Guanajuato

Unlike other Mexican cities that have an exact date of foundation, Guanajuato was the result of miner camping sites after silver veins were discovered between 1540 and 1558 and that eventually lead to a larger settlement. In 1558 a big silver vein was discovered in Guanajuato and produced nearly a third of all silver in the world by the next 250 years. The city was granted its city status in 1741 by Spanish King Philip V. Mining brought wealth to this town that spread towards its architecture and lifestyle.
The historic town of Guanajuato and adjacent mines were granted World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1987 and has been ranked by several travel magazines as one of the top travel destinations in the world.

• Tourist Information Office

  phone: +52 473 732 4363
  address: Cantarranas 5

By plane

• Aeropuerto Internacional de Gunajuatois the major airport for Guanauato state serving Guanajuato, Irapuato, Leon & Silao. If booking a ticket or researching the fare on an airline or an aggregate site be sure to look for "Leon" or "Leon/Bajio" instead of "Guanajuato" as you will not find it under "Guanajuato".

Most flights offered are domestic and limited international services to/from the U.S. Scheduled flights are available with:

• Aeromexico & Aeromexico Connect Atlanta, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Monterrey & Tijuana
• American Eagle Dallas Ft Worth.
• Interjet Mexico City, Monterrey, Puerto Vallarta & Tijuana
• MagniCharters Cancun
• TAR Puerto Vallarta
• United Express Houston & Chicago
• Viva Aerobus Cancún, Cd Juarez, Monterrey & Tijuana
• Volaris Chicago Midway, Ciudad Juárez, Cancún, Los Angeles, Mérida, Mexicali, Oakland, Puerto Vallarta, Sacramento, San Jose CA, San Jose del Cabo and Tijuana

Alternatively if you're flying from Europe, Canada, Caribbean or South America you can fly through Mexico City located 319 km to the southeast and take a bus or a flight from there. Primera Plus operates direct buses from Mexico City's airport to Queretaro where passengers transfer to another bus to continue to Guanajuato City or to San Miguel de Allende.
Public transport to downtown Guanajuato from the Airport
As of August 2018 state sponsored, Unebus Guanajuato operates buses from the airport to Leon, Guanajuato and San Miguel Allende. The stop is right turn when coming out from the airport, past the building in front of the taxi stand.
Alternatively one can also access other buses passing by the highway which may be cheaper but are slower:
Step 1: exit the airport, cross the large parking lot and exit through the front gate, here you will see a huge highway about 200 meters ahead and several ramps. Just keep to the right and walk to the large highway running parallel to the airport. Once there turn right and start walking along the highway for about 200 meters more, until you reach a green colored pedestrian overpass. Cross the overpass and about 50 meters in front of the stairs as you go down, there is a purple colored little unmarked bus stop. Wait here for the bus going to "Silao" .
Step 2: catch the local bus to Silao ($8 or 10 pesos). It will take you to Silao bus station in about 10 minutes.
Step 3: At the Silao bus station buy a ticket to Guanajuato on Primera Plus (M$29 (pesos). That bus will take you to Guanajuato bus station in about 20-30 minutes.
Step 4: Unfortunately, you're still not in Guanajuato as the bus station is 7 km from downtown. Just exit the terminal and catch the local bus to Guanajuato Center (M$7.50). This bus will go through many tunnels and you will have no idea where to get off unless you ask someone. They will drop you off in a tunnel near an exit and you will need to walk a bit to downtown from there. This trip could take anywhere from 15-30 minutes depending on traffic. Enjoy the trip!

By bus

Bus service in Mexico is quite reliable and comfortable. Before the recent start-up of several low cost air carriers, Bus was the main mean of transport across Mexico. Several lines serve Guanajuato including Primera plus. Buses have air conditioning (except some "economy" ones), and often show movies and have refreshments.
You can take a taxi (~M$45) or local bus (Centro-Central, M$5) in the city to the bus station (Central de Autobuses) to catch a bus to San Miguel de Allende (1 hour), Guadalajara (3 hours), Mexico City Norte (5 hours), Celaya, Morelia, Querétaro, Zacatecas and other locations. The main bus station is in the southwestern part of town, at Km 7 of the Carretera de Cuota Silao-Guanajuato (Hwy 110D) in Colonia Ejido la Yerbabuena. The following bus lines offer services into and out of Guanajuato:

• Grupo Estrella Blanca

  phone: +52 55 5729-0807
  They also operate the Americanos, Elite, Elite Plus, Futura, Oriente, Chihuahuanese, TNS (Transportes Norte de Sonora) and the Pacifico brands.

• ETN (Enlances Terrestre Nacionales); Turistar

  phone: +52 473 733-0289

• Primera Plus

  phone: +52 447 710-0001
  address: Blvd. Hilario Medina 202; Col. Killian 1ª sección C.P.37260 León, Gto.
  The major bus line for the region which also include the Coordinados and the Flecha Armarilla lines for travel in the state and to adjacent states.

• Omnibus de Mexico

  phone: +52 55 5141-4300
  Also include the Noreste and the Omnibus Plus brands.

• Unebus Guanajuato

  address: Central de Autobuses
  State operated bus that connects San Francisco del Rincón, Purísima del Rincón, León, Silao and Guanajuato and from Leon Bajio International Airport to Leon, Guanajuato and San Miguel Allende.

Tunnels

One of the unique features of the city is its extensive tunnel network. The first tunnels were constructed during the Spanish colonial period to for flood control, with additional tunnels built in the late 1800s. After dam construction was completed in the 1960s, many tunnels were converted to roadways to speed up car traffic. The most recent tunnel was built around 1990.
Many of the city buses run along the tunnels and is safe to take them in the special underground stops. Walking in the tunnels near Centro (downtown) is also safe. If you're driving, take into account that the tunnels are one way only, so taking the wrong tunnel may result in making a big tour around all the city.
Current tunnels:

• El Barretero Runs west-east, southeast of the city and connecting the neighborhood near Presa de la Olla.
• La Galereña Runs north-south, south of the city and is an exit of the city.
• El Minero Runs east-west, in Centro.
• Tunel Noroeste Ponciano Aguilar Runs east to west, northeast of the city.
• Tunel de los Angeles Runs west to east, south of the city and is an exit of the city.
• Santa Fe Runs east to west, northwest of the city.
• Miguel Hidalgo The longest of all tunnels. Runs west to east, across the city.
• Tamazuca The only two-way tunnel and the shortest also. Runs north to south and vice versa, west of the city.

By foot

Guanajuato is not very big and you can walk to most places, so a car is really not necessary.

By bus

Buses, called urbanos, are operated by the Sistema Coordinado de Transporte de Guanajuato, and run from 07:00-22:00 daily for a flat rate of M$5 (single ride, no transfer). There is no schedule or route map; destinations are marked or painted on the windshield. In general buses heading from east to west travel above ground along Avenida Benito Juarez, while buses heading in the opposite direction travel underground in Túnel Miguel Hidalgo. A number of stairways descending from the street lead to underground bus stops and are safe to use.

By taxi

A taxi to any destination within central Guanajuato should cost about 35-40 pesos. Taxis do not use meters and the price should be confirmed first.

By tourist trolley

A trolley-like bus makes sightseeing tours of the city departing from Plaza de la Paz in the Centro, next to the Basilica of our Lady of Guanajuato. The rides lasts 1.5 hours and costs M$50. There is a tour guide in Spanish only. Is a great way to know the city.

By car

Driving a car is not the best way to get to know Guanajuato; however, if you plan to get in and out of the city then you will need to use the underground roads or tunnels. Make sure to park your car in your hotel, as most offer free shuttle to the city; otherwise, park your car in a lot (estacionamiento).

Churches

• Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato

  phone: +52 473 732 0314
  address: C/ Ponciano Aguilar 7
  Built from 1671 to 1696. Inside this church there is a 1000-year-old statue donated by Spanish King Charles I who tried to protect it from the Arab invasion in Spain.

• Church of the Company of Jesus

  phone: +52 473 733 9782
  address: Lascuráin de Retana s/n
  Built between 1747 and 1765.

• Templo de San Roque

  address: Plazuela de San Roque
  Built in 1726, this was a Jesuit school in the latter half of the 18th century.

• Church of San Diego de Alcalá

  phone: +52 473 732 2990
  address: Calle de Sopeña s/n
  This is the only surviving building from the original 17th-century convent, with a splendid rococo exterior.

• Saint Francis of Assisi Church

  phone: +52 473 732 0377
  address: Manuel Doblado 15
  A former Franciscan convent, built between 1792-1828.

• Church of San Cayetano

  phone: +52 473 732 3596
  address: Salida a Dolores Hidalgo s/n
  Built from 1765-1788 with funding from the rich silver mines, this is considered to be one of the best examples of Mexican Churrigueresque architecture. Particularly noteworthy are the finely-carved, elaborate altars covered in gold leaf.

Landmarks

• El Pípila

  address: San Miguel hill
  A 28-meter tall statue of an independence hero. Juan Jose Martinez, or also known as El Pípila, was a legendary hero who wore a stone slab on his back to protect himself while burning the Spanish troops holed up in the Alhóndiga, or granary, in September 1810. The view is beautiful, particularly at night.

• Teatro Juárez

  phone: +52 473 732 0183
  address: Sopena S/N
  The architecture of this theater is part Neoclassical and part Moorish, making it a really beautiful building. Inaugurated in 1903 by President Porfirio Díaz.

• Jardín de la UniónThis space was built as the atrium for a 17th-century convent, of which the Templo de San Diego is the sole surviving building. It now functions as the central plaza, and always has a lot of things going on, day and night. There are a number of restaurants surrounding the garden, and in the afternoons and evening there free concerts are often given from the central gazebo.

• Teatro Principal

• Callejon del BesoTwo balconies separated by only 69 centimeters is home of an old love legend. For a few pennies some children will tell you the story.

• Alhóndiga de Granaditas

  phone: +52 473 732 1112
  address: Mendizábal 6
  This building is where the independence revolutionaries burned the Spanish troops, and now houses a museum devoted to the history of the region, as well as an important photographic library.

• Escuela Normal Oficial de Guanajuato

  address: De La Presa
  Teacher's school. The building also houses an English language lending library open Tuesday and Thursday.

• Palacio Legislativo

  address: Plaza de la Paz
  This building was built as the city hall in 1903 and inaugurated by President Porfirio Díaz.

• Plaza del Baratillo

• Plaza de la Paz

• Plaza de San Fernando

• Presa de la OllaBuilt in 1749 to supply fresh water to the town. In this place you can rent a little boat. There's also a park and a great statue of Miguel Hidalgo casted in Italy also inaugurated by President Porfirio Díaz in the early 1900s. This area is very tranquil and quiet to have a break.

• Universidad de Guanajuato

  address: Calzada de Guadalupe
  There is a 3-4 story series of steps that lead up to an auditorium, offering good views over the colonial city.

Mines

• Mina de San Juan de Rayas

  address: Panorámica Carretera panorámica s/n, Mellado
  The first mine of Guanajuato, discovered in 1550.

• Mina de Cata

• Mina el Nopal

  phone: +52 473 732 1036
  address: Panorámica San Javier s/n, San Javier

• Mina de ValencianaThe richest mine in Guanajuato still in operation today. It supplied enough silver to sponsor the Spanish Empire and its colonies.

Museums

• Museum of the Mummies

  phone: +52 473 732 06 39
  address: Explanada del Panteón Municipal S/N
  A must if you're in Guanajuato. In 1910, due to the overcrowding of the local graveyard, the authorities were forced to exhume several bodies and when they did that they found the bodies had turned into mummies rather than fully decomposing. After that they founded this really strange and unique museum.

• Museo Casa Diego Rivera

  phone: +52 473 732 1197
  address: Positos 47
  The birthplace of Diego Rivera, a well-preserved traditional Mexican residence. Be sure to check out the collections of his simple, socialist-inspired works.

• Don Quixote Iconographic Museum

  phone: +52 473 732 3376
  address: Manuel Doblado 2
  Small, but very well done.

• House of Legends

  phone: +52 473 731 0213
  address: Subida del Molino y Panorámica s/n

• Casa de Tía Aura

  phone: +52 473 731 1824
  address: Paseo de La Presa 62
  Sort of house of horrors that's sweet in its corniness. Inside this house a woman was buried alive inside the walls. The tour is conducted (appropriately enough) in Spanish and will be difficult to understand for those not fairly fluent, though the sights are self-explanatory and the gasps and screams comprehensible in any language.

• Museum of the Town of Guanajuato

  phone: +52 473 732 2990
  address: Positos 7

• Casa Museo Gene Byron

  phone: +52 473 733 1029
  address: Calle Real de Marfil s/n, Marfil
  From 1962 to 1987 this was the home of Canadian artist Gene Byron.

• Museum of the Holy Inquisition

  phone: +52 473 734 0381
  address: Antiguo Camino a Valenciana s/n
  Features torture instruments.

• Marian Gallery Collegiate Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato

  phone: +52 473 732 03 14
  address: Ponciano Aguilar 7

• Mineralogy Museum Eduardo Villaseñor Söhl

  phone: +52 473 732 22 91
  address: Ex-Hacienda San Matías S/N, Departamento de Ingeniería en Minas
  One of the richest collection of minerals in the world. Ex-hacienda de San Matias.

• Ex-convent Museum Dieguino

  phone: +52 473 732 7491
  address: Bajos Templo de San Diego S/N
  The underground excavated remains of the original 17th-century cloister, of which the Templo de San Diego is the surviving remnant today. Occasionally photography and art exhibits are also hosted in this space.

• Alfredo Dugès Natural History Museum

  address: Lascuráin de Retana 5

Cultural events

• Semana SantaEaster is considered to be the most important religious holiday here, and commences with celebrations honoring Viernes de Dolores (Our Lady of Sorrows) on the final Friday of Lent. During the following week special altars are built and displayed in churches, public plazas, and in shops and homes. On Viernes Santo (Good Friday) at midday the Passion of the Christ is reenacted in front of the basilica, and in the evening the Procesíon de Silencio (Silent Procession) winds through the streets. Many tourists visit from other parts of Mexico at this time, and room rates are generally double.

• Festival Medieval de Guanajuato

  phone: +52 473 731 0120
  address: Parque Medieval de Rayas
  An annual event since 2005, this festival celebrates music, dance, and art from the 5th to 15th centuries, with participants hailing from across Mexico.

• Festival Internacional de Órgano de Guanajuato Guillermo Pinto ReyesNamed in honor of Mexican organist and composer Guillermo Reyes Pinto, this annual festival celebrates the city's many historic church organs, some of which date to the 16th and 17th centuries. Distinguished Mexican and international musicians are invited to perform, and all concerts are free to the public. The festival is organized by the Guanajuato Ministry of Culture; updated information is available at the Tourist Office.

• Expresión de Corto

  phone: +52 415 152 7264
  An annual short film festival, co-hosted by the nearby city of San Miguel de Allende. Hundreds of films from nearly all genres are screened in venues including the Teatro Principal and movie theaters, as well as in alternative settings including the city cemetery. Most films are subtitled in Spanish and English.

• Festival Internacional Cervantino

  address: Venues throughout the city
  This annual festival began as a series of weekly informal Cervantes comedy performances, and since then has grown to become one of Guanajuato's most celebrated events. The festival has a full program including theater, dance, and musical performances, and attracts both Mexican and international artists. Tickets can be purchased from StubHub or at the box office of Teatro Juarez, while outdoor performances in the plazas are free to the public. The exact dates and schedule for the festival are set in June; prices for hotel rooms generally double during this time.

Sport and outdoor activities

• Centro Acuático en Macrocentro

  phone: +52 473 109 2074
  address: Ctra Guanajuato-Dolores Hidalgo, Km 2.5
  Facilities include an indoor Olympic-sized pool, a diving pool, and an on-site gym.

• World Rally Championship

  phone: +52 55 5259-6904
  Guanajuato and nearby León host the Mexican round of the World Rally Championship.

• Pipila FunicularRide the funicular to the top of the mountain where the statue of the "Pipila" is located. No pets, no bicycles.

• Climb to the top of the mountain that overlooks Guanajuato. There's a trail that goes to the top- look for the signs to Pipila. It takes at most 1/2 hour to get to the top and there is an amazing view of the city.
• There are nice tracks to exercise for example Nieto Pina located going towards the Pipila from los Mineros.

• Mercado Hidalgo

  address: Juarez Street and Mendizabal
  A two-story indoor market selling from touristy stuff (handcrafts, souvenirs, etc.) to groceries (food, confectionery and clothing). It is said the structure of this market was originally intended to be a train station in Antwerp, Belgium, but it was brought to Guanajuato by President Porfirio Díaz and completed in 1910, shortly before the start of the Mexican Revolution. The façade of this building is made of pink quarry and boasts a tower.

• El Cubilete

  phone: +52 473 732 5934
  address: Avenida Juárez 188
  This is your one-stop store for confectionery, established in 1955. It sells all sorts of local sweets, including such specialties like 'Charamuscas', figures made of caramel resembling the mummies. Try also 'Cajeta', similar to Dulce de Leche but made of goat's milk.

• Mercado Embajadoras

  address: Embajadoras 26
  There is a weekly market every Sunday with lots of local venders who come in to the city to sell their stuff. The rest of the week the food market has fruits, vegetables, a butcher and florist. There are lots of venders who have stalls outside the market and sell clothes, sunglasses, DVDs , toys, candy and great food.

• DelSol

  phone: +52 473 734 0816
  address: Avenida Juárez 125
  If you need to get all your basics at once, check out this place which is similar to a Wal-Mart.

• Comercial Mexicana

  phone: +52 473 732 9631
  address: Avenida Juárez 131
  A branch of the Mexican hypermarket chain that sells everything from basic groceries to TVs and some clothing.

• Plaza Pozuelos

  phone: +52 473 731 0300
  A modern shopping mall with a few international chain stores.

• Mega Comercial Mexicana

  phone: +52 473 732 7363
  address: Plaza Pozuelos
  Another larger branch of the hypermarket chain.

If you are looking more for handmade crafts and more touristy stuff, take a bus to San Miguel de Allende, about an hour away from Guanajuato. There is a large open-air artisan market there.

If you'd like to purchase handmade ceramics, take the roughly one-hour bus ride to Dolores Hidalgo.

• Plateros Spanish School

  phone: +52 473 732 9942
  address: Calle de Alonso 14
  Spanish for foreigners. Wide range of courses to suit particular needs and interests offering regular, intensive and super intensive standard or PLUS courses. Private tuition and Spanish for specific purposes (business, travelling, medical Spanish, etc.) Can arrange accommodation including home-stay.

• Colegio de Lenguas Adelita

  phone: +52 473 732 0826
  address: Callejón Agua Fuerte 56
  A friendly language school located in the center of Guanajuato with professional and highly experienced teaching staff. Adelita offers a learning curriculum that ensures the students receive an interactive, methodical education including constant interaction and immersion in the Mexican culture. The school organizes plenty of out of classroom activities and tours for the students to make the most of their learning vacation. In addition to Spanish, the school also offers courses in English, French, Italian, Portuguese, and German.

• Escuela Mexicana

  phone: +52 473 732 5005
  address: Potrero 12
  One of the best language schools in town. The staff is nice, fluent in English, and flexible, and you can create a schedule to fit your needs, from 1-6 hours of class per day, of varied courses. There are afternoon and day tours to local attractions as well as weekend trips to more distant sights.

• Don Quijote

  address: Calle Pastita 76
  A great school where you can take 4-6 hours of courses a day. The entire day is with the same teacher and all courses including beginner courses are taught entirely in Spanish. The teachers are excellent, the students are a diverse group from around the world (some of whom do not speak English), and there are lots of formal and informal activities provided by the school, including a weekly Spanish conversation dinner and salsa classes. The school also has student apartments and homestays. You can reserve a course before you head to Mexico if you wish or reserve weekly classes once you're there.

• La Hacienda Spanish School

  phone: +52 473-732-0826
  address: Callejón de Montenegro 45-B
  A small, friendly and intimate language school based in an old hacienda. Offers group, private, trimester, specialized (law, medical, etc.) and online Spanish courses. Classes range from beginner to advanced; the teachers adapt to learners’ styles and meet the students right where they are in their abilities and interest. A comfortable, supportive learning environment. Can arrange homestays and other accommodation.

In Guanajuato the local dish is 'miner's enchiladas' (enchiladas mineras), served almost everywhere.

• Antik Café

  phone: +52 473 732 7154
  address: Del Baratillo 16
  They have bagels, Mexican food, coffee drinks and teas. It is not expensive and it has its own bar. They often have live music at night.

• La Bohemia Restaurant-Bar

  phone: +52 473 732 9772
  address: Jardín de la Unión 4
  Small, traditional café serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Popular with residents and visitors.

• Café Tal

  phone: +52 473 732 6212
  address: Temescuitate 4
  Coffee, tea, a mixed foreign and Mexican crowd, and high speed wireless internet access. It's between 5-10 minutes from Teatro Juarez up the main street towards the baseball stadium, just up the street from Bar Fly. The owner, an American expat, plays French horn in the city orchestra. Although it serves some distinctly Mexican drinks and snacks, it also has a much wider selection of tea and coffee drinks familiar to Americans and difficult to find in Guanajuato. (Tea is pretty unsatisfactory in the city, not so here. And they understand the concept of iced tea.) They also have low cost international calling and tasty snacks. Before lunch, a bakery a few doors down has a wider selection of pastries and rolls.

• Las Cupulas Mexicanas

  phone: +52 473 732 4182
  address: Cantarranas 43
  If you are looking for some after-clubbing late-night/early morning food, try some of their delicious quesadillas.

• Delica Mitsu

  phone: +52 473 732 3881
  address: Callejon de Cantaritos 37
  Delica Mitsu serves up homemade Japanese delicatessen "sozai", sushi rolls, grilled chicken, and more. Many of the dishes are made from vegetables only, so vegetarians will also feel at home at this tiny restaurant owned and operated by a sweet Japanese couple. Popular with tourists and locals, there are new items on the menu everyday which are sure to keep you coming back time and time again.

• Habibti Falafel

  phone: +52 473 732 9418
  address: Sostenes Rocha 18
  Fusion cafe offering vegetarian options. House-made chai, delicious coffee, muffins, and falafel.

• Mestizo

  phone: +52 473 732 0612
  address: Calle Pocitos 69
  Fabulous food at mid-range prices with a great atmosphere. A fine dining restaurant and art gallery combined. For M$500 it is possible to get 2 appetizers, 4 dinners, 2 glasses of wine and 2 sodas.

• Mexico Lindo y Sabroso

  phone: +52 473 731 0529
  address: Paseo de La Presa 154
  Serves classic Mexican dishes in a lovely terrace and courtyard.

• El Midi Bistró

  phone: +52 473 732 7401
  address: Calle San José 4, 1st floor
  Offers fantastic southern French lunch buffet featuring lots of marinated and glazed vegetables, salads and quiches, with food sold by weight and extremely affordable. Dinners feature a standard menu. Don't miss their delicious aguas frescas to accompany your meal.

• No name barServes burgers, bar food, and Mexican food at a good price. They have seating outside the bar in a nice courtyard. Beer is fairly cheap.

• Truco 7

  phone: +52 473 732 8374
  address: Calle del Truco 7
  Features Mexican and American food at a decent price. They have tortilla soup, enchiladas, and hamburgers. They have excellent aguas frescas and milkshakes. Try the strawberry, it comes with cinnamon in it.

• Santo Café

  phone: +52 473 122 2320
  address: Campanero 4
  If you want cheap food and free internet access visit Santo Café which features a sweet little bridge upon which you can eat. The food here is very clean and you needn't worry about having fresh fruits or salads.

• El Zopilote Mojado

  phone: +52 4737325311
  address: Plaza Mexíamora 51
  The beautiful Plaza Mexíamora host this unique café, where you can find peaceful atmosphere with an excellent coffee, classical music, interesting books in English and Spanish, and delicious desserts and baguettes. A very Mexican place with an international taste.

The nightlife is very active in Guanajuato, especially on weekends. Look for people passing out flyers during the day for drink specials and sometimes free drink coupons. If you walk around the city center, you'll find plenty to do – music spills out of the bars and clubs into the streets and many establishments have outdoor areas.
To start the night off, stop by one of the little cafes in the Jardín, for dinner and drinks and mariachi band ambiance. It is a great place to people watch. And definitely try Sol – a popular Mexican beer similar to Corona.

• Fante Bar

  phone: +52 473 732 9413
  A small dive bar with a psychedelic video on loop near the main church. It's notable in that it has the best pulque in town. Well worth a visit if you haven't tried the local drink.

• AlcatrazHas great drink specials and a great atmosphere with many locals.

• El BarA salsa bar across the street from Teatro Juarez. It offers salsa lessons every night 19:00-22:00. It plays mostly salsa and merengue all night and often has salsa shows.

• Bar Fly

  phone: +52 473 652 1488
  address: Sostenes Rocha 30
  Has a younger crowd. The staff is friendly and gets to know their customers. There is reggae music as well as lamp shades made out of solo cups. A definite must-see. If you are young and female, the staff will flirt unabashedly, but they're harmless and worth getting to know. If they know you are in Mexico to learn Spanish (whether you tell them or your teacher does) they won't speak English to you at all.

• Cantina La Botellita

  phone: +52 473 732 2566
  address: Jardín de la Unión 2
  Known for having giant, delicious margaritas and good food. They also do 2 for 1 drinks on Tuesdays, but if you're a girl, or at least with a girl, you pretty much get 2 for 1 drinks all the time.

• Capitolio Nightclub

  phone: +52 473 732 0810
  address: Plaza de la Paz 62

• Don Olé KaraokeTry out your Spanish, but don't worry, they have songs in English too.

• Famoso Bar Incendio

  address: Calle Cantarranas s/n
  A typical Mexican cantina, one of the oldest in Guanajuato. Lately they have a students environment. They are famous for their mezcales.

• Guanajuato Grill

  phone: +52 477 225 4941
  address: Calle de Alonso 4
  Another favorite of locals and tourists. It is even bigger than Capitolio and boasts two levels. It is always packed on weekends, with the same type of crowd as Capitolio. Although it plays similar music to what you hear in Capitolio, it tends to play more electronic and techno music. It also offers great drink specials, especially on bottles.

• La HavanaA salsa bar that attracts a more local, late-night crowd.

• No name barFeatures good music, friendly bartenders and good drinks at night and a great laid-back atmosphere to sip a beer outside and plan your day in Guanajuato during the day.

• Why Not?

  address: Calle de Alonso 34
  Another chill bar that plays unique latino indie-rock and reggae. It's a good place to hang out and play pool. The bartenders are very sociable and entertaining. Why Not is open later than Bar Fly and is often the after hours destination of the Bar Fly crowd and staff.

• Zilch

  phone: +52 473 734 0755
  address: Jardín de la Unión 4
  A great bar in the Jardín Unión, they have live music from Wednesday to Saturday. Great prices, great environment, awesome terrace, great service, pool table! They serve snacks 19:00-22:00.

• El Zopilote Mojado

  phone: +52 473 732 5311
  address: Plaza Mexíamora 51

Budget

• Casa Bertha

  phone: +52 473 732 1316, +52 473 732 5104
  address: Callejón de Tamboras 9
  Free kitchen, terrace and wireless internet use.

• La Casa de Dante

  phone: +52 473 731 0909
  address: Callejon de Zaragoza 25
  Very nice staff and a great daily fresh breakfast. Big, healthy and different every day, meat or vegetarian, whatever you prefer. Hardly any hot water in the showers though.

• Casa de Pita

  phone: +52 473 73 21532
  address: Callejon Cabecita 26
  This Guanajuato B&B has location, location, location and remarkable value; one block from Plaza Baratillo and another block to Plaza Union and Teatro Juarez – the heart of Guanajuato City and easy walking distance to all within-city attractions. Very safe location, clean, friendly, Wi-Fi and great breakfast in a colorful, truly Mexican home.

• La Casa del Tío

  phone: +52 473 733 9728
  address: Calle Cantarranas 47
  Great location in the historic center, budget, basic, no frills but clean, free kitchen, wireless, promotions and the best rooftop in Guanajuato. This is a legally-registered hostel in the city and the owner, Olivia Machuca, is the president of the Associacion of Mexican Hostels. Their goal is to provide a professional and friendly service to the visitors. La Casa del Tío is always recommended in travel guides such as Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and Let's Go among others. The laundry machine they offer on the website doesn't work.

• Hostal del Campanero

  phone: +52 473 734 5665
  address: Calle Campanero 19
  Fanatically clean and beautiful architecture. Great character and friendly staff. Only two showers for the whole hostel.

• Hostal La Casa Blanca

  address: Calle Pocitos 17

• Hostal del Truco

  address: Calle Truco 4

• Hostal Santuario

  address: Calle Cantarranes 38
  The entrance doesn't show it's a hostel, but it is. It might be noisy from the bar downstairs.

• Hostel Guanajuato

  address: Calle Campanero 14
  Great location. Only two showers for the whole hostel, but with a lot of very hot water.

Mid-range

• La Casa Azul

  phone: +52 473 731 2288
  address: Callejón de Carcamanes 57
  Beautiful hotel with charming rooms at much lower prices than the tourist traps in the city center. Wonderful views and fantastic gardens, a really romantic place to stay but also family-friendly. Comfortable beds, plenty of hot water, and nice furnishings. Friendly staff who are happy to chat and give suggestions in Spanish, but they speak only very limited English. Fine with very late check-ins, but if you go earlier, they'll let you pick your room. Pool and TVs in rooms, but no food. It is, in fact, a blue house, and locals will be able to give you directions. They're fine with (or perhaps oblivious to?) gay/lesbian couples and unmarried hetero couples staying together.

• Casa Mágica

  phone: +52 473 731 0515
  address: Paseo de La Presa 79
  It's a clean, quiet hotel with about 8 rooms in a colonial home. The staff is sweet and very helpful.

• The Garden Studios en la Presa

  phone: +52 47 731 1922
  address: San Juan de Dios 38
  Located in one of the most elegant neighborhoods of Guanajuato. Walking distance to el Centro Historico. Wifi included, down comforters and bathrobes, fresh flowers on arrival. Gas space heaters available (gas at cost).

• Hotel Gran Plaza

  phone: +52 473 733 1990
  address: Carretera Juventino Rosas Km 6
  It's right in the entrance to Guanajuato, and the staff is very nice and helpful. They offer free of charge shuttle service during the day and are more than willing to make you as comfortable as possible.

• Hotel Mesón Cuévano

  phone: +52 473 732 6062
  address: De La Barranca 8

• Hotel Meson de los Poetas

  phone: +52 473 732 6657, +52 473 732 4506
  address: Pozitos 35
  The hotel is a restored 18th-century house and centrally located, with helpful English-speaking staff. Nonsmoking rooms available, onsite restaurant and free Wi-Fi.

• El Zopilote Mojado

  phone: +52 473 732 5311
  address: Plaza Mexiamora 51 y 53
  This hostel is downtown but located in 3 buildings around the quiet Plaza Mexiamora. In the El Zopilote Mojado building is a coffee shop with excellent coffee and desserts, and upstairs are the rooms, tastefully done. There is another building called Perros Muertos, colorfully decorated, with all the services (kitchen included) and two terraces with gorgeous views. Finally, La Casa del Infierno is located in Callejon del Infierno. This house has two small apartments and a main house, fully equipped with very Mexican decorations.

Splurge

Guanajuato is a really safe city – police are always around, and people are very friendly to tourists. Most of the city is safe during daylight hours, and as long as you stay in the downtown area, walking around alone or in small groups at night is safe as well. (Anyplace you'd want to go out at night is downtown.) The rougher neighborhoods are on the slopes of the eastern side of the city, as well as in the vicinity of the Pípila monument. Generally the city is far safer than the average American college campus and doesn't have much crime directed at tourists.
There is however one caveat: do not ever go running or walking around the Panorámica (the beautiful road around the edge of the city in the mountains) in the evening or early mornings. Many rapes, assaults, and muggings of foreigners have occurred in this area and some of the victims were out running with friends. Groups of men may be OK, but even several women together will not be safe. It is, however, safe to run in the city in the early mornings and there are a number of gyms where you can pay by the class. (Several of the foreign exchange programs have apartments on or near the Panorámica and those houses often have large parties. In the populated areas it's fine at all hours, but since it's a loop with a nice view of the city, many foreigners decide to run around it at dawn and parts of it are much more isolated.)

Try also to visit Dolores Hidalgo (about 1 hour from Guanajuato) and San Miguel de Allende (about 1.5 hours from Guajuato), both cities in Guanajuato State. Or, if you love shoes you can go to León, "The Shoes Capital". The shoes and boots are inexpensive, but of very good quality.