Dulces de leche: Milk candies with different flavors including coconut and cinnamon

Capirotada: Custard type dessert served chilled

Main attractions: The Basilica of the Virgen of Zapopan, EXPO Guadalajara, Plaza Galerias, Parque de los Colomos, Auditorio Telmex, MAZ museum, among many other shopping, cultural and business centers. Zapopan is also known for its diverse array of restaurants featuring Mexican and international food.

History

The word Zapopan comes from the nahuatl Tzapopantl, which means “the place of sapodilla fruit.”

Located in the central region of the State of Jalisco, The Municipality of Zapopan is 900 square kilometers. According to the 2005 Mexican census, there is a little more than 1 million inhabitants, whose average age is 19 years old. Zapopan is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Mexico. It also has the highest growth rate and covers the largest area of the four municipalities that form Guadalajara’s metropolitan area.

Economic Development

Recently, Zapopan has been dubbed the “Silicon Valley of Mexico,” due to the number of international firms and foreign direct investment (FDI) in high technology production. Industrial activity has evolved, in part, due to the efficient urban infrastructure, communications, transport, skilled labor, and cutting edge technology.

Zapopan is home to some of the best higher education institutions in the state, including the University of Guadalajara, the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG), Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Occidente, Universidad Pamamericana (UP), Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey as well as other universities and technological colleges.

Tradition and Tourism

Zapopan is infused with a sense of traditional and modern Mexico. The city has a rich cultural heritage including a variety of performing and visual artists, troupes, and venues. Their cultural amenities range from primitive, to folk, to cosmopolitan. Their galleries include works from indigenous cultures to modern artists. Zapopan, along with Guadalajara, is known as the home of the Mariachi, traditional Mexican music. Other cultural institutions feature works from folk traditions, Ballet Folklorico, and Charreadas, the national sport very similar to the rodeo.