Ixtapan de la Sal

Ixtapan de la Sal is a town and municipality located in the State of Mexico, Mexico. It is 60km (37 miles) south of Toluca, the state's capital, and 120km (75 miles) south of Mexico City by the Federal Road 55. The word Ixtapan comes from Nahuatl. There are two theories as to the origin of the name. The first theory states that it is composed of iztal, which means 'salt', and pan, which means 'over' or 'in'. The second states that it comes from iztac which means 'white'; atl, which means 'water'; and pan, meaning 'over' or 'in'; giving the meaning 'in white waters'. The phrase de la Sal is Spanish for 'of salt'.

There are two rivers in Ixtapan de la Sal. Salado River flows from the east with a year-round current, while the Salitre River flows from the northwest with a seasonal current. An aqueduct also passes through the city. Most relevant to tourists is the carbonated water of La Laguna Verde, a spring that filters from the subsoil, sprouting naturally in the form of water eruptions.

On January 22, 1981, Ixtapan de la Sal officially became a city. In 1996, Ixtapan de la Sal was included in Mexico's '100 Ciudades Coloniales' program, a government initiative recognizing cities of historical significance and colonial heritage.