San Miguel de Allende
Discover San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende is a colonial city in the state of Guanajuato in the Bajio mountains of central Mexico, about 270 km (170 mi) northwest of Mexico City. In 2020, the town had 72,000 residents, in a metropolitan area of 160,000. It's a tourist destination, an art colony, and a retirement community for 20,000-25,000 foreigners – mostly Americans, Canadians, and Europeans. In spite of the increased number of foreigners over the past decades, it still is charming enough that many Mexicans visit for special holidays, and there are more than a few visitors who buy a house within a few days of their first arrival.
What to Experience in San Miguel de Allende
Taste of San Miguel de Allende...
This city is filled with clubs, bars, dance halls, and restaurants, and almost all of them have some plan for every night of the week. Following are just a few options, try these out, but also seeking your own favorite hang-out. San Miguel de Allende, while perhaps safer than other tourist destinations in Mexico, can be unsafe. Most tourists don't have a problem when visiting San Miguel de Allende, but you should still exercise caution while on your visit. Use common sense, keep your valuables and cash out of sight and stay in well lit areas at night. Additionally restaurants and cafés now offer free wi-fi for their patrons. Otherwise internet cafes are ubiquitous and typically charge around M$20 per hour.
Climate
San Miguel's weather is typical of central mountainous Mexico. It varies little, and even in the hottest months (May and June) when daytime temperatures can reach 35°C, the dry air makes it tolerable and cool mountain breezes tend to make evenings delightful. Winter evenings (from December to February) can get cold, even down to freezing overnight, but it warms up quickly in the morning. The rainy season extends from June to September when days are pleasant for sightseeing until heavy downpours (usually late in the afternoon and evening) cool and freshen the air. The climate has the same lazy, quiet air and temperance as Palm Springs, encouraging long hours of swimming and pool-side tanning, reading or napping, or just lying in a hammock and forgetting the world exists. The movies Once Upon a Time in Mexico and And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself were filmed almost entirely in San Miguel.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThe closest airports to San Miguel are the Aeropuerto Bajío/León (BJX), about 95 km (55 miles) west of San Miguel de Allende and Aeropuerto Querétaro (QRO), about 90 km (50 miles) southeast of San Miguel de Allende. Arriving at either of these airports will reduce your final journey to a relatively inexpensive hour shuttle or cab ride into town. Aeromexico Connect, Viva Aerobus, Volaris and Magnicharters offer flights from Cancun, Chicago, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Monterrey, Puerto Vallarta and/or Tijuana to the region in addition to United Express and American Eagle with flights from Houston Intercontinental and Dallas/Ft Worth respectively. When taking a taxi from one of the two airports, make sure you use an approved taxi service (the green and white cars are official taxis). Uber and Didi drivers may be willing to try picking you up, but risk being pulled over by the police and ordered to turn around and take you right back....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Maybe 90% of San Miguel's attractions are within walking distance. Just keep in mind that because San Miguel was built into the side of a mountain, it can turn out to be difficult to traverse, some inclines are 15 or 20 degrees. Furthermore, the streets are cobbled and narrow – some were nothing but goat tracks before they were paved – and many have fallen into disrepair. Curbs are often a high step away from the road. All in all, the town can be unforgiving to an inexperienced walker. For this reason, it is advisable to bring comfortable shoes. San Miguel has its own pleasant and reliable bus system that serves the entire town, including out-of-the-way places like the Luciérnega Shopping Center. Buses are called urbanos and run from 07:00-21:00 daily for a flat rate of M$8 (Dec 2021) inside the city center (single ride, no transfer, driver gives change). The schedule is every 15-20 minutes in the central city; every 1-2 hours to and from outlying areas in the municipality.
Where to Stay
San Miguel de Allende, while perhaps safer than other tourist destinations in Mexico, can be unsafe. Most tourists don't have a problem when visiting San Miguel de Allende, but you should still exercise caution while on your visit. Use common sense, keep your valuables and cash out of sight and stay in well lit areas at night. Additionally restaurants and cafés now offer free wi-fi for their patrons. Otherwise internet cafes are ubiquitous and typically charge around M$20 per hour.
Money & Budget
In the centro you can find ATMs of BanCoppel, BanBajío, Banco Azteca and citybanamex. There are some minimarkets and Oxxo's in the center. The streets around the Jardín are full of specialty shops selling common souvenirs, clothing, art, furniture, and Mexican tile, and any other type of Mexican artwork that you can think of. In addition to its cultural staples, San Miguel de Allende is known for its amazing shopping. Being near the geographical center of the country, artisans from every part of Mexico have been known to send their artwork to San Miguel to be sold. Whenever possible, buy directly from the artisan. Many amazingly talented artists are not able to support their families due to the low prices they receive for their art.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
San Miguel de Allende, while perhaps safer than other tourist destinations in Mexico, can be unsafe. Most tourists don't have a problem when visiting San Miguel de Allende, but you should still exercise caution while on your visit. Use common sense, keep your valuables and cash out of sight and stay in well lit areas at night. Additionally restaurants and cafés now offer free wi-fi for their patrons. Otherwise internet cafes are ubiquitous and typically charge around M$20 per hour.
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of San Miguel de Allende
Afternoon breeze
trees and city buildings near sea during daytime
grey concrete building
people standing on corner road near concrete buildings during daytime
center of town in San Miguel
Morning sunrise over the city in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
people walking between orange concrete buildings
brown wooden chairs and tables near white concrete building during daytime
brown metal door gate
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Afternoon breeze
trees and city buildings near sea during daytime
grey concrete building