Narrow road in Taxco, Mexico

A gray car travels down the middle of a narrow stone-paved road. Shear rock walls climb from both sides of the road. Ahead of the car a bus approaches. Taxco is a town south of Mexico City, in the state of Guerrero, known for its silver mines and silversmiths. Taxco was famous for its rich silver mines since before the arrival of the Spanish. During the colonial period, Taxco was one of the most profitable areas under Spain's control. After independence, silver mining declined, but Taxco emerged as a focus point for the artwork of silversmiths. Today, the town is a popular tourist destination both for its colonial architecture and high-winding streets, as well as its high-quality silver artwork.