By air
Querétaro (QRO) or León/Bajío (BJX), ~1–1.5 h
North America · Mexico
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Colonial streets and a pink cathedral
Getting there
Best time to visit
October to April — dry and sunny
Don't miss
The Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel
The Jardín
Fábrica La Aurora
The Mercado de Artesanías
Things to do
The Parroquia lit up at night
Art galleries
Hot springs nearby
Where to eat
What to pack
Comfortable shoes for the cobblestones
A quieter corner
The Charco del Ingenio botanical garden
Questions travellers ask
What's the best time of year for San Miguel de Allende?
October to April, when it's dry and sunny. Wear comfortable shoes for the cobblestones.
Which airports are near San Miguel de Allende?
Querétaro (QRO) or León/Bajío (BJX), about 1–1.5 h away.
What are the sights in San Miguel de Allende?
The Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel — come back to see it lit up at night — plus the Jardín, Fábrica La Aurora and the Mercado de Artesanías. Browse the art galleries, and try the hot springs nearby.
Is there a garden worth visiting in San Miguel de Allende?
The Charco del Ingenio botanical garden. For food, try rooftop dining or street tacos.
About San Miguel de Allende
- Hills
Where it is
San Miguel de Allende is a colonial town in the state of Guanajuato in central Mexico, built on a hillside above the Laja River valley in the Bajío highlands, at about 1,900 m.
History
The Franciscan friar Juan de San Miguel founded a mission here in the 16th century, and the town grew on the road that carried silver from Zacatecas and Guanajuato to Mexico City. Ignacio Allende, a hero of Mexico's War of Independence, was born here, and in 1826 his name was added to the town's; its historic centre and the nearby Sanctuary of Atotonilco became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
People
San Miguel's people speak Spanish, and since an art school opened here in 1938 the town has drawn artists and foreign residents, many of them from the United States. Its calendar is full of processions and fiestas with giant papier-mâché mojiganga puppets, above all the week-long celebrations of its patron, the Archangel Michael, each September.
Known for
- The pink Gothic-style Parroquia
- The Jardín, the town's main square
- Art galleries and craft markets
- The Sanctuary of Atotonilco
- Hot springs in the countryside
Did you know?
The Parroquia's pink neo-Gothic façade was built from 1880 by a local stonemason, Zeferino Gutiérrez, who is said to have drawn his ideas from postcards and prints of European Gothic churches.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.