San Jose Del Cabo is one of the trendiest beach destinations in Mexico.
With its honey-colored sands lining an azure ocean and scenic coastline interspersed with resorts and modern developments––in terms of arrivals, it’s second only to Caribbean giant Cancun.
While most tourists visit Cabo primarily for the sunny weather and five-star stays, the town’s cultural attractions typically get overlooked.
As it turns out, there’s more to it than sunbathing in Playa Palmilla or splurging on the newest wellness retreat in town.
Largely ignored by beachgoers, the colonial-style Historic Center of San Jose Del Cabo is incredibly charming, and it’s sure to steal the hearts of culture aficionados out there:
A Colonial Core Usually Skipped By Tourists
A beach destination on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, San Jose Del Cabo has been an American’s (and particularly Californian’s) southern getaway for decades now, owing to its year-round warm weather, outstanding hospitality, and proximity to the U.S. West Coast.
Alongside Cabo San Lucas, it forms Los Cabos, Mexico’s second-most sought-after vacation hotspot after Riviera Maya.
Between its lively bar district, which is overflowing with vacationing Americans looking for a good time, and monumental resorts, it’s not like it needs an introduction.
On the other hand, there’s a different side to Cabo most tourists have ignored, either due to a lack of interest or simply poor promotion on authorities’ part: the gorgeous Historic Center, that unlike the iconic Arch jutting out of the sea, or the numerous sandy beaches, isn’t usually teeming with tourists.
You know already Cabo is a world-class wellness destination, but did you know for instance that, unlike Cancun and neighboring hotel zones, it wasn’t built in the late 20th century to cater mostly to visiting Americans?
Cabo’s history dates way back, and there’s been growing interest in the town’s cultural heritage:
Did You Have Any Idea Cabo Was This Charming?
In case you weren’t aware, San Jose Del Cabo was founded by Spanish settlers in the early 1700s when Mexico was under European control.
Though it isn’t quite as old as most of Yucatán’s colonial treasures, like Mérida or Campeche, it still has some of that idyllic appeal.
That being said, it’s not a modern settlement devoid of character, either: following its founding, it soon flourished as a fishing village, and despite being currently dominated by a bustling Resort Corridor, it’s retained at least part of that former idyllic appeal.
The Historic Center corresponds roughly to the central square, Plaza Mijares, dominated by a Spanish-built Parish Church dating back as early as 1730, and the numerous pedestrianized streets lined by restaurants and souvenir shops that surround it.
Granted, it’s not huge, which much of the former, pre-development town now lost to the ages, but it’s beautiful, nonetheless: we’re talking less high-rises and chaotic traffic, low houses bordering narrow roads, casual eateries serving delicious seafood, and an overall laid-back atmosphere.
Among other points of interest, there’s Cabo’s Art District, with an ample selection of art exhibits and craft shops, including the landmark Frank Arnold and Ivan Guaderrama Galleries, and the lively Marina Puerto, with its casual seafood eateries and palm-lined waterside promenade.
In sum, Cabo San Lucas may not be every culture buff’s go-to Mexican destination, and it certainly pales when compared to the likes of San Miguel de Allende or Oaxaca, far older colonial cities with greater architectural wealth, but it’s not to be underestimated, either.
The First Barrio Magico In Baja California Sur
It shouldn’t be surprising, then, that the Historic Center is the first in the state of Baja California Sur to be awarded the title of Barrio Magico, or ‘Magic Neighboorhood’, the Mexico equivalent to a UNESCO heritage monument or site:
A distinction conferred by the Mexican Government, the Barrio Magico badge is reserved for specific areas of Mexican cities with an aesthetic or cultural value: in other words, don’t expect your usual business district or run-down suburbs to make the cut.
It is a different distinction than that of the Magical Towns, which include not a single particular area in a municipality, but the entirety of it: that’s the case in Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, and a host of other cities famous for their preserved colonial cores.
San Jose Del Cabo remains a rapidly developing resort destination, with upscale hotels and nature at the forefront of the tourism offer, as opposed to the rather compact Historic Center. So it’s understandable why Mexican authorities stopped short of declaring the whole town ‘magical’.
That’s not to say San Jose Del Cabo as a whole isn’t magical––this is one of the best spots in Mexico for relaxing and soaking up the coastal nature, remember?––but if it’s that Old World allure that makes your heart skip a beat, you’re certainly not going to find it in the Resort Corridor.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
