San Miguel de Allende, voted Best City in the World

San Miguel de Allende (SMA) is a unique and charming little city in the center of Mexico that you will fall in love with at first sight.  In 2008, San Miguel de Allende was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site by the United Nations as a Historical City.  A remarkable example of 16th-century Spanish Colonial Baroque architecture.  The city’s colonial authenticity and cultural integrity, and the excellent condition of its historic downtown (Centro Historico,) were key elements that contributed to the UNESCO designation. Named “The Best City in the World” in 2017 & 2018 by Travel & Leisure, San Miguel de Allende attributes this in large part to its artisan markets, architecture, beauty, cuisine, and cultural heritage. 

Being named a Cultural Heritage site means that any new buildings built in Centro Historico (64-block historic downtown) must comply with traditional architecture which preserves this colonial city in a way that will charm and entrance you.  The undeniable history, charm, and romance of cobblestone streets and brightly painted Spanish colonial buildings have a way of winning over any visitor.  The artisan markets in San Miguel are well known across the land.  The city is full of artists, painters, and craftsmen, and this is reflected in these beautiful markets.  So much so, San Miguel de Allende was also named a Pueblo Mágico (Magic City) in 2002. 

What To See

The City. Honestly, the most amazing thing to see in San Miguel de Allende is actually the city itself. Wander around on the streets in Centro Historico. You will love the architecture and Spanish style buildings. They are brightly colored and you will want to take pictures constantly.

The Church. The main attraction and most prominent landmark in the city is La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel. This church is the focal point of the city, as it can be seen from every direction and many tourists use this landmark to navigate the cobblestone streets. This grand, neo-Gothic 17th-century church known for its soaring pink spires & lofty, ornate sanctuary soars over this historic town.

Sunset Views from Rooftop Bars. San Miguel de Allende is known for its rooftops bars. In fact, a few years back San Miguel has a spot on the list of top 10 rooftop bars in the world. The layout of the city, and the prominent focal point of the La Parroquia makes for some amazing sunset views.

What To Do

Visit Art Museums. San Miguel de Allende is a hotbed of artistic activity. So, it is not surprising that there are some amazing galleries in San Miguel. We visited one that by far blew me away. Atotonilco Gallery is located just outside of town (about 25 mins) in a suburb called Atotnilco. This place is not just a gallery but also the artists home. It is a beautifully designed home as well as a gallery. You can only visit by appointment so go online ahead of time and make an appt. This is worth the trip.
Gallery owner Mayer Shacter shares his knowledge and stories freely, having traveled all over México to select each item. He brings over fifty years of experience as a collector, dealer, and ceramic artist.

Soak at La Gruta Spa. While in the Atotonilco area, stay around and visit La Gruta Spa. This costs about $10 US to spend the day here. There are several pools of different sizes and temperatures, but the main attraction is La Gruta (the Grotto). You travel thru a series of water tunnels until you reach the grotto, which is like a large thatched palapa that has geothermal water that pours out from the side. The waters of these thermal baths are said to have medicinal properties.  They have a little restaurant here too and we had the best guacamole (huge plate) for $5.

Experience the Ruins. Cañada de la Virgen ruins is an Otomi archaeological site that has been recently excavated. Located in the Mexican state of  Guanajuato, the site was first excavated in 1995, while the official excavation began in 2002. Public access was first allowed in 2011. However, unlike its famous counterparts such as Chichen-Itzá, access is strictly controlled due to it sitting on private property. There is limited access to the site each day to preserve it, so go online and book in advance to visit. I recommend a private tour. We took a tour with Albert Coffee, a local legend and one of the original archeologists that worked on the excavation.

Where To Stay

Like most cities, there are plenty of hotels and rooms available.

Airbnb can be a great option. They can be super affordable. We rented a house that could accommodate 5 people for the week. The house was beautiful with a small courtyard. The kitchen was great cause we could cook meals and have coffee/breakfast in the morning. The price was around $20 per person per night. So Affordable.

At first, we were a little concerned cause the house was about 25 minutes outside the city. But we were relieved to find out that the bus ran right by the house for .25 cents per trip. The taxis were also super affordable. I think we paid the equivalent of $5 for 4 people for the 25-minute ride into town.

Hostels should be considered too. My friend and I arrived early before the Airbnb house was ready so we stayed one night in the downtown hostel named Hostel Inn. It was $20 a night for 2 people in a private room with 2 twin beds, hot shower, and cold A/C. It has a great courtyard where lots of folks gathered for socializing. It was less than a 5-minute walk from the main square. I would highly recommend.

Where To Eat

Restaurants. Honestly, there are so many great restaurants in San Miguel, it is hard to recommend my favorite. We tried The Restaurant and La Azotea for dinner. Most of the places, we went for the views in addition to the food. Most of the touristy restaurants with views were overpriced for the food, but the views are great. We also tried several of the tacos from the street carts. I actually preferred these and they were super affordable, like 3 tacos for $1-2 dollars.

Local Kitchens. This recommendation is a little off the wall. But bear with me as this was one of our most memorable moments in San Miguel. On our first night, we stayed in a hostel near the downtown area. When we got up in the morning and decided to go out for breakfast, my friend said that she didn’t want to go towards town, but she was sure we find something if we walked through this residential area.  Seemed crazy to me but I followed along.  Sure enough, while walking by these little houses, we found a small kitchen that was open to visitors.  They made us fresh tacos right off the comal and we watched as they traded their tacos for eggs, sodas, dishing washing detergent, and shoes.  It was amazing to see the barter system in place.  Everything was traded.  The food was so fresh and very inexpensive but talking to the sisters was even better.  We had breakfast with these wonderful sisters named Antonia & Argenia in their makeshift kitchen/restaurant.  They only had two tables and we had wonderful conversations in Spanish as they shared their life stories.

How To Get There

There are two airports close to San Miguel de Allende.

There are two airports near San Miguel de Allende. The drive is about 1.5 hrs from Guanajuato International Airport and about 1 hour 20 minutes from Queretaro. So, the drive is about the same, so I recommend looking for the best airline tickets you can find. You can hire a car to take you into SMA. I think we paid $30 each for a private driver. We asked the driver to stop and let us buy some beer and snacks. This made the drive more pleasant.

How to Handle Currency (in Pesos)

The local currency in San Miguel is the Mexican peso. I recommend getting pesos as soon as you arrive in Mexico and making all purchases in the local currency even if a shop or restaurant says they accept US dollars. For tips on how to get the best exchange rates and simplest way to get pesos, read Hot Tips for Handling Foreign Currency.

Where To Shop

Fresh Markets. Mercado San Juan de Dios is located in the Centro Historico, only about 5 minutes from the main square. There are primarily two sections of this market, indoor containing predominantly food, while the outdoor market primarily has clothes, flowers, and some raw meats.  This market promises a reliable source of good, cheap produce and is also where many locals meet up to socialize. Open every day from 9 am to 6 pm, you can throw yourself into the life of San Miguel de Allende by interacting with local traders and produce.

Artisan Markets.
Mercado de Artesanias is probably the most famous of the Artisan Markets. This markets winds down the steps of an alley / street named Lucas Balderas, Open every day from 9 am until 7 pm, the market is filled with hand-crafted jewelry, gems, ceramics, rugs, clothing and locally grown/made sweets, spices, honey and such. The market continues through a passageway with artisans on both sides of the narrow street. This market does not disappoint and doesn’t have the predictable cheap souvenirs you find in most cities. San Miguel is known as a city of artists, painters and craftsmen, and this is reflected in this beautiful market.

Best City in the World

Being voted the Best City in the World two years in a row is a pretty amazing feat. If you visit, you will certainly see the reasons why. Visit San Miguel de Allende soon and see if you think it will retain the title for 2019!