Colima

) Colima North America > Mexico > Pacific Coast (Mexico) > Colima (state) > Colima Colima is the capital of Colima state in Mexico . This city is not very touristy but richly rewards the intrepid traveler who comes looking to experience a small state capitol with colonial architecture, an excellent state museum and a portrait gallery, fun quirky attractions like a slide down a volcanic rock, and nearby natural attractions including Pacific coast beaches and two towering twin volcanoes. It has a respected university that conducts a lot of international exchange.

Colima has a tropical savanna climate, with consistently high temperatures and extremely dry conditions from November to May followed by heavy rainfall from June to October. The city is sometimes affected by hurricanes, which can bring up to 140 millimetres (5.5 in) of rain per day and lengthy periods of heavy rain.

A car is the most practical way to explore Colima, giving you the freedom to visit remote areas and scenic routes at your own pace. Major highways connect urban centres, and secondary roads lead to smaller communities and natural attractions. Long-distance buses (ADO, ETN, Primera Plus, Estrella Roja, or regional carriers) offer comfortable intercity service. Within cities, taxis, colectivos, and ride-hailing apps are widely available.

• Colima — the state capital; colonial historic centre with the oldest cathedral in North America
• Manzanillo — Mexico's busiest Pacific port city, with excellent beaches, sport fishing, and seafood
• Villa de Alvarez — a neighbouring city to Colima capital, known for its gastronomy festival and relaxed plazas
• Tecoman — a tropical lowland town surrounded by coconut and lime plantations, near Pacific beaches
• Comala — a picturesque white-walled pueblo mágico at the foot of the Volcán de Fuego
• Cuyutlan — a quiet coastal village with a sea-turtle sanctuary and famous artisanal salt production
• Armeria — a small town serving as a gateway to southern Colima's Pacific coastline
• Coquimatlan — a rural town known for traditional pottery and agricultural fairs
• Minatitlan — a mountain village in the highlands offering hiking and cooler temperatures

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. 🌍 Colimita Sabe , C. José G. Alcaraz 1665, Jardines Vista Hermosa III , ☏ +52 312 118 5018 . W-M 08:00 - 15:00, closed Tu . Relaxing small grab-and-go type place that specializes in breakfast. Several egg dishes, chilaquiles, hot cakes, and fresh fruit. M$200 . ( updated Apr 2026 ) 🌍 Cafe La Buena Vida , C. 27 de Septiembre 1402, Jardines Vista Hermosa III , ☏ +52 3 [... truncated ...]

Colima hosts a variety of cultural events and festivals throughout the year, celebrating its heritage, arts, and community spirit. From patron saint festivals (fiestas patronales) and regional fairs to music, dance, and culinary celebrations, there is often something happening. Major national holidays — Independence Day (September 16), Día de los Muertos (November 1–2), and Semana Santa — are celebrated with particular flair. Check local event calendars for timing.

Parks 🌍 Jardín Libertad ( Liberty Garden ), Reforma s/n, Centro . The historic center of the city revolves around life in this square which fills with the sounds of music and is surrounded by bars and restaurants. It has a kiosk in the center, brought from Belgium in 1891, surrounded by palms and leafy trees and bushes. It is a pleasant place to sit and people-watch. It often hosts live music on weekends. ( updated Apr 2026 ) 🌍 Jardín Hidalgo ( Parque Hidalgo ), Cristobal Colon . Dedicated to Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. This square contains an equatorial sundial which is exact. It was designed by Julio Mendoza and contains explanations in several languages. ( updated Apr 2026 ) 🌍 Jardín Núñez , Calle Francisco Madero, Centro . Large and lively park with manicured gardens, wide paved walking paths, fountains and monuments. Lots of benches to sit and people watch. Many food and drink vendors, particularly on weekends when families come out. ( updated Apr 2026 ) 🌍 Parque la Piedra Lisa . Daily 09:00 - 21:00 . Popular park known for a huge slab of volcanic rock that people can slide down. Playgrounds with slides and other equipment, but much of it is in poor repair so exercise parental supervision and inspect it before letting kids loose to play on their own. The park has a rather grim monument and memorial to "disappeared" people and is bedecked with posters seeking information about lost loved ones. Free . ( updated Apr 2026 ) Landmarks 🌍 Regional History Museum of Colima ( Museo Regional de Historia de Colima ), Portal Morelos 1 ( at the Plaza Principal ). The ground floor has a number of archeological pieces along with a replica of a shaft tomb, which is characteristic of the region. It recreates the burial of several peoples along with their belongings and Mexican hairless dogs (Xolos), which were thought to be guides to the next world. The upper floor contains documents and other objects which narrates the history of the state from the Conquest to the Mexican Revolution. ( updated Jul 2020 ) 🌍 Palacio del Gobierno ( State Capitol ), Reforma 37, Centro ( Next to the Cathedral ). It is a two-story buildings in French Neoclassical design. It was built between 1877 and 1906 and designed by Lucio Urbe. It features three facades on three sides of a block. One façade contains a bell, which is a replica of the one Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang in Dolores Hidalgo and a clock brought over from Germany. Inside, the building has two courtyards and wide corridors. The main staircase showcases three fresco murals painted in 1953 by muralist Jorge Chávez Carrillo that features events from Mexican history with a strong tribute to Miguel Hidalgo, the father of Mexican independence. ( updated Apr 2026 ) 🌍 Pinacoteca Universitaria Alfonso Michel ( Portrait Gallery ), Vicente Guerrero 35, Centro . Tu-Sa 10:00 - 14:00 and 17:00 - 20:00, closed Su-M . A museum dedicated to the history of art in Colima. It is dedicated to Colima artist Alfonso Michel who is considered the best of the state from the 20th century, and who focused on cubist and impressionist painting. The building is traditional for the city with its corridors lined by arches. Along with its permanent collection, the museum hosts exhibitions by local artists. A small outdoor cafe operates in the courtyard. M$2 . ( updated Apr 2026 ) 🌍 Museo Universitario de Artes Populares María Teresa Pomar , Manuel Gallardo, Centro , ☏ +52 312 316 1126 . This museum is not only dedicated to the region's handicrafts and folk art , it also has exhibitions related to the area's popular festivals and traditions. The collection includes festival costumes, toys, masks, cooking utensils, metal miniatures, wood objects, pottery and fiber crafts. M$2 . ( updated Apr 2026 ) 🌍 Palacio Legislativa y de Justicia , Calz. Pedro A. Galván Nte. s/n, Centro . The Palacio Legislativa y de Justicia (Legislative and Justice Palace) is the work of architects Xavier Yarto and Alberto Yarza. It is a modern design. Its interior contains a mural entitled "La Universialidad de la Justicia" by Gabriel Portillo del Toro. ( updated Apr 2026 ) Historic churches 🌍 Catedral Basilica Menor de Colima ( Catedral Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe ), Reforma 21, Centro . This is the oldest cathedral in North America, established in 1525 and completed in 1540, but since then it has been renovated various times, often due to earthquake damage. The style is Neoclassical with two towers at the front and a dome. The interior is sparse. The church was consecrated as a basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1998. ( updated Apr 2026 ) 🌍 Templo de San Felipe de Jesús ( El Beaterio or El Sagrario ), Av. Constitución 70, Centro ( next to Jardin Hidalgo ). Beautiful colonial-era church where Father Miguel Hdalgo was once a parish priest. The church is small with a long single nave and a high bell tower, surrounded by iron gates. The main altar of this church contains six niches, with a crucifix at the top. The Del Carmen Chapel is next to it, which is a simple building that contains the image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel with the Infant Jesus in her arms. The church contains numerous small oil paintings and Sculptures of saints. ( updated Apr 2026 ) Archaeological sites La Campana . It is an archeological site about fifteen minutes outside of the city and is distinguished by a mound in the shape of a bell, which gives it the name. The site covers an area of about fifty hectares with only one percent explored. The site is also known for a construction style which uses rounded river stones and numerous burials. ( updated Apr 2026 ) El Chanal . tThe ruined city reached its height between 1000 and 1400 AD over an area of 120 hectares. The archeological has evidence of the extensive use of obsidian and metals such as copper and gold. Constructions at the site include a Mesoamerican ballcourt, the Plaza of the Altars, the Plaza of Day and Night and the Plaza of Time. Stairwells on pyramid bases often have glyphs similar to those found in central Mexico which may have a calendar function. ( updated Apr 2026 )