The Mexican town artists and expats love to flock to
4 min readMexico has several pueblo mágicos (officially magic towns), an honour bestowed by the tourism department only on the country’s most enchanting corners, but one of its most captivating is San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato state, three hours north by car of Mexico City. In fact, San Miguel is so special, it’s the proud owner of another accolade: it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
Having long attracted artists, expats and tourists, San Miguel de Allende, in the central highlands of Mexico, remains a firm favourite among Mexico’s many international visitors – and it isn’t hard to see why. The Baroque architecture (the highlight of which is the dazzling confection that is the pink cathedral), the colourful colonial buildings and the excellent restaurants are just the beginning.
The friendly locals are also part of the appeal – even taxi drivers, usually in a hurry, slow down to let tourists traverse the cobblestone streets gracefully. Everyone you meet greets you with a warm and enthusiastic, “Thank you for coming to San Miguel!”, and you get the feeling that they mean it. The city is always lively, largely due to its popularity as a wedding destination; fireworks regularly light up the night sky here. It’s also a firm favourite with American bachelor and bachelorette parties.
La Valise San Miguel de Allende
In the colonial heart of San Miguel, on a pedestrianised street, is La Valise, a near-perfect boutique hotel with rooms set around its central courtyard. From our room, we could see the pink spires of the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel. This was just an added bonus, of course, since the room itself was a vision – traditional textiles, a bathroom with a sunken tub and typical design features that made it feel all the more authentic. Our breakfast was simply avocado on toast, but it was the most delicious avocado on toast I’ve ever eaten (this was Mexico, I suppose, and the avocados are supreme).
La Valise San Miguel de Allende
A few cobblestoned streets away, the Rosewood looks like it could date back to colonial times, but it’s actually only been a feature of central San Miguel de Allende for the past decade or so. The dark red terracotta building blends seamlessly into its surroundings, so you’d never know it. Like La Valise, it’s arranged around a courtyard, with a fountain and tables set up to enjoy several-course breakfasts starring superlative almond croissants, hearty huevos rancheros and supersize stacks of pancakes. At 1826, the hotel’s Mexican restaurant, we dined on soft-shell-crab tacos and steak-topped flatbreads. After a lazy afternoon spent strolling the impeccably landscaped grounds and reading by the resort’s pool, we enjoyed masterful mixology and live music at the hotel’s tequila bar.
The city has a reputation for being a gourmet destination – the late Anthony Bourdain was a fan of Raíces, famous for its faultless breakfasts (I’m sensing a theme here). You’ll most likely have to queue for a table, but it’ll be worth the wait for traditional Mexican plates such as enchiladas and tortas. Be sure to go hungry, since the portions are huge (and you’ll want to save space for the cinnamon buns and pancakes). Other culinary hotspots include the Restaurant and Bovine, and Panio is responsible for the baked goods scenting the streets.
Another big part of the eating and drinking scene in San Miguel de Allende is rooftop bars that show off the pink wedding-cake spires of La Parroquia and the pastel-coloured skies – one of the most sought-after is Luna, the terrace at the top of the Rosewood hotel. Along with its fortunate vantage point, you can drink some of the best cocktails in the city, with Mediterranean tapas (za’atar fries, feta dip, cauliflower in a smoky tomato sauce) on hand to soak them up. Needless to say, securing a spot in time for sunset will be a wise move.
Outside of the city confines, quad-biking is a popular activity and there are neighbouring vineyards and more pueblos mágicos – such as Comonfort and Dolores Hidalgo, the birthplace of the Mexican war of independence – to visit. We were more than content to spend our days wandering the photogenic streets of San Miguel, though. The colourful colonial buildings, the cobbles, the piercingly blue Mexican sky and, of course, the rosy perfection of La Parroquia (which makes you wonder why more architects don’t use pink) make it a dream to stroll around.
This is a country with lots of spectacular beaches and luxury hotels lining them, but for a taste of the real Mexico, away from the flashy mega-resorts, it’s hard to beat San Miguel de Allende.
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