Mexico has no shortage of beautiful towns and cities. San Luis Potosi is no exception. We fell in love with this beautiful city. The Historical Centre is drop-dead gorgeous. There are so many museums that we didn’t have time to explore them all.

San Luis Potosi also referred to as SLP, has many industries, including General Motors, Mabe, Cummins Group and BMW. These industries, and many more, provide a stable financial environment for the city and state.

We stayed at the Hotel Santosi by Inmense. Our room was large, with a kitchenette and a sitting area. The only downfall was that it overlooks the dining area of the hotel. The “window” was plexiglass, giving us privacy but no noise reduction. Chez Waffle was part of the hotel and served a good breakfast that was included in the price of the room.

We started our tour of the city at the Museo Nacional de la Máscara. No, it is not about mascara but masks. There are over two thousand masks from Mexico and around the world. It is very impressive. It is in the Plaza del Carmen and is closed on Mondays.

Across the street from the Museo Nacional de la Máscara was a unique display by Edgardo Charnichart. With my limited Spanish and his limited English, I think I understood it was his interpretation of many things in Mexico. He tried valiantly to explain, and I think I understood the gist of it. Unfortunately, my phone was stolen and all my notes etc. were lost. A lot of work and artistry went into his display. Very impressive. The photos do not do it justice.

The Templo de Nuestra Señora del Carmen, also in the Plaza del Carmen, is imposing with its baroque style with marble apostles on the façade, which are duplicates of statues in Rome’s St. Peter’s Basilica.

We went to the train museum, Museo del Ferrocarril. It was very interesting, and they did an excellent job preserving the old cars. There are a couple of places to eat there, and Restaurant La Estacion is across the street.

Museo del Virreinato is another museum we toured. The building was built in 1747 and was the former convent of the order of Carmelita nuns. It has been an asylum for orphans, a masonry and the office of the Ministry of Health. Today, there are concerts, conferences, children’s workshops and courses, and an art gallery. They have preserved the cloister and one other room as a museum.

Closed Monday. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Fee 15 pesos.

The Museo Federico Silva is an interesting look at a different type of contemporary art sculpture. The building dates back to 1611 and is named after the most important sculptor in Mexico. For us, it was very different but interesting.

One must-see museum is the Centro de Artes Centenario. It was a prison up until 1999, and ten years later, it was transformed into an arts and cultural centre. We had an excellent guide take us around the museum. With him, we knew what everything was before and what it turned into now. Some cells have been maintained as cells, and others converted into offices.

The museum also houses another museum, Museo Leonora Carrington. Her sculptures are unique. Visiting the Centro de Artes is worth it. She was a very interesting person.

Further down the street from the Centro de Artes is the Basilica Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. The church is beautiful inside and out. One of the unique items is the crystal boat hanging down from the ceiling.

In between our sightseeing, we found a couple of nice restaurants. Our favourite (so far) is La Historica Cantina de Autor. Great venue, food, and service. They had musicians playing softly. The place was full, so I recommend making a reservation. The waiters were quite busy the night we were there. For more information, visit their website: lahistoricarestaurante.com.

Another restaurant is La Posada del Virrey Restaurante. Address Jardin Hidalgo 3. We only had lunches there but enjoyed the food and view. The décor inside was interesting and different.

I would be remiss if I did not mention Jim and Karen Clifford, who kindly met up with us and showed us around San Luis Potosi, and took us to Café Pacifico for breakfast. Lovely place, not fancy, but with good food.  They are a part of the reason we have decided to move there. Thanks to Jim and Karen Clifford for your kindness and friendship.