The Plaza de Armas is the beating heart of San Luis Potosí's historic centre, a broad pedestrian square ringed by the city's most important buildings. The 18th-century Cathedral occupies the south side with its twin towers and rose-coloured stone facade; opposite sits the Palacio de Gobierno, a sober neoclassical building whose courtyard contains murals depicting the state's history.
The plaza is well-maintained and lively at all hours — vendors sell roasted corn and fresh juices in the afternoon, and on weekend evenings a band often plays in the central kiosk while families promenade. The surrounding pedestrian streets are lined with arcaded commercial buildings and make for easy wandering.