World’s Best City
Located in the state of Guanajuato, at the heart of Mexico’s Colonial Highlands, San Miguel de Allende is a thriving cosmopolitan destination. The city’s cultural wealth is reflected in its Baroque architecture, music, theater shows, art galleries and schools, restaurants, writing workshops and festivals, which occur throughout the year, as do the fireworks.
The central plaza often referred to simply as El Jardin, is a lush launching point for any tourist to explore the historic center that was named a world heritage si
te by UNESCO in 2008. And in 2017 Travel + Leisure awarded San Miguel de Allende The World’s Best City. This main plaza embodies the city’s Colonial heritage and has been designated as a national monument, due to its distinct neo-Gothic parish Church and superbly restored Colonial mansions.
Another place you will want to check out is the Instituto Allende which is one of Latin America’s largest schools of fine. It offers classes in crafts, fine arts, weaving and Spanish language. If you are more inclined for nature-oriented activities, then you must visit the El Charco del Ingenio botanical garden. This beautifully Nature Preserve features walking trails through local flora-filled environments that displays a vast botanical collection of cacti and other Mexican plants, many of which are rare, threatened or in danger of extinction. Also, the city’s surroundings offer outdoor activities such as mountain biking or horseback riding. The destination is also home to three golf resorts, several spas, natural springs, and even a beach with thermal waters at Los Senderos.
During the day most visitors enjoy exploring most of the city on foot, wandering through quaint cobblestone streets and shopping for handicrafts such as pottery, woven baskets, and embroidered clothing. So back some good walking shoes! Nightlife is varied; you can either have a drink in a romantic patio under the stars, or dance salsa, disco, blues, or rock all night long and finish up at dawn, enjoying the magnificent view at “El Mirador” (the lookout). Another option is to enjoy the Mexican music in any of the many bars that offer mariachis with cultural tunes, romantic trios, tropical groups or local band music.
Weather
The best time to visit San Miguel de Allende is November through April which is the typical high season for tourist. Though San Miguel’s climate doesn’t vary too much throughout the year, its average high temperatures hover between 73 and 88 degrees Fahrenheit no matter the season with over 320 days of sunshine. November through April San Miguel will experience less rainfall than the summer months. Rainy season runs typically from June through October. However, rain usually comes in short bursts that cool off the afternoon, and clean’s the cobblestone streets. It’s rare for there to be days of consistent cloud. Plus its a time of an amazing transformation in San Miguel when everything turns greener in summer. Meanwhile, winter nights can get cold, so plan to bring warmer layers for when the sun goes down.
Travel Arrangements
Three major international airports are commonly used by visitors of San Miguel de Allende: LEÓN AIRPORT (BJX), QUERETARO AIRPORT (QRO), and MEXICO CITY AIRPORT (MEX). Home Destination’s Concierge Services can help you plan your transportation from the different airports and destinations. They can assist you with scheduling a private driver, group transportation, buses and/or a rental car.
LEÓN airport to San Miguel: 1 hour 40 minutes (95 km)
QUERETARO airport to San Miguel: 1 hour 20 minutes (86 km)
MEXICO CITY airport to San Miguel: 3 hours 40 minutes (269km)
Visitor Information
The city’s tourist information office is in the Ayuntamiento (city hall) facing El Jardín. The address is Plaza Principal 8, and the phone is tel. 415/152-0900. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 8 pm, Saturday from 10 am to 8 pm, and Sunday from 10 am to 5:30 pm.
Contact Home Destinations now to help get started in experiencing San Miguel de Allende
