The Story of Mazatlan

Curious about the history of Mazatlan? It’s a city that’s packed with an exciting history – from bloody battles to romance to music to movie stars. Mazatlan is so much more than its unique gastronomy, beer, banda, coffee and shrimp!

Below are short bilingual videos that capture the history and many fun facts. With thanks to: Grupo Petroil, Consejo Centro Historico, Archivo Historico Municipal de Mazatlan.


Be sure to get your copy of “Mazatlan – Puerto con Historia, Historical Port” – an easy-to-read bilingual guide book. It’s filled with unexpected insights – and it’s factual too!

Mazatlán – Puerto con Historia, Historical Port.

By Sheila Madsen, November 2023

The second edition has just been released and updated!

This beautifully designed bilingual guidebook is unique, there’s not a single book like it. Two words come to mind: Finally. Consolidated. The book marries the past with the present and the stunning photography -black and white and colour – compliment the text just perfectly. All 148 pages are printed on an expensive glossy stock that allow the photography to pop.

Packed into a compact 8″ x 8″ format, this guidebook is bursting with historical facts and takes you into present day. For instance, El Faro /The Lighthouse guided sailors in 1857 by lighting massive bonfires. Today, Mazatlan has a proper lighthouse with electricity and a remodeled path to climb to the top of the cliff [Creston Hill] – 157 meters/515 feet. The author claims that if the wind is right you can hear the barking of the sea lions.

The guidebook is organized into 30 sections that cover such landmarks as The Belmar Hotel, the Machado Square, the Cathedral, Pino Suárez Market, the baseball stadium and a whole section on gastronomy.

The history and origins of Mazatlan are sprinkled throughout the pages so you don’t get “fact fatigue”. It’s a page turner, you want to see and learn what’s next. And it’s a fact, it’s factual – checked and re-checked by the entire team [listed below].

Ideal for tourists passing through, ideal for snowbirds and ideal for full-timers because it’s filled with unexpected insights – all consolidated. Finally!

[The Mazatlán Puerto con Historia e Histórica/ Historical Port is made possible by: author José Eduardo Valdaés in partnership with Maaike Hoekstra [Flavor Teller] ,Laura Medina [Casa del Caracol] .Currently you can buy it in Centro, at the bookshops, Casa del Caracoal, on south side of Constitución # 83, for $400. The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., closed Sundays; or at Casa Etnika, Benito Juarez #1218 at Constitución, closed Sundays open from 10 am to 6 pm. ]