Pueblos Mágicos: A Traveler’s Guide to Mexico’s Hidden Treasures covers 62 of the towns in the Government of Mexico’s “Pueblos Mágicos” initiative, a program that identifies and promotes towns in Mexico that have special cultural or historical significance. Most of these places are small and less well-known than Mexico’s large cities and popular tourist destinations.

Author Chuck Burton, a long-time Mexico traveler and resident, has visited all of these towns. He has chosen 10 towns as his Favorites and awarded Honorable Mention status to an additional 10 towns. For each of those categories, he also writes about “bonus towns,” nearby towns that are also worthy of a visit. Additional chapters divide Mexico’s states into four regions (Northern, North Central, South Central, and Southern), with Pueblos Mágicos towns in each region identified and described.

The book contains maps showing the locations of all 62 towns, a glossary of Spanish/Mexican words, and an extremely useful index. The author opens the book with background information on the practicalities of visiting the Pueblos Mágicos and closes it with additional information, such as travel information on Mexico City and some suggested itineraries for visiting the Pueblos Mágicos. Photos of towns and sites are included, as are a description of the Pueblos Mágicos program and the author’s thoughts on why we travel.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | Goodreads 

About the author, Chuck Burton

An old Northern California hippie and charter member of the Love Generation, Chuck Burton has been traveling around the world budget/backpack style for fifty years. His current areas of expertise are Mexico, Southeast Asia and India. Occasionally he has paused his travels to replenish his coffers, primarily as a tax preparer, professional bridge player and teacher, freelance writer and substitute teacher. His greatest joy has been raising his daughter Marisol, adopted in Colombia in 1985 along with his ex-wife. Chuck is fluent in Spanish and currently resides in Mazatlan, Mexico with his longtime companion Kathy Gilman.

Connect with Chuck:

Amazon Author Page | Website

My Thoughts

Early in the introduction to Pueblos Mágicos, Chuck Burton includes a line that immediately caught my attention: “Earn your money where the pay is good, then spend it carefully in warm, cheap countries.” It is pragmatic, a little cheeky, and quietly revealing. That philosophy sets the tone for the book as a whole. This is certainly a beautiful travel guide, but it is also grounded, lived-in, and deeply human. At times, it reads less like a conventional guidebook and more like a thoughtful travel memoir shaped by years of experience.

Burton’s familiarity with Mexico informs every chapter. He has personally visited all 62 towns included in the book, and that firsthand knowledge shows in both structure and voice. Ten towns are highlighted as favorites, ten more receive honorable mention, and nearby “bonus towns” expand the scope without overwhelming the reader. The regional organization — Northern, North Central, South Central, and Southern Mexico — makes the book especially useful for travelers who want to plan realistically rather than romantically.

This book also corrected one of my long-held assumptions. My parents lived in La Paz, Baja California Sur for twenty years, and during my frequent visits we spent plenty of time in their nearby Pueblo Mágico, Todos Santos. Until reading this book, I believed the designation applied primarily to art colonies, and that Todos Santos received attention mainly because it is home to the famous, or infamous, Hotel California. Burton’s explanation of the Pueblos Mágicos initiative reframes that understanding entirely. These towns are recognized not for trendiness or notoriety, but for cultural continuity, history, and community identity. Seeing Todos Santos placed in a broader national context deepened my appreciation for a place I thought I already knew well.

The practical elements of the book are excellent. Clear maps, an extremely useful index, a glossary of Spanish and Mexican terms, and suggested itineraries make this a guide meant to be carried and consulted, not just admired on a shelf. The photographs enhance the text without overwhelming it, while Burton’s closing reflections on why we travel reinforce the book’s thoughtful, unhurried approach.

Pueblos Mágicos encourages slower travel and deeper curiosity. It invites readers to look beyond the obvious and to value presence over checklists. This is a guide for travelers who want to understand where they are standing, not simply collect destinations.

Goes well with: a well-worn passport, street tacos ordered by the kilo, a cold local beer like Indio or Bohemia, and the slow satisfaction of realizing how much there still is to learn about a place you thought you knew.