33 Beautiful Things to See in Mazatlán (Cruise Port)

Mazatlán is one of my favorite Mexican Riviera cruise ports!  There are so many great things to do in Mazatlan, and it’s easy to explore on foot.

Enjoy the miles of beautiful beaches, the lovely historical center, and much more. 

I’ve visited Mazatlan on Mexican Riviera cruises several times. It’s my favorite port to just walk around in, as you can see so much on your own.

(You can save a lot of money on your cruise by exploring on your own, rather than booking a shore excursion through the cruise line!)

I’ve got all the information on the best things to see on a Mazatlán walking tour from the cruise port.

Lace up your shoes and let’s go!

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Best Things to Do in Mazatlan Cruise Port

Unlike some cruise ports where you can’t see much on your own (you’ll definitely want to take a tour in Cabo San Lucas!), you can see quite a lot in Mazatlan.

Grab a map at the cruise terminal and follow the blue line on the map (and in the sidewalk!). This guides you from the Mazatlan cruise port to Plazuela Machado, in the historic center. 

From Plazuela Machado you can choose your own adventure. 

• Follow the Circuito Histórico and you will see all of the top attractions in the historic center, including the cathedral and the market. 
• Follow the Circuito Claussen to spend most of your walk along the oceanfront Malecón. 
• Or follow the Circuito Olas Altas to visit out a couple of the oceanfront monuments as well as the two museums near the Malecón.  

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the big list, I’ve starred the 7 most iconic Mazatlán sights for you!

Things to Do in Centro Histórico (Old Mazatlán)

While Mazatlán was founded in 1531, it took three more centuries before the town really became settled. As such, the buildings you’ll find in the Centro Histórico date from the 1800s.

1. Teatro Ángela Peralta

Teatro Ángela Peralta is a beautiful neoclassical performance venue. It was built in 1874, and was originally known as the Rubio theater. Sadly, the theater was used for such things as circuses and boxing matches, and fell into disrepair.

The theater was renovated in the 1990’s back to its former splendor, and was renamed after famed Mexican operatic soprano Ángela Peralta, the ‘Mexican nightingale’. 

Be sure to tour the theater to view the amazing performance space – it is very inexpensive to do so.  If you are lucky, you may even be treated to a mini performance by one of the opera singers! 

2. Plazuela Machado ***

Plazuela Machado is the heart of Mazatlán’s Centro Histórico.   You’ll find some of those friendly expat guides here dispensing useful information and maps to visitors.  Visit one of the many restaurants lining the plaza, or just grab a bench and enjoy the lovely gardens.  You’ll also find some vibrantly colored hotels located on the plaza.

Plazuela Machado is a popular location for the arts and an excellent place for people watching. You may be entertained by musical performances on the plaza, or find a great souvenir from a local vendor.

On the day of my visit, the main attraction on the plaza was one of Mazatlán’s grand Carnaval statues, called Monigotes.  These are really amazing!  (More to come on that..)

3.  Mazatlán’s historic architecture

I love the intricate decorations and bright colors used in Mazatlán’s architecture. 

Admire the colors and architecture in Mazatlán’s Centro Histórico.   The historic landmark plaque on this building reads Mercería Alemana (which translates as ‘German Haberdashery’).  A large population of German immigrants settled Mazatlán in the mid 1800’s.

4. Casas de Colores

Yes, I know, brightly colored houses can be seen everywhere in Mazatlán.  But the views along one road are especially vibrant.  You’ll want to take a detour over to Calle Ángel Flores to see these gems. 

You can’t capture all of them in a standard picture, so here is a panoramic shot up and down the road of these rainbow-colored houses.  The blooming bougainvillea adds another pop of color!

5. Iglesia de San José

Detour a couple blocks to the north to find the Iglesia de San José, the oldest church in Mazatlán.   This Franciscan-style church dates from the early 19^th century and features a bell tower. 

Stories say that the bell was too heavy to be lifted into the tower and rested on the street for many years – hence the adjacent road is named ‘Campana’, meaning ‘Bell’.   

6. Plaza República ***

Plaza República (also referred to as Plaza Revolución) is Mazatlán’s historic town square, or zocalo, and dates from 1870.  If you’re hitting the highlights of Mazatlán, this will be at the top of the list. 

Plaza República has the most enviable location in historic Mazatlán, as it faces the stunning Catedral Basílica de la Inmaculada Concepción.  The arched galleries of the Mazatlán city hall frame the west side of the plaza.

In the center of Plaza República is a bandstand, a pretty common feature in Mexican plazas. 

This elaborate wrought-iron Porfirian bandstand is a work of art in itself, with gorgeously detailed scrollwork.  Currently painted a vibrant brick red, the bandstand pops against the background of the surrounding palm trees.

There are many little restaurants bordering the south side of the plaza, as well as various food carts to choose from. 

7. Catedral Basílica de la Inmaculada Concepción  ***

Catedral Basílica de la Inmaculada Concepción is a stunning church with unique architecture — influenced by Gothic, Baroque, and Moorish styles.  It honors Mazatlán’s patron saint, the Virgin Mary.

Construction on the cathedral began in 1856, on the site of an ancient Indian temple.  (It’s common for houses of worship to be built atop earlier religious sites.)

You can’t miss this cathedral – the front façade and its twin spires are painted a bright shade of yellow.  The cathedral’s entrance is lined with geometric patterns of alternating white and grey stone, providing a gorgeous contrast with the vibrant façade.

Take a few moments to explore the interior of the cathedral, as it is one of the most beautiful churches in Mexico.   I always find it centering to spend a quiet moment inside a house of worship.

Grand columns soar upwards to support vaulted ceilings patterned in shades of gray stone.   Watch the interplay of colored light shining through the cathedral’s 28 stained-glass windows.

Admire the cathedral’s intricately carved stone decorations, gilded shrines, and its majestic organ, which was built in Paris.

8. Mercado Pino Suarez Mazatlán ***

The Mercado Pino Suarez is located just two blocks north of the cathedral.  This bustling indoor marketplace is jam-packed with vendors, and is frequented by tourists and locals alike. 

The Mercado has operated in this location since 1900.  Before then, the market was held in Plaza República.

At the Mercado, you’ll find everything from fresh produce and cheeses to clothing and crafts.  There are also prepared foods and little restaurant. 

Mercado Pino Suarez is the perfect place to pick up a souvenir from your trip to Mazatlán!

If you want to learn more about the Mercado, and the culinary traditions of Mazatlán, why not take a walking tour of the Mercado?

Take a deeper dive into the food, culture, and history of Mazatlán in this Mercado walking food tour! Sample local favorites like tostadas, tortas, and Mexican ice cream!

Things to Do on the Malecón (Oceanfront Boardwalk)

Mazatlán has over 20 miles of stunning beaches along the Pacific Ocean.  Many of Mazatlán’s visitors come just for the beaches and fun in the sun, but there is much more to see on the Malecón!

9. The Malecón de Mazatlán ***

Mazatlán’s oceanfront boardwalk, the Malecón, extends 13 miles along the Pacific coast.  The Malecón (or Avenida del Mar) is a wide sidewalk with a bike lane running alongside.   

As you stroll along the Malecón, you’ll see beautiful beaches and oh-so-many interesting statues and monuments. 

You’ll hear the sound of waves breaking along the shore, feel the ocean breeze in your hair, and get your daily dose of vitamin D soaking up the Mexican sun. 

10. Monumento al Pescador

The Monumento al Pescador honors the fishermen of Mazatlán.  Fishing is one of the main industries here, and Mazatlán has Mexico’s second largest fishing fleet.  You’ll find lots of fresh seafood on local restaurant menus.

This eye-catching statue features a tall central spire topped by a lighthouse, with a graceful descending arc evoking the ocean’s waves.  Dolphins frolic in the waves, a fisherman casts his nets, and of course there’s a nude woman.   

This statue was built in 1958 is an iconic landmark of the Malecón.  Appreciate its beauty framed against Mazatlán’s clear blue skies, or with the dramatic backdrop of a fiery sunset.

11. Letras de Mazatlán (MAZATLAN sign) 

Parque Martiniano Carvajal is –mostly– a children’s play park, with basketball courts and public restrooms.  Fooled by seeing the slides and swings, I didn’t go over to take a closer look.

I missed out on seeing it on my first trip, but I made a special point to go find it on my most recent trip to Mazatlan in February!

There is another (more photogenic) location of the Letras de Mazatlán.  That one is located much further north along the Malecón, in an oceanfront plaza along with the Monumento a la Familia.  

12. Carnaval Monigotes

If you’re visiting Mazatlán during Carnaval, you’re in for a treat — and you’ll have a lot of company.   The Carnaval de Mazatlán is a tremendous spectacle occurring the six days before Lent begins.  

Fun Fact: This festival is Mazatlán’s largest annual event and is said to be the third-largest celebration of Carnaval in the world (after Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans).

Mazatlán celebrates Carnaval in some unique ways.  You’ll find giant colorful papier-mâché sculptures springing up around the city a few weeks before Carnaval.  These gorgeous pieces of public art are Monigotes, roughly translating to ‘puppets’.

Every year the Monigotes are different, with their designs based on that year’s Carnaval theme. (2022’s theme was ‘Lanao, the journey continues’.)  

The Monigotes are primarily displayed along the Malecón – I found these two there during my trip, along with the one in Plaza Machado.  I was in Mazatlán the day after Easter, and the Monigotes were still in pretty good shape. 

13. Playa Norte (the beach!) ***

A visit to Mazatlán would not be complete with a walk on the beach.  As we’re heading south, Playa Norte fits the bill perfectly. 

This sandy beach is nice and shallow, great for walking in the surf.  And it’s one of the best beaches in Mexico!

Why is slope an important factor for walking along the water’s edge?  It means that the waves break more gently against the shore.  Which correlates to a lower chance of a rogue wave splashing all the way up your leg!

I took this video while standing in the surf – I love the feel of sand between my toes. 

14.  Authentic fishing boats

Fishing makes up a huge portion of Mazatlán’s economy.  Mazatlán is Sinaloa’s main fishing port and has Mexico’s second-largest fishing fleet.  

The vast majority of the boats in the fishing fleet are used for catching shrimp.  With 40,000 tons of shrimp annually, Mazatlán is the shrimp capital of the world!

You’ll find many small fishing boats pulled up on the beach along Playa Norte.  While the outsides of the hulls are generally white, the insides are painted in vibrant colors. 

15. La Casa del Marino

La Casa del Marino is an old marine barracks, dating from 1930.   It was once a lovely building in the Californian neocolonial style.  

It is sadly quite dilapidated now, but you can see some of its architectural details particularly on the front balcony and the second-floor gallery arches.

There are proposals in the works to rehabilitate both La Casa del Marino and its neighboring fort, Fuerte 31 de Marzo, into a tourist attraction showcasing Sinaloa’s regional culture.

16. Fuerte 31 de Marzo

Fuerte 31 de Marzo was built in 1892 to honor the battle fought in the port of Mazatlán on March 31^st, 1864.  When French flagship La Cordelière attacked the port, Colonel Gaspar Sanchez Ochoa grabbed the only long-range cannon available. 

The battle raged over the course of six hours, with shots fired by both sides. Mazatlán’s single cannon eventually defeated the higher-firepower French ship.

The fort is very run down and I was not able to find an access point to it.  The cannon located at the fort today stands as a monument to defense and has actually never been fired.

17. Monumento a La Continuidad de La Vida del Deno

Mazatlán’s Malecón is chock-full of statuary, particularly toward its southern end.   You’ll first encounter this grand fountain, Monumento a La Continuidad de La Vida del Deno – the monument to the continuity of life.

A golden couple stand atop a giant snail shell, with several dolphins playfully leaping and cavorting through the waters of the fountain.  In many cultures (including the Aztec), the snail represents the cycle of life.

18. Estatua Sri Chinmoy

Sri Chinmoy was a spiritual leader, and founded the World Harmony Run (also called the Peace Run) to promote international friendship and understanding. 

This life-size bronze statue depicts Chinmoy holding a torch, the symbol of the World Harmony Run.

19. Explanada Glorieta Sánchez Taboada

There’s a lot going on in Explanada Glorieta Sánchez Taboada.  This oceanfront plaza is a popular tourist attraction due to the cliff divers (more on that later) and many statues decorating the plaza.

You’ll find many vendors on the plaza, offering souvenirs and various snacks.

20. Estatua Benito Juárez

This statue honors Benito Pablo Juárez García, known as the ‘Blessed of the Americas’.  He was the first Mexican president of indigenous origin (Zapotec).   

Juárez was a proponent of the Reform Laws and racial equality.  After his death, Juárez is honored as a symbol of Mexican nationalism.

21. Sirena de Mazatlán

This sculpture of the Goddess of the Seas depicts a mermaid, originally accompanied by a child.  Despite its popularity and highly prominent location, vandals have been removing pieces of this statue. 

The child is no longer present, and the poor mermaid is now missing most of her left arm as well as her tail fin.  Poor thing!

22. Cliff Divers of El Clavadista ***

The brave young men of Mazatlán participate in the sport of cliff diving. Brave cliff divers leap from the 50-foot tower of El Clavadista. Its bright white stands out from the gray rock face and the blue of the seas and sky.

The cliff divers need perfect timings for their dives.  The waters here are not very deep, so the divers need the added volume provided by the waves to provide enough depth for a safe dive.

Note the cliff divers do perform in hopes for tips, so you’ll find their friends and relatives soliciting tips from the onlookers.

Just south of the El Clavadista diving platform is a matching observation deck, El Mirador.  You can climb up El Mirador for some amazing views of the coast and the cliff divers. 

23. La Cueva Del Diablo

La Cueva Del Diablo – the Devil’s Cave — sounds quite ominous, doesn’t it?  This cave is located just across the street from El Mirador. 

You can’t miss it – there’s a red metal gate adorned with the horned faces of the devil, and a pitchfork thrown in for good measure.

The gate is really all there is to see here, so no need to cross the road to poke around.  This cave was once used to store dynamite during the Mexican Revolution – so perhaps that was the source of the sulfurous smells now associated with the devil.

24. Monumento a la Mujer Mazatleca

This statue, created by Gabriel Ruiz, is monument to the women of Mazatlán.  Some say, more specifically, to the beautiful women of Mazatlán.  (As women from Sinaloa have won the Mexican beauty pageant more frequently than women from any other Mexican state.)

In the plaza surrounding this statue you’ll find many star-shaped embedded plaques which recognize famous Sinaloans.  These include Pedro Infante and Lola Beltrán, to name a few.

25. Monuments to Mexican Musicians

Next up as we walk south along the boardwalk are a set of statues honoring musicians.

José Alfredo Jiménez, pictured with a sombrero, is a Mexican singer and songwriter of rancheras.  His music is considered to be a main influence of modern Mexican music.

Mexican singer José Ángel Espinoza Aragón, known as Ferrusquilla, tips his hat with one hand and holds a guitar in the other. 

26. La Sirena de Espuma

This graceful statue has many names — La Sirena de Espuma, La Mujer Delfin.  Argentinian sculptor Rodrigo Becerra Rodríguez created this ‘Dolphin Lady‘ statue.  

The Dolphin Lady resides in a popular location on the Malecón – the observation deck over Carpa Olivera.  (Yep, that’s a water slide in the background.)

27. Carpa Olivera Alberca de Mar

Carpa Olivera is home to the Alberca de Mar, or ‘sea pool’.  These public saltwater baths are quite popular – who doesn’t love an oceanfront infinity pool? 

If you’re a fan of swimming in the ocean but dislike rogue waves crashing over your head, then this is a great option for you.

The pools of Carpa Olivera were first built around 1916 and have required many renovations due to the damaging effects of the continual ocean waves. 

A concrete slide spirals down from the plaza to an enclosed pool which continually refills with the incoming waves.  

28. El Venadito

The El Venadito statue stands in the center of a roundabout where Paseo Claussen becomes Paseo Olas Altas and merges with Avenue Olas Altas. 

Olas Altas, not too surprisingly, means ‘high waves.’  Mazatlán’s motto on their tourist maps is ‘Donde Se Rompen Las Olas’.  This translates to ‘Where the waves break’. 

El Venadito is a statue of a deer.  Why?  Because the word Mazatlán means ‘place of the deer’ in Nahuatl, the Aztec language.  Mazatlán’s first inhabitants relied on hunting deer and catching fish as their main food sources.

29. Callejón Liverpool (Monument to The Beatles)

Callejón Liverpool, or Liverpool Alley, is Mazatlán’s tribute to The Beatles.  Four bronze statues of the band members walk across a crosswalk, recreating the ‘Abbey Road’ album cover. 

The scene comes complete with an iconic British red phone booth, a sporty red Mini Cooper with a British flag on its roof, and – you guessed it – a yellow submarine. 

30. La Bella Lola

La Bella Lola is the statue of a woman facing out to sea, her arm raised as if waving a handkerchief in farewell.  She is the woman memorialized in a song sung by sailors heading out to sea, and a symbol in Mexico’s Merchant Nautical Schools.

The plaque at the base of the statue reads: “Dedicated to the port of Mazatlán by the children of the Nautical School on its 140th anniversary of its foundation.”

31. Escudo de Sinaloa

The Escudo de Sinaloa, or the Shield of Sinaloa, is a three-sided monument located in the middle of a busy roundabout intersection.  There are crests on two sides of the monument and a plaque on the third.

The north-facing side depicts the Shield of Sinaloa.

The outer oval is a pitaya (dragon fruit) containing four sections which represent different cities within Sinaloa: Culiacán, El Fuerte, El Rosario, and of course, Mazatlán. 

Atop the shield stands an eagle, cactus, and a snake, which are the central elements of the Mexican flag.

On the south-facing side you’ll find the city crest of Mazatlán.  This crest features a large anchor and two rather cranky-looking mermaids backdropped against the sea and the sun.  The inner portion depicts a deer, the sea, and another anchor.

32. Monumento Fernando Valadés

This bronze statue memorializes Fernando Teodoro Valadés Lejarza, known as Fernando Valadés. 

This well-known Mexican singer, composer, and pianist was born in Mazatlán and achieved fame throughout Mexico, Central America, and Southern America, as well as in the United States. 

This statue, created by Pedro Jimenez, depicts Valadés playing the piano.

33. Monumento a Pedro Infante

The final monument on our stroll down the Malecón is that of José Pedro Infante Cruz, more commonly known as Pedro Infante.  Infante is another native son of Mazatlán. 

Infante became one of the top entertainers from the Golden Age of Mexican cinema, famous for his motorcycle-riding characters. 

He was part of the Tres Gallos Mexicanos, along with Jorge Negrete and Javier Solís.  During his career he appeared in over 60 movies and recorded over 300 songs.

(You can also visit the Museo El Rincón de Pedro Infante to learn more about him.)

Final Thoughts:

Well, now you know what to do in Mazatlan on a cruise. And the best part is that it’s all within walking distance from the Mazatlan cruise port.

You have plenty of top Mazatlan attractions to keep you entertained — or just relax on the beautiful Mazatlan beaches and soak up the sun!

Check out these posts to help you have a great time in other popular Mexican Riviera cruise ports:

• 11 Best Cabo San Lucas Tours: 5-Star Mexico Fun
• Best Camel Ride in Cabo San Lucas
• Best Things to Do in Puerto Vallarta
• Fun Facts about Mexico