One of Mexico's Pueblos Mágicos (“magical towns”) sits in a remote area high up in the mountains of the altiplano, Mexico’s central plateau.  This town of under 1,000 residents is located on the side of a mountain at 9,000 feet (2.743 meters) and is surrounded by peaks over 10,000 feet (3.000 meters).  The surroundings are dry and desert-like as a nearby mountain range (the Sierra Madre Oriental) blocks moisture coming in from the Gulf of Mexico.  Known to locals as a place of pilgrimage and to many foreigners as the location where Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts wandered the streets in the movie “The Mexican”, it is definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area: the town of Real de Catorce.

View of Real de Catorce (Click pictures to increase size)

Real de Catorce in the state of San Luis Potosi

Entrance to the town (click pictures to increase size)

Named for 14 Spanish conquistadors who were killed here (Real de Catorce means “the royal fourteen”), silver was discovered in these mountains in 1772.  The town of Real de Catorce was subsequently founded in 1779.  By the late 1800s, over 15,000 residents lived and worked here full-time as the silver mines turned out to be some of Mexico’s richest.  In the early 20^th century however, the silver price plummeted and the town became deserted. 

The town was saved by the miraculous appearance of St. Francis in the local church.  When word got out, a steady stream of pilgrims started coming to the town in search of spiritual and physical healing.  Hollywood found out about its scenic location and buildings and recorded many movies here with stars including Humphrey Bogart, Salma Hayek, Penelope Cruz, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts.  Today, tourism is the main driver of the local economy and the town was named a Pueblo Mágico in 2001.

The annual pilgrimage to the local church takes place in early October when thousands of pilgrims arrive to thank St. Francis of Assisi for favors granted.  During springtime, the local indigenous people (Huichol) visit the surrounding desert to harvest peyote, a local cactus species that is considered magical.  In 2000, UNESCO declared this as a protected area for its importance in the Huichol ceremonies and peyote harvest.

Getting to town is an attraction in and of itself.  A 17-mile (27 km) bone shattering, cobblestone road leaves the main highway and rises into the mountains to a tunnel.  The Ogarrio tunnel is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) tunnel, made by hand and barely wide enough for one car.  Obviously it is a one-way tunnel and is only open in one direction at a time (cars headed from or towards the town have to wait their turn). 

The long cobblestone road to town
 

If you’re intending to visit Real de Catorce in an RV, we recommend parking or camping in the campground “Las Palmas” in the nearby city of Matehuala.  The long cobblestone road will be tough on your RV and you – most likely – will not be able to fit in the tunnel (it’s supposedly 8 feet or 2.7 meters in height) to even reach the town …

Entrance to the tunnel	Inside the tunnel

When you exit the tunnel, you park your car in the large parking area and explore the town on foot.  It’s fun to walk around the town on its narrow, cobblestone roads and see the local attractions including the Parroquia de la Purísima Concepción, the mint, the arena, and the Plaza Hidalgo.

Natural spices promise to solve your health ailments
 

Lunch in town	Lunch in town

Along the road up to Real de Catorce, we spotted a small church in the mountains and hiked up to it.

The abandoned church high in the mountains


Our dog, Sophie, explores the ruins
 

View into the surrounding mountains from Real de Catorce

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