Exploring Guanajuato, Mexico

Spending time in what many consider to be the most beautiful city in Mexico

The sun is setting in the crowded Union Garden and music is in the air. Cielito Lindo is being performed by local musicians dressed in a kind of traditional garb. The chorus is recognizable to my gringo ears. “Ay, ay, ay, ay. Canta y no llores”. Mexican tourists gather around and sing along. The mood feels festive and nostalgic, or maybe proud? I am only beginning to understand what this song means to Mexican culture.

Mid-song, the musicians encourage us to follow them as they begin to walk with their guitars, bandolónes, and tambourines. This is the start of the Callejoneada, an evening of storytelling and serenades as we weave our way through the many alleyways, or callejones, of this magical city.

In a narrow alley, the music and procession pause for a story. Everything is in Spanish. Luckily, we had been studying the language rigorously for more than a year. So of course, we understood absolutely nothing.

We are in la Ciudad de Guanajuato, in the center of Mexico, and just a 2-hour direct flight from Houston, TX.

Guanajuato is not far from the stunningly beautiful and laid-back San Miguel de Allende. Guanajuato is a busy city, a state capital, steeped in history and culture. It has its own charm and beauty, and I absolutely love this place.

Han leads us towards a busy square in Guanajuato.

Nestled within the mountainous heart of Mexico, Guanajuato’s streets and narrow alleyways twist, wind, and give way to the surrounding terrain. It is a very walkable city, with much of the automobile traffic occurring beneath you in a network of tunnels that were once built to combat flooding in the city. In some cases, you aren’t so much walking as you are climbing.

These colorful homes are built onto the slopes of the mountains that surround Guanajuato. With its winding, cobblestone alleys, it’s reminiscent of Lisbon.

Locals all looked very fit to me. I ate like a pig and gained no weight. The hilly callejones of Guanajuato may be a factor?

Guanajuato boasts a number of impressive museums, including el Museo de las Momias (museum of mummies!) and el Museo Casa Diego Rivera (home of the famed Mexican artist and activist, Diego Rivera). Perhaps our favorite was the Museo Iconográfico del Quijote. Miguel de Cervantes is popular here and the museum has an incredible collection of Don Quixote art.

Filled with sculptures and paintings, the museum dedicated to Don Quixote is a must-see. This is my favorite painting within.

Just a few blocks down from the Diego Rivera house, el Edificio Central de la Universidad de Guanajuato towers over us with students huddled at the base of its grand steps. We are informed by a local artist that students at this campus study law, architecture, and medicine.

The impressive central campus of la Universidad de Guanajuato. Two minutes after taking this photo, I ran to the top of the steps and raised my arms like Rocky.

Guanajuato isn’t the foodie destination that San Miguel de Allende is. SMA really delivers in terms of the sheer number and variety of top-notch eateries. But if you stay away from the tourist traps, you can find really delicious food here. I have a rule of avoiding restaurants where someone stands outside and tries to force their menu in your hands. Good restaurants don’t need to ensnare their customers off the street. We violated this rule once in Guanajuato and instantly regretted it.

Here are a few of our favorite spots that earned repeat business during our stay.

The Santo Cafe offers delicious breakfast and lunch. Scoring a table outside, on the little stone bridge that extends over the alley, makes for a great spot to have coffee and people-watch.

The Santo Cafe got great reviews from locals, and it did not disappoint. This crepe was about 50 pesos (about $2.50).

Tacos Al Vapor El Jaguar is a street taco stand usually located near the Alhóndiga (an excellent museum and important historical site that celebrates the heroes of Mexican independence). The tacos at this stand are steamed, incredibly delicious, and incredibly cheap (about 9 pesos each - that’s 45 cents for my fellow gringos).

Our go-to breakfast most mornings in Guanajuato was street tacos al vapor. A plate of 4 came to around $1.60 US.

Restaurante Corazón Mexicano is a rooftop spot near El Callejon del Beso, a popular tourist spot (I won’t detail the legend here, because this isn’t a kissing blog). Here they have the world’s best margarita. I’m not kidding. It’s amazing and they don’t even have a sign or anything indicating it’s great. It’s also where, if you aren’t careful, you can agree to free starter drinks for the table and accidentally give your kids alcohol. Us? No. I mean, no! Absolutely not! We… pfttt… we didn’t do THAT! As if! Ahem… moving on. This place is great! We went back for dinner a second time just for the margarita… and more booze for the kids.

This is what the world’s best margarita looks like.

Many Americans only experience Mexico from the gangway of their favorite cruise ship, and let’s be honest, those experiences are awesome. Spending multiple days in a colonial city isn’t for everyone. There are no beaches. It’s not a resort. An intermediate level of Spanish is beneficial, if not recommended.

It’s a different kind of Mexico experience. For my fellow gringos, it is probably more for travelers than it is for vacationers.

The weather is amazing, the people are warm and welcoming, and the city is absolutely charming. You don’t have to fly off to Europe to experience a city rich in history, walk its cobblestone streets, and see magnificent architecture. You can find all of that just a few hours south, down Mexico way.

Nos Vemos, Amigos!