Magdalena de Kino – Sonora – Mexico

2018/08/08

small courtyard garden at the main plaza – Magdalena de Kino – Sonora – Mexico

Magdalena de Kino – Sonora – Mexico

Magdalena de Kino is a small historic town located about 1 ½ hours south of the US/Mexican border of Nogales and situated in the far northwestern state of Sonora.

Magdalena is one of Mexico’s 111 ‘Pueblos Magicos’ aka ‘magic villages’. It’s also one of only two Pueblos Magicos in Sonora state, the other being Alamos.

These special towns and villages are recognized for their beauty and cultural and/or historic importance. Pueblos with this designation are preserved and protected by the government and are popular tourist spots.

Magdalena de Kino earned its status from its important history and attractive, well-preserved historic architecture.

Capillo de San Francisco Church in Magdalena

The town was established in the early 1500s by Father Francisco Kino, a Jesuit priest who settled in the area and heroically defended the region’s indigenous tribes. He built a beautiful stone church there, that was later rebuilt and still stands today at the town’s shady main plaza.

The plaza is surrounded by low one-story white stucco buildings featuring a series of arches, red bricks, stone-tiled floors and blue-framed interior doors leading into shops, restaurants and homes. The style is unique to Magdalena.

In addition to the lovely stone church, there are two other historic churches, a stunning City Hall and several mausoleums in town dedicated to famous historic figures. They include Padre Kino, of course, as well as Luis Donaldo Colosio Murrieta, a Mexican from Magdalena who was murdered while running for president, and who thus became a martir.

riverbed of Rio Magdalena – completely dry in August

Magdalena is situated on the shores of Rio Magdalena and surrounded by mountains in a spacious, surprisingly green valley. The wide, shallow river is actually completely dry for much of the year. During such times, the riverbed is a popular place for locals who enjoy driving their 4WD trucks and hanging out with friends to chat, drink and listen to music in late afternoons and evenings.

A red steel foot bridge crosses the river / riverbed. From the bridge, views over the river, valley and mountain ranges are very scenic.

On the far side of the bridge a dirt road passes along the base of one mountain range, past modest homes, and provides even better, elevated views over the town, valley and mountains on the other side of the valley. A side road leads up onto the mountain ridge, for the most spectacular panoramic views.

popular gorditas restaurant just off the main plaza

Magdalena also has good food, mostly found in small open-air restaurants and food stands set around the plaza. Visitors can eat most of the usual Mexican staples – tacos, tostadas, gorditas, comidas corriendas (daily set meals) and typical Mexican breakfasts.

However, the meats most popular and readily available in Magdalena and throughout Sonora state are a bit unusual from the common Mexican cuisine. They include birria, chicharron, barbacoa and cabeza. That is – lamb, pork skin, beef brisket usually heavily spiced and shredded, tongue, and meats from the cow’s head such as cheeks, eyes, tongue and sometimes brain.

The attractions in Magdalena de Kino can all be seen in a half or full day, including a sunset walk on the outskirts of town. It’s a town worth visiting for a few hours while passing through Sonora or as an overnight stay, particularly for travelers interested in history and/or architecture.

Hotel Andares del Kino – motel style

One word of warning – Magdalena is not set up for super-budget travelers. Most of the ‘budget’ hotels in town cost around 600 ps / $33 US. But you can find a few for $400 or even $350 ps if you search hard enough.

I stayed at a lovely, charmingly cute hotel called Andares de Kino, handily located just ½ block from the main plaza, which holds most of the sites and food spots. I enjoyed my cute air-conditioned private room, complete with hot showers and a TV that offered a surprisingly large selection of very good movies (!)

You might also enjoy the following posts:

My Planned Trip Through Sonora

Beach Hopping along Mexico’s central Pacific coast

Costs of Budget Travel in Mexico

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