Day Trip- Ruins of Los Toriles at Ixtlan del Rio

By Sara Alexander

If you are interested in visiting a local archaeological site, a fun day trip is to the ruins of Los Toriles at Ixtlan del Rio.  It is made up of more than 90 structures (mounds) arranged around plazas and in groups.  Ixtlan’s occupation began around the beginning of the Classic Period, around 400 A.D. and continued until the arrival of the Spaniards.

It took me just under four hours of driving to get there.  Highway 200 going north is a single lane each way of very curvy road.  You can count on being stuck behind a slow moving vehicle like a sugar cane truck at some point, but the drive is beautiful going from the jungle, to groves of bananas, coconuts and mangos and then getting higher up the mountain and having these wonderful vistas open up before you.  Be sure and stop at one of the many fruit stands that dot the road between Playa Los Ayala to San Francisco (San Pancho).  Fresh bananas & coconuts and all sorts of delicious candy, cookie and nut confections made from them.

Once you get past Compostela, you can get on the autopista.  About 12 km.  before Ixtlan del Rio you will see the lavafields from volcan Ceboruco.  Nothing but black lava rock that covers every surface for more than a mile and where nothing grows.  Exit at Ixtlan del Rio and drive through town and the site will be just on the outside of town.  It’s a small site which can be seen in 45 minutes.  There are many temple and building foundations and one circular structure with two temples atop it.  There are also several sculptures on display that were found on site.

For lunch drive back into town and stop at one of the many good seafood restaurants.  If you want to take the libre road instead of the autopista for the return trip, you will find many vendors of local pottery and hand made furniture for sale along the road.