Guana-whut?! Guana-what-now? It´s pronounced ´Gwa-Na-Gwa-Tow´, and you have to really put emphasis on that G. GgrRrrwha. If you can pronounce it correctly, it´s time to visit this beautiful little city that is a fan-favorite amongst Mexicans!
What to do when you are in Guanajuato? We´ll love to tell you because we´ve stayed in this colorful mountainous town for a whole week!
First things first
Before we dive deep into this top 10 must-see and must-do list, we want you to know a little more about your next travel destination.
This beautiful old Mexican town has made its riches from mining silver, and that is noticeable because the city center is quite prosperous and fancy from all the cash the mining generated. Nowadays, there are about 200.000 inhabitants who live here, and it gets visited by 800.000+ visitors a year. These are mainly Mexicans who have put Guanajuato high on their list as one of their country´s favorite destinations. The city lies on about +- 2000m / 6000ft above sea level (and you will feel this when walking up the hills).
Within a 1.5-hour bus ride from San Miguel de Allende, which we previously visited before Guanajuato, you´ll arrive in this unique and very colorful town.
It´s also has a big beautiful university, which makes that there are a lot of hip youngsters to give the city a more energetic vibe. The picturesque and vibrant capital of the state is a sight to behold, with its thousands of colorful houses on the hills, the fancy main square with many terraces, and the many trees, bushes, and flowers you´ll see everywhere. Birds are chirping, fountains are splashing, people are laughing, and mariachi bands are singing out loud. It´s amazing!
Guanajuato is a typical town for a touristy weekend getaway, it´s definitely not digital nomad heaven in any shape or form. So, go and visit this little town for a couple of days, have fun!
1. Just walking around the city center is a delight
Compared to many other Mexican villages and cities, Guanajuato´s city center is pretty fancy! It can look like Rome sometimes with all its Italian alleyways and grand architecture of say the Benito Juarez Theater and the impressive main square with all the nice terraces (El Jardin). The streets and alleys look like a mix of French, Italian and Spanish architecture, of which you can imagine that that is just beautiful to gawk at.
There are tons of old atmospheric churches, side streets with umbrella´s hung up high, and alleys with those typical colorful Mexican flags. And there are many hidden gems to be found here, like Plazuela de San Fernando, a square with many fun terraces and locals having a great time.
What we noticed also about Guanajuato is that it´s a very clean city. You will not find garbage in the streets and graffiti on walls. And we were quite surprised that the main streets are not steep at all. You can easily walk around this town without loosing any breath.
Strolling around town for a day or two is such a delight! And to be honest, there is not that much to see and do in Guanajuato, but more than enough for 2-3 days.
Personal-tip: Don´t go into the neighborhoods if you don´t know the way, or if it's safe, and especially don´t go looking like a rich tourist. This town and its hilly suburbs might be safe, but it can look quite the opposite. Looks may be deceiving, but let´s not gamble on this and just stay in the more flat city center.
2. The epic view: the highlight of Guanajuato
There is a small steep funicular that brings you up to the steep mountainside of Guanajuato´s city center, and the views from here are just breathtaking!
You can walk up these hills, or pay just 60 pesos (up&down, +-2.5 dollars) to get up there fast. From this vantage point, you´ll see all the thousands of colorful houses and big green mountains. The is the best view in town!
Be sure to go around sunset and not in the weekends for the best views and no long waiting line.
p.s; the awesome story of the giant statue on top of this viewpoint, named El Pipila, is quite note-worthy. This local hero picked up, around the 18th century, a big flat stone and it tied to his back, and marched towards the Spanish hidden in a big fort. They tried shooting him down with muskets from above, but the stone kept him save. He marched towards the wooden door of the fortress and set it on fire. The rest is history!
3. Eat your way through Guanajuato
This small city is not really a culinary city per se, but there are some very fine restaurants where you can wine and dine and enjoy the good life. We´ve tried a bunch of restaurants and lunchroom places. We haven´t quite found a nice place to get some work on your laptop done, but there is always a Starbucks for an hour or two of work. The Starbucks on the Jardin is decent enough if needed.
- Oajillo Oajilla: Our favorite place in town by far. They have delicious tapas, bowls, and bites, great service, refreshing drinks, hip music, nice staff, and the interior is so cool and quirky. Go upstairs on the roof terrace and be sure to order these tapas sandwiches.
- Amatxi: This very decent Italian place is about a 10-minute walk east of the city center. Good food, tasty bites in between, and a very proper place for a date night. This place is also close to a nice park and a big ol´ water basin.
- Costal Cultura: This fancy Italian place is one of the better restaurants in town. Cool interior, tasty dishes, and a nice view on the street from the tiny balcony.
- Habibti Falafel: simple, but healthy good food for a very good price!
- Al Mashrek: Also, simple, but has a great middle-eastern menu if you are in for an affordable big lunch.
And for the romantics and coffee lovers, be sure to check out the cute little bridge of the Santo Cafe. You´re a lucky SOB if you can get a spot on this bridge for you and your lover.
We haven´t been, but Table de Andree and Mestizo are supposed to be excellent as well. So, enough options. Have at it, disfruta!
Personal tip: try the gordita, it´s typical street food in Guanajuato as you will find these at many street food vendors for about a buck a piece.
(up: Amatxi. Left: Costal Cultura. Right: Oajillo Oajilla)
4. The Mummy Museum
One of the main sightseeing for Guanajuato is The Mummy Museum. We visited this little museum up west of the city center and were out within 5 minutes…
Although the Mexicans have a special unique endearing way of how they deal with death, we were kind of freaked out about watching these poor mummified people right up close and personal. It's kinda creepy to stare into the eyes of a mummy, a dead body, a former real person, just like you… And there are even children and babies there…
These poor people died because of a cholera epidemic in the 18th century, that forced the local population to store the bodies in a closed-off mass grave. Because no air or anything came in contact with them, their bodies naturally mummified. El Museo De Las Momias is something special!
Wanna see more of the adventures we had in Guanajuato, including the Mummy Museum? Check out our Instagram Stories!
5. The underground tunnels
To get as much traffic out of the city center, they transformed the underground water tunnels into actual tunnels for everyday traffic. Busses, taxis, transport and motorcycle cruise underneath the city in the labyrinth of roads. And you can access these tunnels from many different accespoints and walk through them.
The whole ordeal, and how the houses and city are built on this old infrastructure is quite amazing to gaze at. It has a very ´Middle Ages´-vibe about it!
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6. Visit the silver mines
You can even visit the old silver mines if you want to. But beware, it's a bit claustrophobic. Nonetheless, if you can handle that, you will find your visit to these mines fascinating. The Mina de La Valenciana, found in the 16th century, is about 4 miles from the city center. Guanajuato´s silver mines were in the 18th century responsible for mining the most silver in the world at that time. In total, they mined 30% of the total silver supply in the world!
7. Alley of The Kiss
Guanajuato is quite the tourist trap, actually. It´s a very commercial little getaway-town,with many tourist shops, beggers, and all sorts of overpriced guides. And you will feel a tourist the most in the Alley of The Kiss. In this cute cozy little alleyway, you can stand with your lover and give each other a nice big ol´ kiss. You can do this on the balcony, or on the red steps below the balcony.
The old tale is that two young lovers who couldn´t meet because of bitter families, found a way to get together a kiss each other on that balcony.
Don´t give your camera or smartphone to any of these guys for a photo!
8. Centro Commercial Alaia
Just outside the city center, there is a huuuuge shopping mall. This giant shopping center has many shops with well-known brands. You will find the luxury mall of Liverpool here, a Starbucks, the Chedraui supermarket, a couple of sushi restaurants, a food court, and a dozen of clothing stores with a very western-American look. Centro Commercial Alaia has nothing to do with Mexican culture, and that´s okay if you are looking for some important gadgets, modern clothing, and groceries.
9. Golden Hour & Sunrise Hour
Photographers know what I mean by these terms, but if you don't know: these hours are the best times for taking pictures. The subject, Guanajuato in this case, looks at its very best in the early morning or just a solid hour before sunset. Even if you don´t even take professional pictures, it´s a delight to walk around town when there is nobody there in the early morning (you have the whole city for yourself!), and it´s a sight to behold at sunset.
This tip counts for every location in the world, but we found that the views from this town are extra impressive in these precious hours. Enjoy!
10. But wait, there´s more!
That´s not all, because you could also visit the Mercado Hidalgo, a grand plaza with all sorts of touristy stuff, meats, and Mexican delights. On Friday nights, there is a classic musical show at the impressive Teatro Principal. And there are also plenty of small galleries and museums to check out. We didn´t find them that interesting, but hardcore art fans will love finding these petite little galleries and museums. We visited Casa Diego Rivera, the former house of the famous artist, but didn´t really care for it that much. You might, so give it a go!
The main attraction remains these lovely streets, and you´ll have seen it (as a tourist) all within a day or 2, a maximum of 3. Guanajuato is the perfect weekend getaway!
Pro-tip: it's quite busy on the weekends, so it might be a better idea to go outside of these bustling weekends!
Let´s book that trip!
Feeling inspired to see Guanajuato for yourself? Great! Let's book a flight and hotel here, and let's turn dreams into memories.
Personal tip: we stayed for a full week at the fun Cactus Hotel, which was affordable and fine at the same time. This hostel/hotel has Deluxe Rooms, and also dorms. And you have a kitchen, tv room, and a long table to get some much-needed work done. The staff is also very friendly!
If you´re looking for something fancier, try the 1850 Boutique Hotel. And the Hotel La Paz looks pretty awesome as well (great location!).
Personal tip 2: And last but not least; don´t forget one of the most essentials things for your next (road) trip: the right travel insurance! Consider World Nomads or Safety Wings!
So, chicos, now you know what to see and do in Guanajuato, have fun!
Booking.comMore Travel Inspiration: Top 10 Things to Do in San Miguel de Allende
