Are you thinking of traveling to San Luis Potosi?
A much lesser-known region of Mexico, San Luis Potosí in general is slowly getting onto the travel radar, with many coming to visit the stunning Huasteca Potosina and its countless waterfalls.
However, there is more to this region than just this paradise, with many hidden gems and cultural experiences to enjoy within the city as well.
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San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Below we’ll explore the best things to do in San Luis Potosi, how to get there, staying safe as well as some of my top tips for a visit here.
With so many things to bear in mind when planning a trip to Mexico, let’s look at some reasons why you’d want to come to here.
Why travel to San Luis Potosi?
The city of San Luis Potosí is full of colonial architecture and some beautiful buildings, which we’ll cover later in this guide.
The colonial mining city is also located close to the ghost town of San Pedro, which is one of the most popular to visit in Mexico if you’re into scares and haunts!
San Luis Potosi is situated in a very good strategic location as well and is a good place to spend a few nights if you are already backpacking Mexico and want to get acquainted with its entirety.
From here, you can also easily reach the Huasteca Potosina region, and organize many different tours from the city.
How to get to San Luis Potosi
San Luis Potosi is located in the center of Mexico, roughly 400km north of Mexico City and from Hidalgo state you can drive here in 4-5 hours.
Getting here is easy, as it has an airport with direct flights from cities in Mexico, such as Cancún, Mexico City, Tijuana, and Puerto Vallarta.
There’s even a direct flight from Houston which makes access simpler.
If you’re already traveling or backpacking in Mexico, then you can also take the bus depending on where you are starting from.
San Luis Potosi has many buses coming in from the neighbouring states of Guanajuato, Zacatecas and Tamaulipas daily. There are also buses arriving directly from Mexico City, which takes around 6 hours.
Is it safe to visit San Luis Potosi?
San Luis Potosi is a relatively safe place to visit in Mexico, and as the locals will tell you, safety has improved over the last years, especially with the region’s plans to attract more international tourism.
This is even more so given the huge popularity of the Huasteca Potosina, which is located very close by, within the same state.
There are rarely issues with drug cartels or related violence, however, the biggest problem here is petty theft.
Try to learn some basic Spanish conversation so you can connect deeper with locals and always carry minimum things out with you.
Also, avoid wearing anything expensive or eye-catching (jewelry, etc) as it only increases your odds of theft potentially occurring.
Places to Visit in San Luis Potosi
It is worth noting there are many more things to do in San Luis Potosi than meets the eye and with places such as Las Pozas being the main attraction, you may want to spend at least a week or so here.
Now you know what to expect from a trip to San Luis Potosi including how to get there, let’s look in more detail at what to do here:
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
Located within the Centro Histórico district, which is the heart of San Luis Potosi, this church is an absolute must-visit in the city.
Built in 1730, the church has a baroque design and features two imposing towers on either side of the main altar.
Whilst unique in Mexico, this baroque church has very similar features to the Basílica de Guadalupe in Mexico City, and also the Basílica de San Juan de Letrán, which is located in Rome.
The Cathedral of San Luis Potosi is also the only cathedral in the world that has 24 sculptures of the apostles, with 12 located on the façade, and the other 12 on the roof of the temple.
Centro de las Artes
This gem is located along the Centro de las Artes Calle, close to the Calzada de Guadalupe, and is a must-visit in San Luis Potosi.
A former prison that closed in the late 1990s, this building has now been converted into an art center. Walking around you’ll see many sculptures and art displayed in former prison cells!
The all-important Centro de las Artes aims to provide education and production of art, and also carry out extensive research into all the art in Mexico as well.
They specialize in disciplines such as Popular Art, Visual Arts, Literature, and Interdisciplinary.
Simply walking around the old prison complex is fascinating, especially as some of the rooms and the courtyard have an eery kind of feel.
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La Huasteca Potosina
Only a few hours’ drive from the city of San Luis Potosi, it’s impossible not to include the paradise that is La Huasteca Potosina.
While this region expands over many different Mexican States, the best things to see and do are located mostly within San Luis Potosi.
Here you can explore Tamul Waterfalls, which are the largest in Mexico, and shine an emerald green during the wet season.
Aim to explore deep caves such as Sótanto de las Golondrinas, where flocks of birds fly in their thousands in and out of the cave each morning and evening.
Lastly, the surrealist gardens of Las Pozas in Xilitla are some of the most breathtaking in Mexico and are absolutely worth the visit.
Designed by Englishman Edward James, the popular attraction of Las Pozas features many different architectural styles from all over the world, such as from Granada in Spain to the Pyramids of Egypt.
San Luis Potosi Travel Tips
See the travel tips for San Luis Potosi below to ensure you have the best stay whether you’re backpacking solo, or traveling with friends.
⤵️ Dan’s Travel Tips For San Luis Potosi:
- It’s easy to get to know the city through the information boards that you’ll find on most buildings and landmarks throughout the historic center. There are translations in both English and Spanish.
- Calle Zaragoza is a must for you to get properly acquainted with the streets of San Luis Potosí it is a pedestrian street which means they are no cars or vehicles passing you by.
- Be sure to check out some of the top rated hostels in San Luis Potosi for a cosy stay in the heart of the city.
- Try breakfast at least one morning at Cafe Cortao which is popular with many locals and one of the best breakfast spots in the city.
- Aside from the coffee, Huevos abolengo (eggs in mushroom sauce) is one of the breakfast specialties at Cafe Cortao.
- For 55MX you can take a tour of Museo Regional Potosino or if you go on Sunday you can enter for free!
- Visit Chocolates Costanzo for sweets and chocolates made by a local Italian Don José Costanzo who started creating them in 1930.
- Be sure to look out for a trip to Minas Viejas waterfall which is one of the best things to do in San Luis Potosí region.
- La Huasteca covers various parts of the region so if you can get from San Luis Potosí to Ciudad Valles first, that that’s a good place to start.
- San Luis Potosí is protected by UNESCO Camino Real de Tierra Adentro which is on the UNESCO world heritage list.
- Visit Mercado Tangamanga also known as Mercado La Merced a traditional market where you can see different types of products including flowers, handicrafts, and some cheap takeaway food.
- Take the tranvía touristico from Plaza de Armas for 70MX per person.
- Centro de las Artes (mentioned earlier) is free on Wednesdays.
- Mercado Hidalgo is the home of Mexican traditions and you can buy food, quality fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as some of the best San Luis Potosi souvenirs you’ll find.
- For evening entertainment check out the infamous La Oruga y la Cebada for pub vibes including food, snacks, beers, and cocktails etc.
Map of San Luis Potosi, Mexico
See this map of San Luis Potosi to get a better idea of the area:
Remember to have some comfy walking shoes with you for the natural attractions mentioned in this guide and aim to practice your Spanish with locals (even if you’re a complete beginner) whenever you can.
Travel Insurance for San Luis Potosi
I always recommend backpackers and travelers (no matter who you are) use World Nomads Insurance for fully comprehensive cover.
If you are due to travel soon, you can get a Get A Free Quote by clicking the link or the image above and filling out your details – that way you’ll get instant cover from the exact date that you choose.
On many occasions World Nomads has provided me with reliable insurance cover for travel in Latin America and the rest of the world.
Best Time to Visit San Luis Potosi
The overall best time to visit San Luis Potosi is between the months of April and June, when the weather is at its hottest, yet the rains of the late Summer have not yet arrived.
Temperatures here range between 65-72°F, with highs of up to 83°F. July and August see a drop in temperature, with also an increase in the rain with around 3-4 inches falling for each month.
The rest of the year has little rainfall, with average temperatures of between 55-67°F. The coolest month on average in January, with averages of 55°F and lows of 41°F.
Things to do in San Luis Potosi
Thanks for reading this Mexico travel guide!
As you have seen, this city is home to some interesting gems and is a great place to stop off for a few days if traveling from the North to the South of Mexico or vice-versa.
In this guide we’ve explored the very best things to see, the nearby region of La Huasteca Potosina which is a must-visit, how to get to San Luis Potosi, how to stay safe as well as the best time to visit.
See this guide on planning a trip to Mexico if you’d like further help deciding exactly where to go and what to do in this amazing country.
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