Tapalpa Plateau Part 1 of 6: The Magic Pueblo of Tapalpa

Attractive two-story structures form the borders of the Plaza. The Meseta de Tapalpa (Tapalpa Plateau) is heavily forested. Much of the architecture of Tapalpa, its chief town, incorporates pillars and balconies made from local wood. The ground floors of the structures around the Plaza Principal are mostly occupied by tiendas (shops) selling local crafts. The upper floors are usually filled with restaurants that overlook the Plaza. 

Tapalpa is one of Mexico's 132 Magic Pueblos. These are places that have maintained their original architecture, traditions, history, and culture and are filled with symbolism and legends. Tapalpa fills the bill in all these categories and is one of my favorite destinations for a day-trip. Of the 132 Magic Pueblos, Carole and I have visited just over 40. Ajijic, the pueblo where we live, made the list not long ago. This posting is the first of a six part series.

Google map of the route to Tapalpa from Lake Chapala. The pueblo is to the southwest of Lake Chapala in the middle of a high plateau (see red marker). The plateau's east side is a steep escarpment that rises 610m (2000ft) from some shallow lakes running north to south. Near the edge of the plateau where the road reaches the lip of the escarpment, there is hang-gliding site with spectacular views. For an interactive Google map of this area, click here.

Of the three ways to reach Tapalpa, the fastest is along the 54D Autopista (toll road). Exit at Atoyac to cross one of the lakes and then make a left on Highway 401 to the turnoff on Highway 436 to Tapalpa. A slower way, but still scenic, is to take Highway 401 (the "free road") from Acatlán de Juarez along the base of the escarpment to the Tapalpa turnoff. A third (also scenic) way is to take 401, then turn onto Highway 437 about 16km (10mi) south of Acatlán.

View to the east along Calle Morelos. The shops of the first photograph of this posting were behind me when I took this shot. Calle Morelos is named after a national hero, José Maria Morelos. He led the insurgent forces in the War of Independence after Miguel Hidalgo was captured and executed. This calle (street) is typical of those in Tapalpa's Centro area.

Like many other Magic Pueblos, the Centro is painted in two tones, white and rusty brown. Tapalpa's narrow, winding, cobblestone streets add to the antique flavor of the place. Unfortunately, the narrowness of the streets and the increase in car ownership in Mexico sometimes means bumper-to-bumper traffic on weekends and holidays and parking can be problematic.

The arcade along Calle Raul Quintero borders the Plaza. Raul Quintero was born in Tapalpa in 1900 and became a noted poet, prose writer and essayist. He had a very sensitive soul but his life was hard and poor and he died of tuberculosis at only 34.  

Strollers along the arcade will find various tourist-oriented shops. La Villa Tapalpa Restaurant stands at the far end, with tables that fill the walkway overlooking the Plaza and Calle Matamoros. I enjoyed a delicious cup of café de olla at one of its tables during my second visit to Tapalpa. The clock tower in the distance is part of the Ayuntamiento (City Hall). 

Like most plazas in Mexico, Tapalpa's has a bandstand called a kiosco. Some kiosco's are quite elaborate, but most follow the same basic design. This one is fairly simple and uses wood for its columns and ceiling. The trees that surround the kiosco provide shade for the wooden benches that circle it.

The Ayuntamiento and its clocktower. Tapalpa's City Hall stands at the corner of a calle named for Agustín Yáñez. He was Jalisco's Governor from 1953-59 and national Secretary of Education between 1964-70. Yáñez was also a writer, novelist, and teacher. I have always been impressed by how Mexico honors its writers, poets, and artists and sometimes selects them to serve in important political posts.

The south side of the Plaza, looking toward the clock tower. The calle along here is called Matamoros, in honor of Santiago Matamoros (St. James the Moorslayer). As with the rest of the Plaza, the ground floor along this street is filled with tiendas crammed with tourist nicknacks. It also contains the Hotel Casa de Maty, where I stayed with a group of friends several years ago. The 2nd floor contains a string of restaurants and bars with an excellent view of the Plaza.

The arcade and wooden portales along Calle Matamoros. A sign in the foreground points to El Mirador (The Lookout) a restaurant-bar above Hotel Casa de Maty. The restaurant can be accessed from a staircase in the lobby of the hotel. I have eaten here several times, including during this visit. The restaurant is clean, airy, and has reasonably-priced food and good service. 

The bar at El Mirador contains a bewildering variety of tequilas. In fact, drink menus in Mexico will usually list far more tequila brands than any other liquor, wine, or beer. The other drinks are almost an afterthought. Tequila was originally created on the 18th century haciendas near the town of Tequila, Jalisco. Some brands, like José Cuervo, Orendain, and Sauza still carry the family names of the original haciendas owners. 

Tequila is distilled from the juice of the crushed hearts of Blue Agave plants. Not only are there countless individual brands, but there are also three basic types of tequila: Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo. The difference depends upon the aging process. Blanco is colorless and is barely aged, if at all. Reposado is golden and has been aged for 2-12 months. Amber-colored Añejo is aged for at least 12 months.

There are also two variations: Joven, which is a mixture of Blanco and Reposado and Extra Añejo which has been aged up to three years. Blanco is the type usually found in mixed tequila drinks, such as a margarita, while Reposado and Añejo are usually consumed straight. Añejo is usually considered to be of the highest quality, no matter the brand, and is always the most expensive.

Food stalls along the north side of Calle Matamoros. This string of inexpensive eateries is called Portal del Taco. The stalls run along the north side of the street below Templo Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. In towns like Tapalpa, sit-down restaurants are largely for tourists or up-scale residents. Locals tend to patronize the less expensive food stalls and food carts. Street food can be quite tasty, but some places pay more attention to sanitation than others. 

If there is a large group patronizing a particular stall or cart, that's a good tip-off that it's probably OK. The locals know from experience which are safer to patronize. Be wary if the person who prepares the food is also the one who handles the money. There is nothing more unsanitary than money, because it passes through so many hands. With those cautions in mind, eat hearty!

A set of stairs leads up from the broad plaza. Ground floor tiendas line either side, with restaurants above them. When I first visited Tapalpa, I had a nice meal at the corner table of the restaurant just above the man in the green shirt. The building to the right of the restaurant is the same one shown in the first photo of this posting.

Since Tapalpa is built on the side of a hill, the town is not laid out in the usual Spanish grid pattern. The plaza and the surrounding streets conform to the terrain, so the streets may wind, curve and intersect in sometimes unexpected ways. Still, it is a great walking town, and not that big, so getting a bit lost can be fun.

View from the top of the plaza's staircase. Calle Matamoros and the Restaurant-Bar El Mirador can be seen at the bottom of the staircase. The streamers above the fountain and staircase were hung during a recent fiesta celebration.

To the left and slightly above the plaza are two churches. The one on the right is Templo San Antonio de Padua, built in the 17th century. It is now a museum containing religious artifacts from the 17th and 18th centuries. On the left is Templo de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, built in the 20th century. In subsequent postings, I will show more of these churches as well as the 16th century Capilla la Purisima, built only a few years after the first conquistadors arrived in the area.

This completes Part 1 of my Tapalpa Plateau series. I hope you enjoyed it. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question in the Comments section, please include your email address so that I can respond in a timely manner.

Hasta luego, Jim