I know that I mentioned in an earlier post that another colonial Mexican city – San Miguel de Allende – was one of the most picturesque cities I had ever seen, but another beautiful colonial Mexican city belongs right up there with it – Guanajuato. Like San Miguel, Guanajuato is located in the central Mexican highlands about a 4.5 hour drive from Mexico City and an hour away from San Miguel de Allende.
Guanajuato (Gou-juan-a-who-ah-toe) is nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains and is known for its silver mining history and colonial architecture. Like San Miguel it is a vibrant, colorful city that is relatively compact and easy to walk around. The many fine baroque and neoclassical buildings and churches are the result of the prosperity of the silver mines in the 18th century.
The colorful houses of Guanajuato cascade down the surrounding hills in every imaginable color. There’s no complementary color scheme – you’ll find pastels next to neon bright greens, yellows and pinks. The city is thick with cafes, bars, markets, and restaurants and has an amazing street food scene.
Guanajuato is not a tourist town – people here work, study, and play and even when visiting the various attractions we did not see many foreign tourists. Like San Miguel, Guanajuato is a UNESCO World Heritage site. We found that Guanajuato had a much different vibe than San Miguel due in large part to it having a large student population from the University of Guanajuato.
Graduation pictures on the dramatic staircase of the Universidad de Guanajuato.
Our visit seemed to coincide with graduation ceremonies at the University. Each night a different school within the college was celebrating their graduation which made for a very festive atmosphere. Guanajuato is warm to hot year-round, although at 6500 feet in elevation the nights can be cool. June through September sees the heaviest rainfall.
Much of the activity in the city is centered around the main plaza of Jardin de la Union. The manicured trees have been trimmed to create a dense canopy in the middle of the square and the entire square is surrounded by bars and restaurants. The area is very lively in the evenings – on one walk around the square we counted six mariachi bands performing in different parts of the plaza.
Another lively area and a good spot for a glass of wine and people watching is the Plaza de la Paz (Peace Plaza) where the impressive marigold and wine colored Basilica de Guanajuato rests on a small bluff overlooking the plaza.
This picturesque church was built in the late 17th century and contains a statue of the Virgin Mary dating from the 8th century.
Guanajuato lights up many of it attractions at night like the fountain in the Plaza Del Baratillo pictured above.
The beautiful Juarez Theater (Teatro Juarez) hosts a steady stream of cultural events.
Callejón del Beso (Alley of the Kiss), so named because the balconies are close enough for a couple to reach across and kiss.
Off of the main roads, the side streets and alleyways wind up and down the surrounding hills. It was fun to get lost wandering these passages knowing that eventually you’ll wind up in one of the main squares if you just head downhill. The Callejón del Beso or Alley of the Kiss perfectly illustrates the narrow passages found off the main streets.
The Guanajuato tunnels are a series of wide channels that extend under the city and help keep traffic away from the city center. These tunnels were originally built to divert the Guanajuato River from flooding the town. The tunnels have footpaths and are perfectly safe to navigate but the exhaust fumes in the longer tunnels can be a bit offputting. Having two levels of roads can make map reading particularly confusing as it is hard to distinguish the surface roads from the underground roads.
Set atop a hill with panoramic views of the city is the Monumento al Pipila Guanajuato (Pipila Monument).
The Pipila Monument is dedicated to a local hero of the War of Mexican Independence. You can walk the alleyways and paths up to the Pipila Monument or you can take the funicular up the hill. We split the difference and took the tram up and then walked the pathways down. At the top you will find artists selling their wares along with a cafe and food cart vendors.
Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.
Since 1972 Guanajuato has hosted a large cultural festival each October called the International Cervantino Festival. The Cervantes Festival is a major arts festival that attracts thousands of visitors and is named in honor of the author of “Don Quixote.” The festival features performances of dance, theater and music throughout the city.
Julia posing with a statue of Don Quixote.
You could say the city has a bit of a Cervantes fixation and in addition to the festival it has a museum and several sculptures devoted to Cervantes and his characters Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.
Here are a few street scenes from our 5 days in Guanajuato.
A peaceful protest by the local gauchos snarled up traffic in the town center.
Guanajuato is awash with public art on its streets and in its many plazas.
A vendor moving firewood through the streets.
Guanajuato has been called the most beautiful city in Mexico and it’s definitely among the most attractive cities we’ve visited on our many trips to Mexico. The colorful colonial buildings, tree-lined streets, lovely plazas, and multi-colored houses nestled in a valley all combine to make Guanajuato a beautiful place and a worthwhile visit.