Valley of Seven Volcanoes

Valle de Santiago is about 90 miles south of Guanajuato in an extensive volcanic area.

Founded in 1607 in the village of Camémbaro, which in purépecha means “Valley of the altamistas” (a very fragrant plant), the city is famous for its seven luminarias (volcano craters) and the legend that UFOs gave local farmers the means to grow gigantic vegetables.

It is bounded on the south by the community of Armadillo, on the north by the community Rancho Seco, on the east by federal highway 43 and on the west by the community of San Andres. An ideal destination for the weekend, the zone includes 16 craters, although traditions and legends only refer to seven. 

Most of the craters have small lakes that inhabitants of the region call Hoyas or Joyas. The main ones are: 

La Alberca (Tallacua) is located in the urban zone of Valle de Santiago, with a “bottomless” crater 750 meters in diameter and sulfurous waters. Divers frequently visit the crater and there are boats on service to take a trip on its waters.

La Hoya de Cíntora (Andaracua) contains salt water to which are attributed healing properties for diseases of the skin.

Located in the heart of this fascinating topography, enigmatic and mysterious paintings can be found inside many of its numerous caves. 

Archaeological artifacts have been found. At the moment it is cultivated and there are orchards of fruit trees and abundant vegetation.

La Hoya de Flores (Membereca), the largest crater, has remains of a pre-Hispanic ceremonial center, cave paintings and springs flowing from the rocks. In the interior are thermal waters and the fertile land has produced great harvests. The first giant vegetables occurred here.

Rincón de Parangueo (Liricua) is possible to visit through a tunnel 500 meters long excavated through the rock. In the interior is a calm lake of alkaline waters. It also is possible to find many caverns only recently explored. There are petroglyphs in some of them.

Not all the luminarias contain water. Hoya de Alvarez y Solíz is dry and has been used for centuries for agriculture. The elevated edges of Alvarez are considered privileged points to observe the nocturnal sky.

Finally, in Hoya de San Nicolas is evidence that the waters change color, just as happens to the crater of the neighboring city of Yuriria.

Seen from a height, Valle de Santiago presents a view of craters that could belong to a lunar landscape. Those who fly over the zone find it difficult to resist the temptation to evoke space mysteries. Perhaps the strangeness of this landscape is the cause of so many stories related to aliens.

For more information, call: Palacio Municipal, Tel. (456) 643-0002 and Fax (456) 643-2959 or visit www.vamosaguanajuato.com  or www.valledesantiago.gob.mx