Guanajuato is a charming, vibrant town with plenty of incredible, fun things to keep busy! Here are a few of our favorites from our recent trip! The ‘Land of the Dead’ scenes in the movie “Coco” were inspired from this town which is not surprising after our visit because it is truly a magical and beautiful place!
BOOK A CALLEJONADA
You cannot visit Guanajuato without participating in this event! This is an event that takes place several times each evening and starts right at Teatro Juarez. Led by a group of student musicians, you will wander through the small winding streets of downtown all while singing and dancing to typical songs of Mexico. Don’t know Spanish? Still absolutely worth it! There are tons of great Airbnb options right by where these Callejonadas begin!
♦Cost: $100 pesos per person
♦Location: Teatro Juarez. Address: Address: De Sopeña 10, Zona Centro, 36000 Guanajuato, Gto.
♦Duration: 1.5 hours
♦Details: Wander close to Teatro Juarez any time of day to pre-purchase your tickets from the uniformed musicians. Wear comfortable shoes for walking and of course bring your camera. Perfect for families!
RIDE THE FUNICULAR TO THE PIPILA STATUE
The funicular is a fun, quick means of transportation to the monument of “El Pípila”, which is a statue with breathtaking views over all of Guanajuato. We visited around sunset and it was incredible. The wind was extremely strong, so bring a light jacket!
♦Cost: $25 pesos per person for a one way trip
♦Location: Just behind Teatro Juarez. Address: De Sopeña 10, Zona Centro, 36000 Guanajuato, Gto.
♦Duration: the ride is 5 minutes or less
♦Details: Plan to spend a bit of time at the top! There are snacks, shopping, and even a restaurant. We chose to walk down afterwards and since it is such a steep walk, we were able to get back down into the heart of town in about 5-8 minutes. Have your camera ready—the funicular ride up is over before you know it!
WANDER AROUND TOWN
The downtown Guanajuato area is incredible to wander around! There are shops, lots of public space, plenty of restaurants, along with some awesome places to stay! Here are a few highlights to see in a day downtown:
♦Callejon de Los Besos—This is a famous little alleyway where there is a legend that a wealthy family rented out a room across the way to a poor miner boy who (of course) fell in love with the daughter of the wealthy family. It is said they two used to share kisses from their rooms across the alley. (Yes—the alley is SO narrow that you really could kiss across it!) Though there are several versions of the legend, one of the most common ( and my favorite) is that lovers are awarded 7 years of good luck for kissing in this alley….so we should have about 49 years of nothing but good luck coming our way!
♦Ice cream from La Garrafa Nieves—This place has great ice cream and there are few locations in the heart of town! Address: Luis González Obregón 2, Guanajuato 36000, México
♦Check out the Diego Rivera Museum—This is a small museum located right in downtown where Diego Rivera was born. It features lots of his art pieces and the downstairs area is still set up like a home! Note: entrance fee is $25 pesos. Closed on Mondays. Address: Positos 47, Zona Centro, 36000 Guanajuato, Gto.
♦Stay out past dark—Guanajuato has an extreme nightlife! The main plaza, Jardin de la Unión is full of people enjoying dinner or a drink and there are several bands playing live music. There are tons of cool cars right around downtown and drinks are priced fairly. My favorite: La Oreja Van Gogh in Plaza de San Fernando—they make a great mojito!
MUSEO DE LAS MUMMIAS
This was probably the most recommended place to visit during our time in Guanajuato. The museum is about a 10 minute cab ride (or less) from town. The museum itself is fairly small and only takes about 20-30 minutes to explore. There is not a lot to read so it goes by quickly. The museum is eerie, a little creepy, and definitely not a place I would take small kids. The faces of some of the mummies are those you may see in a nightmare—horrifying. The museum was, however, an interesting place to learn about these people, their history, and how the died.
♦Cost: $60 pesos per person
♦Location: Explanada del Panteón Municipal s/n, Centro, 36000 Guanajuato, Gto.
♦Duration: Plan to spend about 20 minutes to one hour max at the museum.
♦Details: Go early! The museum is small and can get very crowded. Choose a weekday if possible. Not recommended for families or people with young children.
WHERE TO STAY
There are an abundance of really cool places to stay in and around downtown Guanajuato! You can find some of our Airbnb recommendations by clicking here.
Until next time, Have Less. Do More. Be More.
