The Frugal Foodies are taking on Mexico! For each new place, I’ll give a rundown of my initial impression, where we stayed, and what we ate. Click HERE for my rundown of our last stop, San Miguel de Allende. And read on for a recap of our 2 days in Guanajuato City!
Guanajuato is a charming city with colorful buildings and winding laneways. It was one of the 3 major silver mining towns of the 16th century, and a key city during the Mexican War of Independence and the Mexican American War. Today, Guanajuato City is a popular tourist destination, known for it’s stunning churches and architecture, underground mines, vibrant streets, and interesting museums. (Click HERE and HERE for more history!)
Initial Impression:
Guanajuato City is composed of winding streets and ascending alleyways lined with colorful buildings. Narrow sidewalks bustling with locals and tourists open up into spacious plazas with cafes and restaurants hugging the perimeter. Some have fountain centerpieces, others have impressive cathedrals. Charming fairy lights come on at night. I’m a sucker for good lighting features.
It reminded me of San Miguel de Allende, except with more authentic grit and less tourist fairytale magic.
Where We Stayed:
Meson Cuervano is perfectly located in the middle of town for the unbelievable price of $26 usd per night. The décor is homey and the front desk staff were friendly. Breakfast is included, and it consists of yogurt, fruits, cereal, bread, and coffee. All the “must-see” sites are within walking distance. Apart from being noisy, it’s the perfect spot for frugal travelers visiting Guanajuato.
What We Did During Our 2 Days in Guanajuato City:
Guanajuato City is smaller than I excepted, and perfect for exploring via foot. Here are the main spots to check out and things to do.
1. Ride Up the Funicular to the foot of Monumento El Pípila:
The monumento El Pipilia is dedicated to El Pípila, who torched down the Alhondiga gates on September 28, 1810. His heroic actions allowed Hidalgo’s forces to storm the city for the first victory of the independence movement.
2. Diego Rivera’s House Museum:
Diego Rivera, a famous Mexican painter and muralist, was born in Guanajuato City. Rivera’s childhood home has been converted into a museum displaying his works as well as a gallery dedicated to new Mexican artists.
3. Museo de las Momias de Guanajuato, The Mummy Musuem
Museo de las Momias de Guanajuato is home to over 100 mummies that were found in an ossuary in Guanajuato City, and it’s one of the most popular tourist attractions. Unlike the mummies of of Egypt, these mummies were preserved naturally due to cold and dry conditions . Visitors can marvel (or cringe!) at the displays that look like a real life zombie flick.
To be completely honest, this museum is underwhelming. Little information about the discovery and significance of the mummies is available The museum is about simply looking at the bodies rather than learning about them.
4. El Callejon del Beso, Alley of the Kiss
Lucky in love? Stroll over to El Callejon Del Beso, where you’ll find two buildings so close that you can sneak a smooth across the balconies.. Legend has it, a well to do family owned the building on one side. The daughter spied a handsome young man who was from the wrong side of the tracks. Class status couldn’t stop their love, so he shrewdly rented out the opposing building so they could talk across the balconies. Her father found out– displeased is an understatement. He hurled the young man off the edge to his death.
Today, you can pay a small fee to kiss your special someone in El Callejon Del Besso.
5. Teatro Juarez
Teatro Juarez is a premier theatre in Mexico and one of the most architecturally beautiful buildings in Guanajuato City. Construction began in 1872, and the design was highly influenced from Greek and Roman design. It’s situated on a lovely , green plaza where you’ll find restaurants and live music.
6. Enjoy meandering and exploring the squares, alleys, and plazas!
What We Ate:
Closed venues was a theme of our two days in Guanajuato City. Google Maps isn’ always reliable, folks. Luckily, Guanajuato City has plenty of street food options, and we were able to find cheap eats everywhere.
Taco Tonys: This spot was right around the corner from our hotel, and it served up 5 tacos for 60 mxn.
Restaurant la Carreta: Roasted chicken is quite popular in Guanajuato City. We got a whole chicken, rice, cole slaw, tortillas, and two bottled drinks for roughly $10usd.
Golem Bar: This bar used to be a house. Each room has quirky décor with tables, chairs, and sofas, and there’s a lovely terrace with solid views. Not to mention, a 2 x 130 peso margarita deal!
An’Ca Carmen, Comida Mexicana: Our final night, we popped into a random spot for flautas and enchilada mineras, which is a traditional dish that wives used to make for their husbands who worked in the mines. Super tasty, roughly 100 mxn pp.
Final Thoughts on Our 2 Days in Guanajuato City
Guanajuato City took me by surprise. The streets were breathtakingly beautiful with a quaint, yet vibrant energy. It was the perfect balance of picture-esq, tourist-centric sites and authentic, local vibes, making for a great Mexico destination that is worth checking out.
