties. Family friendly, rustic atmosphere. M$250.
- 6 Mi Pueblito, Av Roman Cepeda Flores 316, Zona Centro, ☏ +52 844 483 0504. Daily 12:00 - 23:00. Casual, family friendly restaurant specializing in seafood. Good (and large) shrimp cocktails. Fresh ceviche. M$300.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]There are no hotels in the town of Arteaga, though rooms are sometimes available via AirBnB. Mountain cabins are easily found in the Sierra de Arteaga mountains 10-30 minutes east of town; these are a popular choice for families and couples seeking quiet seclusion. Arteaga is close to the state capital of Saltillo, which has a wide variety of hotel choices, including traditional colonial styles hotels downtown, corporate owned cookie-cutter hotels along the outskirts, and budget lodging both downtown and near the bus station.
- 1 Hacienda Concepcion, Guillermo Purcell 10, Altos de Bella Unión, ☏ +52 844 309 0360. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Colonial era hacienda operating as a boutique bed and breakfast hotel. Traditional hacienda with rooms off a porticoed patio surrounding a central courtyard. Two swimming pools, gym, spa services including a sauna. Upscale restaurant on-site and event facilities for weddings or social and business events. Ample parking.