Going on vacation to Mexico? Passing through Cuidad Juarez and want to know if it’s worth stopping? Our guide to Ciudad Juarez gives you interesting info on things to do and see in Cuidad Juarez.
Cuidad Juarez is situated directly opposite the US border town of El Paso Texas and in fact the two towns are connected via a bridge that sees thousands of people cross both ways daily. With a population of approximately one million, Cuidad Juarez is a noisy border town that is actually the second busiest port of entry on the US Mexican border.
Once a favored travel route used by the Spanish conquistadores to travel between Mexico and North America, Cuidad Juarez survives as a bustling hive of activity in today’s era largely thanks to NAFTA. The North American free trade agreement has encouraged many US manufacturers to set up factories in this part of Mexico to capitalize on the cheaper labor costs incurred by hiring Mexican workers. Today there are no less than 13 industrial parks located around Cuidad Juarez producing everything from car parts to electronic consumer goods.
Things to do in Cuidad Juarez
Cuidad Juarez is not a major vacation destination for US citizens, but rather more of a stopping point before continuing south along the highways that lead to the more popular vacation spots on the Pacific coast. Many people however, do come to Ciudad Juarez to see dentists who are just as qualified as their American counterparts but charge a fraction of the price. Cuidad Juarez can also make a good day trip for some cheap shopping especially for those living close enough to the border in the US to make it worthwhile.
Most places of interest are conveniently located near the town center along the main streets that are connected to the bridge that connects this Mexican town to El Paso. The Mision de Nuestra Senora de Guadaloupe was built in the 1600’s to serve as a missionary base and still sports it’s original hand crafted roof beams. Next door is the town cathedral dating back to the 1800’s. Cuidad’s main museum is housed in what used to b the customs house and provides a good historical overview of the region; however, the only drawback is that explanations are only provided in Spanish.
Mexicans are big bullfighting fans and cuidad Juarez is no exception. The season kicks off in April and runs through until August. Bullfights are staged I nthe town stadium every Sunday at 6pm where tickets can be bought at the door.
Cuidad Juarez Hotels & Transport
There are a range of hotels in Cuidad Juarez suited to every budget. The cheapest hotels can be obtained for about $20 per night for a very basic room. Most local buses in town depart from in front of the hotel Arama located near the bridge.
