Calvillo Aguascalientes: Home of the Best Guava in the World
Calvillo Aguascalientes awaits you with its architectural attractions, culinary wealth, textile traditions, and beautiful natural landscapes.
The municipality of Calvillo is located in the west of the state of Aguascalientes.
It was incorporated into the system of Magical Towns in 2012 to promote the use of its varied resources for tourism.
Calvillo is the national capital of guava fruit.
It has an attractive historic center, exciting tourist routes in the town and its surroundings, and beautiful material and immaterial traditions that make it increasingly visited.
Where is Calvillo Aguascalientes?
This Magical Town is 53 Km from Aguascalientes city.
If you’re coming from Mexico City, you must travel west on Highway 70, the trip by land is 550 km (about 6 hours) northwest towards Santiago de Querétaro, León, and Aguascalientes.
Calvillo Aguascalientes History
The first settlement in the territory of Calvillo was formed by Nahua Indians, who were expelled by the conquistadors.
In 1771, Don José Calvillo, owner of Hacienda San Nicolás, donated the land where the town stands today, which took the name of the prosperous landowner in 1848.
Calvillo’s climate is semi-warm, with a yearly average of 20° C, without extreme variations.
The coldest months are December and January, with 10° C, while the hottest is from June to September.
Calvillo sits at 1,630 meters above sea level, and it rains little, just over 600 mm per year, with August and September being the rainiest.
8 Top attractions in Calvillo Aguascalientes
Calvillo’s architectural landscape includes the famous temple of the Señor del Salitre, the patron saint of the town, the Church of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the Municipal Palace, and large mansions.
Nearby there are several dams where you can practice sport fishing and camping.
The fertile lands of Calvillo are home to beautiful haciendas where the traditional way of doing things is still preserved.
Its handicraft traditions include making “deshilados,” the tasty “chamucos” and artisan sorbet.
1. Visit El Señor del Salitre Church
This well-known temple was slowly built between the XVIII and XIX centuries and was opened in 1870, still unfinished.
It stands out for its dome, the second largest in Latin America. Its facade is neoclassical and has a truncated tower that began to crack when erected.
Inside, the frescoes on the life of St. Joseph are painted on the segments of the enormous octagonal dome, and the gold-covered altar stands out.
2. Sanctuary of the Virgin of Guadalupe
The Sanctuary of the Virgin of Guadalupe is a beautiful neo-gothic building in a pink quarry located in a high place with a splendid view of Calvillo.
Its stained glass windows and an altarpiece dedicated to the Virgin decorated with gold leaves stand out in its interior.
You may want to read: San Jose de Gracia, Aguascalientes: TOP Things to Do, and See
Its towers and arches are illuminated at night, highlighting the temple’s magnificence.
3. Learn about the Guava production in Calvillo Aguascalientes
The cultivation and processing of guava and tourism are the two most important economic activities in Calvillo.
The town is the leading guava producer in Mexico and one of the most important worldwide.
Calvillo’s guavas stand out for their fragrance, color, flavor, and sweetness. Preparations made with their pulp and shell are one of the great pride of the locals.
One of the most pleasant walks in Calvillo is the Guava Route, where visitors have the opportunity to taste countless sweets made with guava.
4. Visit the candy factories
Being in the “guava town,” it would be unthinkable not to visit a factory where the fruit is transformed into delicious candies.
Visitors are delighted with the guava cajeta, guava candy with chile, and many other presentations.
At the Guayabas Candy Factory, located at 456 Landeros Boulevard, they make a wide variety of sweets from guava and other fruits, blending the traditional knowledge of Calvillo’s candy art with modern equipment to increase production.
5. Try Calvillo’s artisan ice cream and Chamucos
Calvillo is famous for its ice creams made with the rich fruits of its fertile land.
Some brands, such as El Popo, have become well-known, and almost all visitors enjoy at least one per day.
Another delicious culinary tradition of the Pueblo Mágico is its chamucos, rounded pastries with an incomparable aroma, texture, and flavor.
They are made with two types of dough, one of sugar paste that goes in the central part and another of wheat flour and vegetable shortening that makes a ring around the first one.
6. Get some “Deshilados”
Calvillo is recognized as the cradle of the “deshilados” in Mexico, the beautiful embroideries inspired by those made by the Flemish and Venetians, which have achieved national and international appreciation for their quality and beauty.
The community of La Labor, near the municipal capital of Calvillo, is the most dedicated to the confection of beautiful pieces made with natural motifs, such as birds, flowers, and fruits.
A beautiful picture of Calvillo is to see the women at the doors of their houses doing their embroidery.
7. Discover the Haciendas and cowsheds
During the XVII century, Calvillo reached great prosperity thanks to its haciendas, among them San Diego, Vaquerías, La Primavera, La Labor, and La del Sauz.
Some haciendas, such as La del Sauz and Vaquerías, have been preserved and can be visited on a tourist route to learn how hacienda work was done 300 years ago.
Other popular tourist routes in Calvillo are the Cantinas and the Artistas routes.
On the Cantinas Route, adults tour the oldest traditional Mexican bars in town, some of them almost 100 years old, with a drink at each stop.
Since guava is a must, some cantinas offer an exotic drink inside a fruit shell.
The Artist’s Route is a guided tour through the streets and alleys of the historic center of Calvillo to admire more than 15 paintings referring to historical and anecdotal episodes in the town’s life.
8. Visit the dams
There are several dams on the Calvillo, La Labor, and Santos rivers.
In the typical cozy town of Malpaso, 54 km from Calvillo, there is a beautiful dam with cabins and some gastronomic corners where they serve exquisite food.
Other nearby dams with ecotourism possibilities are La Codorniz and Los Serna.
In the dam and its surroundings, you can camp, practice sport fishing, and make excursions through the canyons and nearby places.
Are there waterfalls in Calvillo, Aguascalientes?
In Cerro Blanco, there are beautiful waterfalls and pools where you can take a refreshing dip and swim a little.
Other nice waterfalls in the municipality are Los Alamitos, Los Huenchos, and El Salto del Tigre, all with falls of 50 meters or more.
Another water entertainment that Calvillo has is its water parks, such as La Cueva, surrounded by beautiful hills, at Km 3 of the road to Los Serna Dam, and the Oasis Park, located at Km 43 of the Aguascalientes – Calvillo highway.
Temazcal
Yes, Calvillo has some “hot stone houses,” where you can take the ancestral steam bath with physical and spiritual benefits (according to Hispanic culture).
One of the most renowned is Yolihuani Temazcales Spa, at Km 14 on the La Panadera – Palo Alto highway, which combines indigenous tradition with the latest spa services.
They have temazcales, massages, and hydromassages that leave you feeling like new!
Calvillo Aguascalientes lodging
Near Calvillo, there are several hotels where you can comfortably stay while you enjoy the Magical Town.
La Gloria de Calvillo Hotel is very close to the municipal seat; the clients praise its excellent service and varied breakfast buffet.
About 40 km from Calvillo are Posada La Fuente, Hotel La Mansión Suiza, and Fiesta Americana Aguas Calientes, all with good reviews and accommodations.
What about restaurants?
At the Rosa Mexicano restaurant, the cochinita, suckling pig, and carnitas xinipec stand out with attention to detail.
Pozoleria Cacahuazintle offers the best traditional Mexican soups in Calvillo.
El Faro, on the Malpaso Dam, is a restaurant that stands out for the richness of its cuisine and the splendid views of the landscape.
Other good options are Camino Viejo, also in Malpaso; Mariscos La Fragua on the La Panadera – Palo Alto highway; and La Parrilla de Lula on Landeros Boulevard.
So are you ready to visit Calvillo, walk its beautiful streets, and taste its culinary specialties?
I hope this guide will be helpful on your trip to the Magical Town.
Don’t forget to comment below and share this post with your friends on social media, so more people become aware of this beautiful place.
