Pachuca

Photography museumː could be a little sleepy.

Church from the 16th century with oil canvases from the same era inside, plus surrounding historical quarters around adjacent Plaza de la Constitucion. Murals depicting heaven and the heavens (stars and galaxies) is phenomenal. The church is famous for having been the parish of Father Mariano Matamoros, who was one of the insurgents of the Mexican War of Independence back in 1810 (along with his bud, Father Miguel Hidalgo).

Colonial Catholic temple also from 16th century with the adjacent St. Francis of Asisi convent, which once housed Franciscan missionaries. The church features a 3-level Baroque-style facade with a single bell tower with four bells. Lush gardens fill the grounds where plazas showcase statues. More statues and historic oil paintings, including a revered painting of St. Francis, are found inside the church. Many other saints are also portrayed in the church's artwork, including Saint Jude, Saint Joseph, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Martin of Tours. A side chapel is dedicated to Our Lady of Light.

Colonial era church dedicated to the Lady of Guadalupe. It is known for its elegant interior that features three naves with a domed altar and gilded walls filled with paintings of Mary and her devotees. The church features a number of stained glass windows on the second level. Side chapels contain a number of life-size wooden sculptures.

Historic mine that produced silver, gold, and lead from 1717 to 1985. The tour covers various parts of the mining facility including the Superintendents House, the elevators, the "Hueco" and the "Chacuaco". Visitors don hardhats and boots to descend 450 feet into one of the mines.

History of mining in the area with mineral specimens and other mining exhibits like smelters and extractors on display.

Pachuca's soccer hall of fame and museum, for the soccer aficionado. Selfie-opportunity available in front of the gigantic soccer ball.

More or less a children's museum but fairly interactive with a dino park, planetarium, and botanical garden.

Miniatures/toy museum inside a castle with dragons draped along the exteriors. Could be a bit kitschy.

A museum dedicated to the Cornish pasty, that savory concoction of pastry filled with meat, potatoes and leeks. If you can't imagine what more could be said about a humble alternative to the sandwich, then you'll want to stop in, learn more about pastries, where they come from, how they're made, what does and does not go into one, and see the amazing Paste Wall of Fame. You'll even get to make one yourself.

Small privately run museum and breeding facility for the critically endangered axolotl, a bizarre amphibian creature that lives its youthful years like a fish, but that grows legs and emerges to live on land in its adult years (but still retaining the ability to live and breathe underwater any time it wants to return to an aquatic life). The axolotl also has the ability to re-generate limbs and organs, making it an object of curiosity among biologists seeing dollar signs if they can figure out how to make that work in humans. Always call for an appointment due to the small facility and very limited hours.

Animal conservatory that is pretty dilapidated. Come here if you want to see a sad lion.

A pretty dynamic safari experience with chances to feed the animals with supervision and tram car rides through the park, etc.

Catch a pro soccer game almost any time of the year since the local team Club de Fútbol Pachuca (often known locally as Los Tuzos) plays in Mexico's top football league, the Liga MX which has two annual seasons. The stadium opened in 1993 and seats 30,000 fans. Pachuca is the oldest team in Mexico, tracing its roots to 1901 when it was founded by miners who had emigrated from Cornwall in southern England.

Dense pine forests in the mountains. Good for camping, hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding.

Iconic historic theatre, remodeled in the 1990s, with performing arts events including ballet, dance, music, and live theatre. Very limited off-street parking.

Public park with steep trails and cobblestone paths leading up to a mirador featuring the best sunset views in the city. Unfortunately, the park is not well maintained and is in desperate need of a litter cleanup event.

Eco-park focusing on the life and environment of the semi-desert ecosystem. Includes one of the largest cacti collections in the region. A petting zoo for children has goats, chickens, sheep and pigs. It's a big park with miles of pea-gravel surface trails, but there's very little shade and a whole lot of sunshine, so bring a hat and a water bottle.