Why You Should Visit This Underrated City On Your Next Trip To Mexico

If you’re on the lookout for a vibrant and culturally wealthy vacation spot, Guadalajara, Mexico must be on the high of your listing.

The Guadalajara Cathedral across a plaza with a fountain in the foreground

Located within the coronary heart of the nation, Guadalajara is the second-largest metropolis in Mexico and presents guests a novel mix of historical past, artwork, and fashionable points of interest.

As the birthplace of each mariachi and tequila, town is overflowing with wealthy historical past and cultural significance.

It was not too long ago named considered one of TIME’s World’s Greatest Places of 2023, alongside the better-known Mexico City, and it’s simple to see why.

Here are some the explanation why it’s best to plan a go to to this underrated metropolis:

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1. Culture

Guadalajara is commonly thought of the cultural heart of Mexico as a result of its wealthy historical past and creative heritage.

The metropolis is residence to a number of world-class museums, together with the Regional Museum of Anthropology and History and the Instituto Cultural Cabañas.

Visitors can immerse themselves in Mexican artwork, music, and dance on the many festivals and occasions held all year long, such because the Guadalajara International Film Festival.

Being the house of tequila and mariachi, there are, after all, festivals devoted to these as nicely. The Tequila Festival and the International Mariachi and Charrería Festival happen in March and September, respectively.

While tequila and mariachi want no introduction, charrería, Mexico’s nationwide sport, is mostly in comparison with a rodeo and one thing to not miss on a visit to Guadalajara.

Traditional dancers at a festival in Guadalajara, Mexico

2. Cuisine

Mexican cuisine is thought for its daring flavors, and every state has its personal distinctive dishes.

Guadalajara is legendary for its birria — a spicy meat stew (often goat) that’s sometimes served with tortillas and lime wedges.

Another native specialty is the torta ahogada, or “drowned sandwich.” This is precisely what it appears like – a fried pork sandwich smothered in a spicy tomato sauce and served with avocado, onions, and radish.

Some different dishes to look out for are pozole and chilaquiles. Visitors can pattern these dishes and extra on the metropolis’s many road distributors, markets, and eating places.

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A plate with a torta ahogada or drowned sandwhich, a specialty cuisine of Guadalajara, Mexico

3. History

Guadalajara is residence to a few of Mexico’s most gorgeous structure, with buildings that date again to the 16^th century.

The historic heart of Guadalajara, or Centro Historico, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and options lovely colonial-era buildings, such because the Government Palace and the Guadalajara Cathedral.

The cathedral is sort of as previous as town itself and contains Gothic, baroque, and neoclassical influences.

Visitors also can discover the neighborhood of Tlaquepaque, recognized for its colourful buildings and conventional crafts, or enterprise an hour exterior of town to view the traditional Guachimontones Pyramids.

An aerial view of the Guadalajara Cathedral with the city in the distance

4. Entertainment

Guadalajara has a vibrant nightlife scene with a wide range of bars, nightclubs, and reside music venues.

Visit the Tlaquepaque neighborhood for mariachi or head to the favored Chapultepec neighborhood for extra fashionable hotspots.

The metropolis can also be residence to probably the most LGBTQ bars and nightclubs in Mexico and is thought for internet hosting Latin America’s largest homosexual pleasure parade.

If nightclubs aren’t your factor, there are many different points of interest, as Guadalajara has a thriving buying and sports activities scene.

For buying, you’ll discover the whole lot from native artisan markets to massive city malls.

Sports lovers ought to take a look at a charreada (rodeo) or head to the Arena Coliseo for an extremely entertaining lucha libre efficiency (wrestling).

A view of the Guadalajara Cathedral across a plaza with a gazebo and people in the foreground

5. Day Trips

Guadalajara’s location makes it a really perfect base for exploring nearby attractions.

One of the preferred day journeys from Guadalajara is to the city of Tequila to go to the sprawling agave fields and find out about tequila manufacturing.

These blue agave fields, that are one more UNESCO World Heritage Site, are the supply of all of the tequila on the planet.

Travelers can go to the National Museum of Tequila, tour distilleries, and go to the unique tequila manufacturing unit, the Hacienda Herradura San Jose Refugio.

There is even a practice, aptly named the Jose Cuervo Express, to take you from Guadalajara to Tequila.

Man on a horse riding through agave fields in Tequila, Mexico

Another close by possibility for both a day journey or a soothing weekend is Lake Chapala.

An hour’s drive takes guests to this freshwater lake the place they’ll bird-watch, benefit from the calm environment, or rent a ship to go island-hopping.

The space is so tranquil that it has introduced in fairly a couple of retirees and expats over time and is at present residence to many Americans and Canadians.