Category: Mexico 2026

Friends from Atlanta suggested that we contact a college friend of theirs during our visit to San Miguel de Allende. Stan has lived here for about 9 years and he graciously showed us some of the highlights around town.

Our first stop was to the Centro Cultural El Negromante. It’s a center for art exhibitions, classes, and studios in a converted convent. It is currently undergoing some renovations that will be soon complete.

It’s a wonderful space for art and learning.

The Sala de Murals is described here: “One of the most fascinating features of El Nigromante is the mural by David Alfaro Siqueiros, one of Mexico’s most iconic muralists. Though unfinished, the mural is a masterpiece of revolutionary art and serves as a powerful example of Mexico’s rich artistic history.”

Next we walked to the Instituto Allende……a space for events, art workshops, and lifelong learning programs. The mural in the background makes a great backdrop for the geranium.

Stan walked us through several neighborhoods that we wouldn’t have likely discovered on our own. Our next stop was…Parc Benito Juarez. This beautiful sculpture is a waste receptacle. Saturday morning they hold Tai Chi classes in the park.  Also nearby is a Saturday market called Mercado SANO. We will go there tomorrow.

A lot of life in San Miguel takes place on the rooftops. Stan took us to several that gave us excellent views of the city. This is from the rooftop of Hotel Casa Correo.

A large, refreshing glass of fresh squeezed orange  juice was just the refreshment after our tour of the city.

San Miguel has so many special places and we were fortunate to see it with an excellent guide. Thanks to Robey and Gary for the introduction! We understand why so many people recommend San Miguel as a destination. It has wonderful learning centers, parks, markets, art galleries, and friendly locals.

An Aeromexico flight and a shuttle from the airport bought us to the center of San Miguel de Allende in about 6 hours total. One of the first things we noticed was the cobblestone streets which makes for a bumpy ride but we had a good driver who delivered us safely to Hotel La Morada. It is centrally located and just a short walk from the city’s famous landmark; Parroquia de San Miguel.

In a nutshell, here are some things we’ve learned about the city so far:

• San Miguel is located in Central Mexico in the state of Guanajuato and located about 4 hours north of Mexico City.
• It’s a UNESCO Word Heritage Site.
• It’s a hub for artists, writers, and expats – mainly from the U.S. and Canada.
• The elevation is 6,200 feet which makes for mild days and cool evenings year-round.
• The city is very walkable but cobblestoned and a little hilly, so good walking shoes are important.

This morning we found a good coffee shop, Cafe 20trece with an owner who is passionate about locally produced coffee, chocolate and honey.

We also found an excellent pastry shop called Panio.

It’s early days here, but it is a fascinating place…one that we are excited to explore. There are colorful parks (like the one below) all around town plus many intriguing shops, restaurants, and cultural sites.

We don’t always do a good job of reporting our safe arrival home at the end of a trip but, we arrived home from our travels in Italy in mid-October. We had a fun holiday season with family and friends and now we’re looking forward to our next adventure.

In search of warmer weather, we are leaving today on a winter excursion to Mexico – specifically, San Miguel de Allende and Mexico City. Both are places that we’ve been interested in for quite some time and we decided that it’s finally time for us check them out! We are hoping for weather that’s  a little warmer than Atlanta, a chance to practice our Spanish, and delicious food.

The Leon Airport Mexico near Guanajuato, Mexico is a four-hour flight from Atlanta and about 1.5 hours from San Miguel de Allende. Our plan is pretty simple…we will spend 5 nights in San Miguel and then take a bus to Mexico City early next week. We will stay in the Polanco neighborhood for two weeks.

We’ll be back home in early February. We are looking forward to exploring two new destinations and we’ll post a photo or two every few days. Sending our best wishes! Adios!

Sharon and Larry