Durango, the capital city of Durango State, serves as a major link between Mazatlán on the Pacific Coast and inland cities such as Monterrey and Saltillo. During the 1950s, the city’s picturesque setting was one of the most popular locations for Hollywood Western films, with a total of 116 movies shot in the area.
   Home to a diversity of unique flora and fauna, the city’s focal charms are its hot and cold-water springs, pleasant year-round weather and admirable conservation of its 17th and 18th-century buildings. Today, a large part of the land in Durango has been converted into a Biosphere Reserve, protecting a diverse collection of vegetation, cacti, reptiles, mammals and birds.
   In 1982, Durango’s historic center was declared a Zone of Historical Monuments. The city’s well-preserved colonial and art nouveau buildings, combined with its modern structures, are all within blocks from each other, making it an ideal city for walking. The Plaza de Armas and Plaza del Centenario are two of its major attractions, where local musicians perform on Sundays in a high-spirited ambiance. Other major buildings in the area include the baroque Lesser Basilica Cathedral, the Palacio Municipal and the Palacio de Gobierno, all built during the mining boom, as well as the San Francisco Temple that some claim is the oldest temple in North America (1555). Other popular activities include visits to the Guadiana and Sahuatoba Parks, both centrally located in the city.
   The Museum of Anthropology and History is another site worth visiting, boasting a fascinating display of prehispanic ceramics, contemporary art and colonial paintings. The Ganot-Peschard Museum of Archaeology is an educational flashback to archaeological records of indigenous cultures in the region, dating back to prehistoric times and the Conquest. Pyramid structures, small temples and portable altars are also found just five miles away from the city. The close proximity to the Sierra Madre Mountains also provides a number of outdoor activities for visitors to Durango, including mountain-biking, rock-climbing and camping.
   Cuisine in Durango is primarily dried or seasoned meat, cheese, maize, beans, nuts, peaches and apples. Traditional dishes include enchiladas de leche, roast venison, cabeza de res a la olla, chiles rellenos, machaca en caldillo, habas en salsa verde, gallina borracha and menudo. Other specialties include pinole, quince jelly, jamoncillo and dulce de leche, as well as crystallized fruits, mescal and quince wine.
   Like all modern cities, Durango offers a diverse nightlife and shopping options. Several discotheques, cafes, bars and nightclubs light up the city, showcasing music by groups from northern Mexico and gruperos. Durango’s shops and bazaars, spread throughout the city, carry handicrafts that range from folkloric pottery, glasswork and textiles, to matten and woolen fabric, all produced by the Tepehuano Indians.
   From Wild West movie sets to impressive museums and momentous architecture, Durango is a place where Hollywood meets native Mexican culture, and prehistoric times meet 21st-century living.