Guanajuato Off The Beaten Path Tips by gdilieto Top 5 Page for this destination

Nice-to-do: Visit a Silver Mine

Ever since the early years of the Spanish colonization, Guanajuato has been an area of silver mines. A valuable choice for a couple of hours getaway from the city is visiting one of the few mines, some dismissed other still in operation (though largely worked out), opened to tourists.

Of the four or five mines in the area, the top two worth mentioning are the Valenciana Mine (Mina de Valenciana) and the Rayas Mine (Mina Rayas), either one still in operation. The former has been for centuries the most profitable mine in the New World, providing at a certain time up to two third of all silver mined in Guanajuato, the latter is the oldest mine in the area, dating operation back to XVI century. I visited instead the dismissed El Nopal Mine (Mina El Nopal), a kind of "educational mine" which also provides guided tours. The visit takes no longer than half an hour, is limited to the first tranche of the mine, but I assure you that that is enough to realize how harsh working conditions for mine workers must have been in the centuries and likely still are.

All mines are out of town and you will need transportation to get there. You may hire a taxi and ask the driver to wait for your visit.