Real del Monte (Mineral del Monte)

Real del Monte, also called Mineral del Monte, is a former silver-mining town about 12 km northeast of Pachuca in Hidalgo, reached in 25-40 minutes by car on the paved road into the Comarca Minera hills, or by frequent ATSA and local combi service from Pachuca's Central de Autobuses. The town's steep, narrow streets climb past red-roofed stone houses built by nineteenth-century Cornish mining engineers, whose legacy survives in the local pastes (Cornish pasty-style pastries) sold from bakeries around the main plaza and in the English Cemetery on the hillside above town. A typical day starts with a walk through the historic center past the Iglesia de la Asuncion and the Museo de Mineria de la Compania Real del Monte y Pachuca, which explains the town's mining history with equipment and archival photographs. From there, visitors can walk or drive up to the Panteon Ingles (English Cemetery) for views over the town and surrounding pine forest, then stop for pastes and coffee at one of the plaza bakeries before continuing to the former Hacienda de San Cayetano mine shaft. Afternoons often extend to El Chico National Park, only a short drive further into the hills, for forest walks or rock-climbing viewpoints. Real del Monte sits above 2,700 meters elevation, so October through February brings the coolest, crispest mountain air, and mid-October adds the town's Day of the Dead observances, when the English Cemetery is decorated for the holiday. A morning departure from Pachuca allows a full day covering both the town center and a stop at El Chico before returning in the evening. Food stops are concentrated around the main plaza, where several paste bakeries and small comedores serve regional dishes alongside the pastries.