Welcome to Guerrero in Mexico!
Guerrero is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo. Guerrero is just one of over 60 official online guides covering the whole of Mexico. If you´re planning a trip to Mexico and would like discover our fabulous nation before visiting or, if you´d like to visit a specific place in Mexico, then you´ve come to the right place.
The state of Guerrero is located in Southwestern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Michoacan to the north and west, Mexico and Morelos to the north, Puebla to the northeast and Oaxaca further east. Guerrero is one of Mexico´s most popular places, visited by millions of people over the last decade. When you travel to Guerrero you may wish to check out the Guerrero hotels we have available or maybe you´d like to rent a car in Guerrero? We also offer extensive day trips in Guerrero. This unique place has simply amazing things to see. We´ve also compiled a list of Travel books on Guerrero Mexico.
The state takes its name from Vicente Guerrero, one of the most famous leaders in the Mexican War of Independence and Mexico’s second President. Guerrero has the peculiarity of being the only Mexican state named after a president. The current state boundaries did not exist until 1849, when they were carved out of territories from two other states of Mexico, Puebla and Michoacan.
Whether you are visiting Guerrero in Mexico for business, pleasure or both, we´re sure that Guerrero will meet all of your expectations and that the people of Guerrero will make you feel welcome while sampling some of the unique cuisine on offer in the Guerrero Restaurant districts.
Guerrero Mexico | Tourism
Since the 1930s, until today, the making of handcrafts and tourism has played a major role in the state’s economy.
Practically all of Guerrero’s tourism is concentrated within the three municipalities of Acapulco, Zihuatanejo and Taxco, which the state promotes as the Triangle of the Sun or Triángulo del Sol in Spanish.
Acapulco heavily overshadows the other two in pure visitor numbers. The state attracts approximately 290+ million dollars per year of private investment directly into the tourism sector of the economy, with the greater majority invested in Acapulco, Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo.
Additionally, federal tourism agencies invest heavily in the area, primarily in infrastructure, tourism marketing and promotion.
As of Mexico’s oldest and most recognized tourism destinations, Acapulco has some incredible beach resorts which came into fashion during the 1950s as a retreat for Hollywood stars and rich socialites. Acapulco is still famed for its incredible nightlife and still draws millions vacationers from north of the border and around the world. Unlike other destinations such as Cancun, Acapulco is very popular with Mexican nationals also due to its relative proximity to Mexico DF. itself.
The fourth-largest city in the Mexican state of Guerrero is Zihuatanejo. Zihuatanejo is northwest of Acapulco and, as such, has been equally developed as a tourist destination to compliment the more modern tourist resorts of Ixtapa which is a short 5 km away. The difference between Zihuatanejo and its two younger tourism destination brethren is it still maintains traditional Mexican town feel and seems to offer more in the way of Mexican Culture.
The city of Taxco was one of the principal mining areas throughout the colonial period. In contrast to other cities nearby, Taxco has narrow winding streets with no sidewalks, due to its historic location in a narrow ridge on the side of a mountain. Declared a national monument by the Mexican government in 1990, it offers numerous historical buildings dating from the 17th to 19th centuries along with a rich cultural history.
Guerrero Culture
Native women pertaining to the mixteca, amuzga and nahoas tribes still maintain their dress code from their indigenous traditional style, and they still actually hand weave every one of the intricate and colorful patterns found on their garments.
World class woven products such as huipil table cloths, huipil napkins, shawls and embroidered huipil dresses known as huipiles are produced by hand in the towns of Xochistlahuaca, Yoloxochily and Chilapa.
Guerrero Mexico | Geography
Additional to the capital city, the state’s largest cities include Acapulco, Petatlan, Ciudad Altamirano, Taxco, Zihuatanejo, Iguala, Ixtapa, and Santo Domingo. Currently, Guerrero Mexico is home to numerous indigenous communities, including the Mixtecs, Nahuas and Amuzgos. In the Costa Chica region, it is also home to communities of Afro-Mexicans.
Guerrero Mexico state is essentially mountainous and rugged with low-lying areas restricted to small mesas and the beautiful coastline. Its coastline has proved a boon for its economy, first as the important shipping port of Acapulco in colonial and post-Independence area and in more recent time, for the tourism strongholds of Acapulco, Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo.
For Guerrero tourism is the primary mainstay of its economy and Acapulco’s tourism is vital to the nation’s economy as a whole. Conversely, other sources of employment are scarce in the state, which constitutes to a large emigration of its workers to the United States seeking better job prospects.
Guerrero Art & Paintings
Tourists and international buyers also flock to purchase the drawings and paintings on offer at the Xalitla artisan market.
Such is the cultural richness; even famous painters from Guerrero are regularly used to paint beautiful murals all across Mexico and the world.
Guerrero Silver & Gold Traditions
Taxco is recognized as the silversmith capital of the nation and also the place where the National Silver Fair is held.
If you´re more interested in gold, then Guerrero will also please because the state has a strong goldsmith tradition in the towns of Iguala, Ciudad Altamirano, Arcelia Ometepec and Cocuya de Catalan.
Guerrero Dances & Rituals
One of the most deeply rooted cultural expressions within the society of Guerrero is dance; the people of the state have danced throughout history to celebrate, evangelize, as either a social protest or plainly to represent the fauna and flora of the place.
Some of the State’s main performances are the Dance of the Corn Sowers which takes place in the central part of the state. Another famous performance being the Dance of the Devils, which is meant to teach spectators the differences between good and evil, followed by the Dance of the Manueles, through which the common citizen would free their rage against the high social classes during the XVIII century; the Dance of the Tecuani, which depicts the hunt for tigers, which in the nahuatl language means “something that eats”; in addition to other performances such as the dances of the Tejoneros, the Maizeros, the Pescadores, the Zopilotes, the dance of los Machos and, finally the dance of the Moros.
Guerrero Handcrafts & Pottery
Guerrero is recognized across Mexico for its unique and colorful pottery in which local artisans mix clay with pieces of cotton in the production of exquisite jars, vases, jugs, pots and sculptures, then to be elaborately brightly painted and decorated with paintbrushes once they have dried.
The indigenous tribes of the area carryon their traditions applied during the fabrication of such items which gives an cumulative feel to the artistic production of pottery in some localities in towns along the valley such as Zacoalpan, Nuitzalapa, Atzacuoyala, Tixtla, Huitzuco and Zumpango de Neri.
Guerrero Mexico Cuisine
Eating out literally anywhere in Guerrero is always a motive of celebration, as its cuisine incorporates the various influence of indigenous, Spanish and French ingredients and cooking traditions, as well as the culinary legacy left behind in the state by the French colonists from the XIX century.
Notable local dishes include the mole de jumil, made of a local insect and typical of Taxco, dishes derived from pigeons and quail meat from Iguala, the pulp from Acapulco
How about a unique rice sponge cake from Teloloapan, followed by the thick maize tortillas known locally as memelas or the hot maize drink called atole and, to top it off, the famous local green stew?
If you enjoy trying new dishes you´ll be spoilt for choice in Guerrero, the varied and unique food options being pretty much idyllic for a food connoisseur.
Guerrero Wood Artisans
Artisans from Olinala, Temalcalcingo, Ocotepec and Acapetlahuaya create beautiful handicrafts made of wooden shellac. The unusual scent and aroma of this wood has a big demand across international markets.
Popular objects objectives to be found for sale are small boxes, trays, masks and jewel cases, folding screens as well as picture frames.
