Ciudad Juarez
Visit Ciudad Juárez to experience a side of Mexico away from tropical beach resorts and Aztec culture. Explore a city with strong links to the nation’s revolutionary history. Established in 1659, Ciudad Juárez boomed during the U.S. Prohibition with revelers crossing the border to enjoy the city’s nightlife. It gained notoriety in the 1990s for drug warfare but has reinvented itself and now declares, “Juarez is waiting for you.”
The city sprawls along the banks of the Río Grande. Distances between most major attractions are large. Travel around via taxi or ride on the sightseeing Turibus Juárez. Explore the historic center by visiting the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Plaza de Armas. Relive the Mexican Revolution and pre-Revolution Mexico under the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz at the nearby Museum of the Border Revolution.
Walk to Plaza Benito Juárez to see the Benito Juárez Monument, dedicated to an influential figure of the Mexican-American War. Catch a taxi to the Ciudad Juárez Art Museum, which puts on exhibitions by local and international artists. About 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) east is Paso del Norte Cultural Center, a venue for live music and performing arts.
In the north of the city, and along the Mexico-U.S. border, are popular urban spaces. Learn about pre-Hispanic civilizations at Chamizal Museum of Archaeology in Chamizal Federal Public Park. Gaze up at the soaring Monument Mexicanidad in Plaza de la Mexicanidad. South of the city center is Central Park, home to botanical gardens and the family-friendly museum La Rodadora Interactive Space.
Shop for leather goods, masks and musical instruments at the City Market. Don’t miss Casa de Adobe, a house museum which hosted the planning of the Mexican Revolution. For fun, join a sandboarding tour at Samalayuca Sand Dunes.
Reach Ciudad Juárez by flying to Ciudad Juárez International Airport, about 9 miles (15 kilometers) south of the city center. You can also get here by public bus from El Paso, Texas. Remember to bring your passport.