Plaza Machado is located in the Centro Historico (Historic Center) of Mazatlan, and is one of the oldest areas in the city. A wealthy merchant sponsored the building of this elegant square in 1837. The architecture was heavily influenced by French and Spanish public areas of the period, with graceful colonnaded walkways, a central gazebo bandstand, and avenues of orange trees providing shade for benches and fountains. Many buildings in the Historic Center of the city have been restored, and the process of careful restoration continues even now. Machado Square has been restored beautifully to its former grandeur when the wealthiest and most influential lived here in grand mansions and the major businesses of the flourishing port city were located here.

The jewel of the square is the beautifully refurbished and restored neoclassic Angela Peralta Theater, opened in 1881 and named for the soprano Angela Peralta who was nicknamed the “Nightingale of Mexico.” It is possible to purchase tours of the elegant theater, which is filled with rich woodwork, plush red velvet curtains, and delicate marble statues. Music and drama performances are held here, and it is a venue for special events throughout the year. A block away is the city’s magnificent cathedral with its stunning yellow tiled exterior, ornate interior, and famous French organ.

Plaza Machado is the city’s cultural center—the focal point for upscale shopping, the finest dining, best theater and nightlife, and excellent museums. The most important events of the city are held here, including the annual Carnaval celebrations. The Museo Casa Machado is a former nineteenth-century mansion filled with period antiques that gives a glimpse into the lives of the city’s upper classes 200 years ago. In the blocks around Machado Square are many Mazatlan hotels, including resorts along nearby Olas Altas Beach. The only hotel right in the square is the Hotel Machado, a charming boutique hotel with six deluxe rooms.

Mazatlan Map