Compostela
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◈ This place, the land of shells, is perfect for enjoying its body of water, the colonial plaza, and its streets full of hidden corners waiting to be discovered.
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◆ Take a boat trip on the El Molino lake.
◆ Visit its tobacco center.
◆ Go to the Regional Museum.
❖ Parroquia de Santiago Apóstol
The parish church is a colonial era building with a rich history that dates back to the 15th century, its patron saint is the Señor de la Misericordia (Lord of Mercy).
Pope Paul III ordered the building of the Diocese of Compostela in a letter. Visit this church and let its history surprise you.
❖ Ruins of the Ex Hacienda de la Condesa Miravalles
This was one of the most important rural haciendas (large estates) of the 17th and 18th centuries. Its architecture is magnificent, emphasized by the delicacy of its ornamental details, such as its corridors with Doric columns and its fine wrought iron windows.
The hacienda’s different spaces, such as the kitchen, bodegas and stables, still remain. The small chapel deserves special mention for its late 17th and early 18th-century facade, which boasts a simple design with real baroque flavor.
❖ Museo de Compostela
The museum is located inside an 18th-century house. It has an interesting pre-Hispanic collection of objects from the Tumbas de Tiro and Aztatlán cultures.
You will learn about Compostela’s history back when it used to be the capital of the kingdom of Nueva Galicia between 1540 and 1560, when the seat of government was transferred to Guadalajara, and about how the southern coast of the state has become a tourist destination.
The museum collection includes necklaces, armbands, bracelets, shell earrings, obsidian artefacts, weapons, arrow heads, metallurgy pieces, old banknotes, maps, documents and graphics.
❖ Take a Boat Trip on the El Molino Lake
El Molino is probably Compostela’s recreational space par excellence. The body of water here invites you to enjoy peaceful afternoons doing activities such as sport fishing as well as boat and kayak trips.
Along the shore you will find restaurants where you can try tilapia from the lake itself.
❖ Visit the Old Railway Station
Wander through the Old Railway Station that was built on the Ferrocarril Sud-Pacífico de México (Mexico’s South Pacific Railway) main transport line, intended to connect Sonora’s northern border with the city of Guadalajara.
This station’s interesting ruins offer a landscape that feels frozen in time. So, don’t forget your camera!
❖ Escápate al Rincón de Guayabitos
Just an hour away from the Magical Town of Compostela, you can find this sun and sea paradise. Its nickname is “the world’s biggest natural pool”, and after visiting its beaches you will see why. Its gentle waves and warm waters make this the perfect place for swimming, canoeing, rowing, sailing, snorkeling and paddle boarding.
❖ Templo del Señor de la Misericordia (Lord of Mercy)
Housed within the high altar of this temple is the wooden polychromatic sculpture representing the Lord of Mercy, a Spanish Christ from the 16th century, which boasts a chiselled silver halo as well as various ornaments given as gifts by the town’s miners.
Magical Towns in
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