Surrounded by craggy, arid mountains and unusual rock formations, Zacatecas occupies a narrow canyon at 2,700 metres above sea level. It is chilly during the winter months. Zacatecas are known for their friendly, open demeanour with a hint of cowboy swagger.

The city grew quickly after the discovery of a rich vein of silver at Cerro de la Bufa in 1546, despite uprisings led by the Caxcanes tribe. Financed by the silver barons, the Dominicans, Jesuits, and Augustinians established headquarters here for evangelizing the wild north, leaving a legacy of grand churches and seminaries.

Southwest of the town centre are several city parks, including Parque Alameda and Parque Enrique Estrada, which has a fine view of the pink-stone aqueduct that served the city until the early twentieth century. West of the park is the Museo Goitia, with 19th and 20th century paintings by half a dozen native Zacatecos.