Colima

Understand

Due to its great culture that has five visible centuries of folklore, customs, gastronomy and traditions, it was named American Capital of Culture in 2014. It has a bullring where visitors can experience a traditional Spanish bullfight. It is also the third oldest city in Mexico (and on the American continental shelf), having been founded in 1523.

Buy

The main pedestrian street, Andador Constitución, retains traditional businesses such as the Joven Don Manuelito ice cream shop, which has been there since 1944. On the street, you can see street musicians and artists offering to paint or draw landscapes and portraits. At the end of this street, there is a large handcrafts store funded by a government agency called DIF, which focuses on crafts from the state such as indigenous clothing and ceramic figures, especially those of the Mexican hairless dog also known as the Xoloizcuintle or Xolo. The park behind the cathedral is Jardin Gregorio Torres Quintero, which contains mango, tabachin (Caesalpinia mexicana) and palm trees along with stands selling handcrafts, novelties and food.

Eat

In restaurants in the city, you can try popular dishes such as atole with milk, white pozole, white menudo, tatamado, pipián mole, birria and sopes.

Drink

The Plaza Principal has a few places where you can try the big pints of micheladas, a mix of beer, spices, lemon and salt.

Stands in the city sell a local drink called the "bate" which is thick and somewhat gray in color, made from a toasted seed called chan or chía along with honey or piloncillo. Another traditional drink sold on streets and parks is called "tuba." It is made from the flower of a type of palm tree, with apple, cucumber and peanut bits added.

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