How to Spend 2 Days in Xilitla, Huasteca Potosina, Mexico

Read about how to spend 2 days in Xilitla, a beautiful mountain town located in the breath-taking Huasteca Potosina region in Mexico. 

Below you’ll find a detailed description about the town including the best things to do in Xilitla, how to get there and of course the best places to eat.

For reference, we spent a full week touring around the Huasteca Potosina region during our 3 months in Mexico. We fell in love with this area instantly. Even after completing our full itinerary around Mexico, this region remained our absolute favourite.

Introducing Xilitla, San Luis Potosi

Located at 676m above sea level on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Gorda in the state of San Luis Potosi is the town of Xilitla. The charming town is nestled in the mountainous part of the La Huasteca region about 2-hours’ drive from Ciudad Valles.

Its location has helped to shield the town from heavy industrialisation which has helped to preserve the area’s agricultural lifestyle. They mainly grow coffee and citrus here. Many people who live in this area still speak Huastec as well as Spanish. 

Xilitla’s mountain location, its unfinished buildings, and its colourful and chaotic streets definitely make the town much more attractive than other places in this area. Since 2011, Xilitla has also been a Pueblo Magico or Magical Town. Click here to learn more about Pueblo Magicos. 

Click here for more information about the Huasteca Potosina, how to get there, how to move around and other places to visit.

How to Get to Xilitla

Xilitla is located about 90km to the south of Ciudad Valles in the state of San Luis Potosi. If you’re travelling from Ciudad Valles there are 2 main ways to get there:

By Car: You can opt to rent a car in Ciudad Valles and drive to Xilitla. For reference, we didn’t rent a car during our stay in Mexico. Therefore, I have no personal experience or recommendations. However, I read plenty of useful blog posts about everything you need to know about car rental in Mexico. Discover Cars has been recommended on multiple websites where you can find the best rates as it compares local, national and international companies.

I highly suggest doing thorough research to avoid any problems and extra costs.

By Bus: The main bus stop you need to take the bus from in Ciudad Valles is called Central De Autobuses De Ciudad Valles. Since it’s located outside the centre you’ll likely need to take a taxi there first. The price of the taxi ride will depend on the traffic but expect to pay between 50 and 60 MXN.

The local bus company you need to take is called Grupo Vencedor. Luckily, you don’t need to reserve your ticket in advance, you can just buy it on the day at the ticket office. Once at the bus stop, just head to the Grupo Vencedor stand and pick the bus you’d like to take. 

You can check the bus timetable in advance by clicking here. Buses depart every hour from the city and it normally takes about 2 hours to get to Xilitla. A one-way ticket should cost around 180 MXN per person. 

How to Spend 2 Days in Xilitla

Below is a list of places you should consider visiting during your 2 days in the beautiful mountain town of Xilitla.

1. Get Lost in Edward James’ Surrealist Garden (Las Pozas)

The number one thing that attracts visitors to Xilitla from all over the globe is Edward James’ Surrealist Garden.

Edward James was a British poet who was passionate about surrealism and he created the stunning garden, also known as Las Pozas, as his expression of surrealist art. The origin of Las Pozas goes all the way back to 1947, when the poet purchased the land. Together with his friend they created the Sculpture Garden and used it as a plantation for his excessive orchid and wildlife collection. 

The construction of today’s garden only began in 1962. His project involved hundreds of locals who continued to work on it until Edward James passed away in 1984. The garden didn’t open to the public until 1991.

Las Pozas in English means ‘the Pools’ and it features both natural and artificial pools that were created from waters that meander through the property. In addition, as you walk through the 80 acre garden, you’ll see about 30 different concrete structures. These include giant sculptures, concrete flowers, pagodas, staircases and doors that lead to nowhere. A walk through the garden will definitely make you feel like you’ve stepped into a different world.

Entry fee: 125 MXN + 25 MXN for Spanish tour and 50 MXN for English tour

2. Wander Around the Streets of Xilitla

After seeing the number one attraction in the town, make sure to spare some time exploring the Xilitla itself. I always think that the best way to stumble upon hidden gems is by walking around without any particular destination in mind.

The streets of Xilitla can be a bit of everything: steep, colourful, picturesque, filled with dogs, people, smells of fresh coffee and food and all in all are a bit chaotic. 

These streets will eventually lead you to Xilitla’s main square called Plaza Principal. It’s a great place to sit and relax for a while and get an ice cream or some snacks from one of the many vendors. Whilst at the Plaza Principal, make sure to take a photo of the giant ‘Xilitla’ sign. 

3. Visit the Former Convent of San Agustin

At the main square you’ll also find another must visit place called Ex Convento San Agustin.

The convent was founded by the Augustinian missionaries back in 1553. It was then attacked twice (1569 and 1587) by the Chichimecas who were considered nomadic or ‘barbarian’ people. Their last attack was the most devastating one where the convent was almost completely destroyed. Over time the convent has been used as a bar, a school, and even as an electric power plant patio.

Today it’s actually considered the oldest building and the only existing Plateresque-style convent in the state of San Luis Potosi.

4. Check Out Leonora Carrington Museum

Dedicated to the British artist, Leonora Carrington, the museum houses her collection of sculptures, lithography and drawings.

Just like Edward James, Leonora Carrington was one of the most prominent artists of the Surrealist movement. She was born in Lancashire in 1917 and developed a passion for art from an early age. Carrington was then especially drawn to Surrealism when it swept across Europe in the 1930s. 

After years of escaping from one country to another she finally found refuge in Mexico. She then spent the rest of her life creating art in Mexico until she passed away in 2011.

During her life she produced numerous paintings, sculptures, prints, textiles, jewellery, and wrote plays, novels, and short stories. Carrington was also a close friend of Edward James, therefore having her museum in Xilitla is very appropriate.

Entry Fee: 50 MXN per person

5. Have Fun at Los Comales Waterfall

Located just outside of Las Pozas, you can visit Los Comales Waterfall. Whilst it won’t be as impressive as other waterfalls in the Huateca Potosina, it’s still a fun place to visit during your time in Xilitla. They even offer some adrenaline fuelled activities such as rappelling. 

Entry Fee: 75 MXN per person

6. Watch the Birds at Sotano de las Golondrinas

How does sitting at the edge of the largest cave shaft in the world whilst witnessing thousands of birds leaving or entering the cave sound?

Located to the northwest of Xilitla is an open-air pit cave called the Cave of Swallows. With a 370m drop from its highest side it’s the second deepest pit in Mexico.

It’s Spanish name means ‘Basement of Swallows’ because of the many birds that live in the cave walls. Interestingly, these birds are actually white-collared swifts and green parrots with no swallows living there.

The reason you should visit the cave shaft is to witness these birds emerging or returning to their nest. Therefore, you should either come here very early in the morning or in the evening. It is a truly magical spectacle to witness.

For a bit more of an adrenaline rush, you can actually sit at the edge of the pit and peek into the cave with a safety rope tied around your waist. 

Where to Eat in Xilitla

One thing is for sure when you visit Xilitla – and Mexico in general – you won’t go hungry. There are plenty of restaurants, cafés and street vendors to buy food from during your 2 days in Xilitla. Where to eat will mainly depend on your diet and budget.

Most places in Xilitla will serve typical Mexican food. One of our favourite dishes that we ate during our stay was at Los Jarros Tacos Y Algo+ restaurant. We also enjoyed getting our morning coffee and some pastries from Caféteria y Panaderia Don Nico.

Final Thoughts on Spending 2 Days in Xilitla

The mountain town was definitely a charming place to visit especially after staying in the rather unattractive Ciudad Valles. I think 2 days in Xilitla was enough time to see everything we wanted to without rushing around too much. Visiting Edward James’ Surrealist Garden was obviously the highlight of our stay and we can totally see why many people come to Xilitla from all over the world just to see it. 

Have you ever been to Xilitla or the Huasteca Potosina region before? If so, how much of the area did you manage to explore? If not, would you want to traverse this area now? Let me know in the comments below.