To be fair, these two cities located in the highland state of Guanajuato are but two jewels in Mexico’s sumptuous colonial crown—but what jewels they are! Guanajuato (the state capital) and San Miguel de Allende are both UNESCO World Heritage cities and are both repositories of incredible architecture, history, and cultural and culinary events (think gastronomic weeks, city-wide festivals, encounters with national and international chefs, vineyard tours, and more).
A Very Mexican Destination
Guanajuato is a very Mexican destination where visitors can join locals and people-watch from a bench in a shady plaza surrounded by brightly painted houses with wrought iron balconies decorated with overflowing flower pots. The city itself sprawls over hillsides of tiny streets, steep stairways and in narrow cobblestone alleys. One, in fact, has been nicknamed Callejón del Beso, or Kissing Alley: the street is so narrow that it’s possible to kiss from opposite balconies. This is no doubt one of the most romantic cities in Mexico, and spots like this make it a very popular destination for weddings and honeymoons.
At the city center is the Jardín de la Union, a pristine V-shaped plaza ringed with cafes, shops, colonial buildings, and the Teatro Juárez. The downtown centro is a safe place and you’ll have fun exploring on foot as you appreciate the multitude of sites with, of course, frequent stops for coffee or a bite to eat at a gourmet sidewalk café. From churches to museums and national monuments to colonial mansions, Guanajuato is a real gem.
It was also once an important mining town, as evidenced by the maze of underground tunnels that serve as a system of unusual subterranean streets. There’s also a working silver mine open for touring. La Valenciana was once the deepest and most extensive mine in the region; today visitors can see how the work was done back in the 17th century in its modern interactive museum and actually descend the first 65 yards of the mineshaft.
Festival Cervantino
Every year, the capital’s colonial theaters and venues host the annual International Cervantine Festival, popularly known as El Cervantino (ser-vahn-TEE-no). This is a nearly-month-long celebration of everything fine arts, including theater, jazz, classical music, roving bands of musicians called tunas, and much more. It extends all the way to the state’s largest city, León, an important center of industry with a colonial heart, and the lovely San Miguel de Allende.
The festival is the most important international artistic and cultural event in Mexico and Latin America. The best accommodations are in chic boutique hotels, and they fill up early and fast. Both cities are packed but the experience is unforgettable!
“The Best City in the World”
San Miguel, proudly named the “Best City in the World” by Travel + Leisure, is an enchanting destination that harmoniously combines rich history with a lively modern art scene. The opening of the Instituto Allende in 1951, a premier fine arts school for English-speaking students and the largest of its kind in Latin America, truly cemented San Miguel’s reputation as a vibrant hub of creativity and inspiration.
It also has a world-class tourism infrastructure with every modern amenity for today’s demanding clients. Unforgettable accommodations include five-star luxury boutique hotels as well as a wide network of independently owned properties in restored colonial buildings with very reasonable rates and charming surroundings.
At the heart of San Miguel is its shady town square in the shadow of the pink hued La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel church. Its builder was inspired by a European postcard and brought to life a Mexican version of a gothic cathedral. The narrow cobblestone streets keep things intimate and are lined with galleries and shops are bustling with tourists both foreign and domestic interested in original works, fine regional handicrafts (hand-blown glass, wood carvings, pottery and textiles are favorite), and exquisite silver pieces.
Most everything is within walking distance and your Tour Manager will help you take full advantage of the shopping and the excellent gourmet restaurants. The public library, Biblioteca San Miguel, offers house and garden tours on Sundays at noon, with proceeds going to a local children’s charity. For a more immersive, longer-lasting experience, you might want to come back to attend one of the local language schools, which offer immersive courses lasting everywhere from a week to a month or more.
San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato are but two of the many extraordinary destinations you’ll visit on our custom, small-group Colonial Cities tour. Click here for more!
