Tonalá: Handicrafts, Art and Tradition

Tonalá offers visitors a variety of points of interest: the landscape around Cerro de la Reina, contemporary art, handicrafts and traditional customs. When planning your trip, it’s worth considering these topics separately. The viewpoint, galleries, craftwork and traditions represent different aspects of the town. If you’re looking for a hotel in Tonalá, you can start by considering which of these topics you want to shape your stay.

Landscape and views from Cerro de la Reina

Cerro de la Reina is considered a natural viewpoint for meditation and observation; from there, you can enjoy a panorama in all four directions. The landscape is the main focus here, but the summit also holds a specific memory: eight statues of Indigenous warriors guard the monument to Queen Cihualpilli, erected in 1887. The view, statues and monument are different aspects of the same place. If you’re focusing on the landscape, this offers a different experience from Tonalá’s galleries and workshops.

Traditions with different connections

The celebration of the Virgen de Guadalupe on December 12 includes a pilgrimage to Cerro de la Reina. The traditional dance of the Tastoanes symbolically depicts the battle between the Indigenous Tonaltecs and the Spanish conquistadors. The pilgrimage and dance each have a different focus: one is part of a celebration on a specific date, while the other symbolically depicts a historical conflict. This distinction gives you two specific cultural experiences to consider when planning your trip.

Exhibitions and handicrafts

The Candelario Medrano Gallery in Tonalá hosts contemporary art exhibitions in photography, painting and sculpture. If you’re interested in contemporary art, this offers a different focus from the municipal handicrafts gallery. The latter showcases various craft techniques from the municipality, as well as Mexican folk art. This makes it possible to distinguish between two aspects that can easily be grouped under the general term “art”: contemporary exhibitions on the one hand, and craft techniques and folk art on the other. Since the exhibition program at the Candelario Medrano Gallery may change, check the current program before visiting.

There are also different specialties within handicrafts. Talavera y Barro de México makes and sells objects crafted from Talavera pottery, as well as polished and polychrome clay. These terms give you specific clues if you’re looking for a particular type of pottery. Tonalá is also home to Productora Artesanal, a multidisciplinary workshop. Its work brings together ceramics, metals, wood and architecture with art, design and crafts. By comparison, Talavera y Barro de México focuses on specific ceramic goods and their sale, while Productora Artesanal brings together multiple materials and disciplines in one workshop.

Food and market days

Traditional dishes in Tonalá include pepián, bolitas de boda, adobo tapatío and atole or champurrado. If food is a factor in your travel plans, these names offer specific ideas alongside the themes of landscape, art and crafts.

Thursday and Sunday are the days most often mentioned for the Tianguis Artesanal de Tonalá. Check the date before your visit to make sure it fits your plans.

Discover more destinations: Careyes, Puerto Vallarta, Tlaquepaque, La Tijera, San Juan Cosala, La Huerta, San Nicolás de Ibarra, Yelapa.

For the broader travel overview: Jalisco.