HappeningDry and cool, with clear skies over the hills. Candlemas, on 2 February, is kept in many Mexican towns with food and church services (customs vary).
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
Arrival day
Before Day 1. The old centre is small, so a room close to the main garden saves many steps.Details
Getting here
The nearest airport is in the plains west of the city, with a transfer of a good half hour into the ravine. Long distance buses from Mexico City and other cities arrive at a station on the edge of town, and a taxi or local bus takes you in.
Tunnels and traffic
Many of the main streets are old mining tunnels, now used by cars and buses. Do not walk in them unless a footpath is signed. Above ground, the streets are narrow, so keep to the side when a car comes.
Steps and cobbles
The city is made of stairs, slopes and uneven stone. Bring shoes with grip and a light bag, and expect to climb. Taxis and local buses help with the steepest parts.
Busy weeks
During big events, above all the arts festival held in October, rooms are scarce and the streets are crowded. Book far ahead for those weeks, and check the usual dates before you pick yours. Day 1 starts in the Jardín de la Unión, so stroll there on your first evening.
How much walking? On foot, about 0.3 to 3.9 kilometers a day, and 7.7 kilometers by car or transit in all across 6 days. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
Day 1. The hillside and lookout
4 stops · 3.9 km on foot
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
1
AfternoonIndoor
Don Quixote Iconographic Museum
A museum devoted to the knight of La Mancha, with hundreds of paintings, sculptures and objects by artists from many countries. The city has a long link with the writer Cervantes, since its big arts festival is named after him, and this museum is a quiet place to see why.
Go whenLate afternoon, as an indoor stop.
Local tip The collection is large, so choose a few rooms rather than all. The small square outside is a pleasant place to sit afterwards.
About 23 min walk1.9 km
2
Afternoon
Presa de la Olla
A small reservoir and park on the hillside above the south of the city, a green place for a slow walk and a family outing, with a view back toward the hills.
Go whenLate afternoon, when the park fills with local families.
Local tip A small reservoir and park on the hill above the south of the city, for a stroll away from the steps. Locals go there on weekends.
About 23 min walk1.8 km
3
AfternoonIndoor
Templo de San Francisco
A church of the 1700s on a small square in the south of the old centre, close to the museum of Don Quixote, with a carved stone front.
Go whenLate afternoon, outside the hours of services.
Local tip A church on a small square near the museum of Don Quixote. A working church, so stay quiet and cover your shoulders.
A tall monument on a hill above the old centre, to a miner called El Pípila, who by legend carried a stone slab on his back to help set fire to the gates of the grain exchange in 1810. Ride the funicular up from the old centre, or climb the steps, and look out over the coloured roofs.
Go whenLate afternoon into evening (about 6:43 PM), as the lights come on.
Local tip Take the funicular up and walk the steps down if your knees allow it. The view of the coloured houses at dusk is the reason to come. Keep your valuables close and leave before it is very late.
Dinner
Pozole and a hot drink
A warm bowl of hominy corn soup with pork and a plate of toppings, a good supper after the climb in the cooler air.
Local tip Add the lime, onion and chili at the table to your taste.
If it rains. Don Quixote Iconographic Museum and Templo de San Francisco are covered, so keep them. Move Presa de la Olla and Pípila Lookout to a dry day if you can.
Day 2. The old centre and The hillside and lookout
4 stops · 0.3 km on foot
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
1
Morning
Teatro Juárez
A theatre from the turn of the 20th century, beside the garden, with a front of columns and bronze figures on its roofline. Inside, the halls mix Moorish and Roman styles in rich colour. Check ahead on when visitors can go in.
Go whenMorning, before the garden fills.
Local tip Look up at the bronze figures on the roofline before you go in. Check ahead on visiting, since a working theatre can close for rehearsals or shows.
The triangular garden at the heart of the old town, with trimmed laurel trees, a bandstand and benches, set between a theatre and an old church. It is where the city sits down to talk, and a good place to start.
Go whenMorning, with a coffee, or at dusk when the bandstand fills.
Local tip Take a bench in the shade and watch the town. Musicians often play here in the evening, and the cafes around the edge are the place to sit.
Lunch
Enchiladas mineras
The miners' enchiladas, a dish of Guanajuato: corn tortillas dipped in a chili sauce, filled with cheese, folded and served with potato, carrot and chicken.
Local tip Eat them hot, and try them with a cold fruit water.
About 2 min walkunder 0.1 km
3
Morning
Templo de San Diego
A baroque church of the 1600s on the edge of the main garden, with a carved stone front facing the trimmed trees. It is the church beside the theatre.
Go whenMorning, outside the hours of services.
Local tip A baroque church beside the main garden, with a fine front. A working church, so stay quiet and cover your shoulders.
About 3 min walk0.2 km
4
Morning
Templo de Belén
A quiet church on the slope south of the main garden, close to the foot of the funicular, one of the many small churches of the old centre.
Go whenMorning, outside the hours of services.
Local tip A quiet church on a slope south of the main garden, on the way to the funicular. A working church, so stay quiet.
If it rains. Teatro Juárez, Templo de San Diego and Templo de Belén are covered, so keep them. Move Jardín de la Unión to a dry day if you can.
Day 3. The old centre
4 stops · 0.4 km on foot
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
1
Morning
Templo de la Compañía
A large church of the Jesuits, built in the 1700s beside the university, with a tall dome that rises over the roofs and a plain, grand front.
Go whenMorning, outside the hours of services.
Local tip A large Jesuit church beside the university, with a big dome that dominates the roofs. A working church, so stay quiet.
About 2 min walk0.1 km
2
Midday
Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato
A baroque basilica on the Plaza de la Paz, its walls painted a warm yellow, holding an old statue of the Virgin that is the patron of the city. The plaza around it is ringed by the grand houses of silver barons. A working church, so stay quiet during services.
Go whenMidday, outside the hours of services.
Local tip A working church, so cover your shoulders and stay quiet. Stand on the square afterwards and look at the old houses of the silver barons around it.
The natural history museum of the university, beside the main building, with old display cases of animals, insects, rocks and fossils collected over more than a century.
Go whenMidday, as an indoor stop.
Local tip A natural history museum of the university, with old cases of animals, rocks and fossils. Check ahead on the opening.
About 2 min walk0.1 km
4
Evening
Plazuela del Baratillo
A small plaza with a fountain a few steps east of the main garden, on a side street of old houses, a calm corner for an evening drink.
Go whenEvening, when the small bars light up.
Local tip A small plaza with a fountain on a quiet side street east of the garden. A good place to sit with a drink before dinner.
Dinner
Tacos and a stroll
A plate of tacos from a small place on a side street near the garden, then a slow evening walk past the lit churches.
Local tip Choose a busy stall with a short wait, a sign that the food moves fast.
If it rains. Templo de la Compañía, Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato and Alfredo Dugès Museum are covered, so keep them. Move Plazuela del Baratillo to a dry day if you can.
Day 4. The old centre and The market and the west
4 stops · 0.5 km on foot
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
1
MiddayIndoor
Museo del Pueblo de Guanajuato
An art museum in a former mansion in the old centre, with colonial paintings, works by painters of the region and a large mural by a Guanajuato artist on the stair.
Go whenMidday, as an indoor stop.
Local tip An art museum in an old mansion, with colonial paintings, works by local artists and a large mural on the stair. Check ahead on the opening.
About 2 min walkunder 0.1 km
2
AfternoonIndoor
University of Guanajuato
The main building of the university, whose white stair front climbs the hill above the old centre. The school began as a Jesuit college in the 1700s. Go up the steps to the top for a view over the roofs, and see the students passing, since this is a student city.
Go whenAfternoon, when the light is soft on the white stone.
Local tip The steps are wide and long, so go slowly. From the top there is a good look back over the roofs and the church domes.
A small shaded plaza west of the basilica, with a fountain and cafe tables under the trees, one of the pleasant corners of the old centre.
Go whenAfternoon, under the trees.
Local tip A small plaza in the western part of the old centre, with a fountain and cafe tables. A good rest between the market and the basilica.
About 2 min walk0.1 km
4
Evening
Callejón del Beso
The Alley of the Kiss, so narrow that the balconies of the houses on both sides almost touch. The legend tells of two lovers whose families were enemies, who met at those balconies. Go in the evening, when it is cooler, and be ready to wait your turn with others.
Go whenEarly evening (about 6:43 PM), once the day has cooled.
Local tip The alley is very narrow and often busy, so be patient and polite. Do not lean from balconies and mind your step on the stairs.
Dinner
A last supper in the old centre
A plate of enchiladas mineras or a pork stew with rice, followed by a cup of hot chocolate, on one of the quiet side squares.
Local tip Order what the table next to you is having.
If it rains. Museo del Pueblo de Guanajuato and University of Guanajuato are covered, so keep them. Move Plazuela de San Fernando and Callejón del Beso to a dry day if you can.
Day 5. The old centre and The market and the west, part 2
4 stops · 0.6 km on foot
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
1
MorningIndoor
Mercado Hidalgo
A market hall of iron and stone from the early 1900s, with stalls of fruit, spices, sweets, pottery and leather on two levels. Eat a plate of something hot upstairs and buy a few local candies to carry.
Go whenMorning, when the stalls are fullest.
Local tip Eat upstairs among the stalls and ask for a local dish. Hold your bag in front of you, since the aisles are crowded.
The house where the painter Diego Rivera was born in 1886, now a museum with furniture of the family and a good collection of his drawings and paintings. A short, rewarding stop in the old centre.
Go whenAfternoon, as an indoor stop.
Local tip It is a small house, so it takes little time. Look at the family rooms upstairs for a sense of how a well off family lived in the city.
If it rains. Mercado Hidalgo and Diego Rivera Museum are covered, so keep them. Move Jardín de la Reforma and Plaza de San Roque to a dry day if you can.
Day 6. The silver hill of La Valenciana and The market and the west
4 stops · 7.7 km by car or transit
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
1
Morning
La Valenciana Church
The church of San Cayetano, built in the 1700s by the owner of the Valenciana mine, in a rich baroque with gilded altarpieces covering the walls inside. It stands on the hill above the city, a short ride north of the centre by local bus or taxi.
Go whenMorning, outside the hours of services.
Local tip A working church with rich gilded altars, so stay quiet and cover your shoulders. Look at the carved stone of the front before you go inside.
A fortress-like grain exchange built in the late 1700s, where an early battle of the independence war was fought in 1810. It later served as a granary and a prison, and today it is a regional museum with murals by Mexican painters. A sober, important building.
Go whenMidday, as an indoor stop.
Local tip Look for the murals inside, which tell the story of the independence war. Read the plaques in Spanish if you can, as they give the details.
A roll of crisp pork rind and pork, topped with onion, coriander and a sharp green sauce, a classic street sandwich of Guanajuato.
Local tip The sauce is hot, so add a little at a time.
About 10 min by car or transit2.6 km
3
Midday
Valenciana Mine
The old San Ramón shaft of the Valenciana mine, once one of the richest silver mines in the world, and the reason the city has its grand houses. A deep opening in the hillside, with a small site to look around. Check ahead on how visitors can see it.
Go whenMidday, with a hat for the sun.
Local tip The shaft is deep and the ground uneven, so wear shoes with grip and keep to the marked paths. Check ahead on how visitors can see the mine.
A museum of mummies from the city cemetery, bodies preserved naturally in the dry ground and shown behind glass. It is a famous stop in Mexico, and not for everyone, so decide for yourself. It sits on the western edge of the city, a short bus or taxi ride from the centre.
Go whenAfternoon, when you can spare the ride out.
Local tip It can be upsetting, and some of the display is of very young people. Think before you take children, and keep your voice low inside. Cars and buses run past, so wait on the footpath.
If it rains. La Valenciana Church, Alhóndiga de Granaditas and Museo de las Momias are covered, so keep them. Move Valenciana Mine to a dry day if you can.
Departure day
After the last day. Leave time for the slow, winding roads out of the ravine.Details
Leaving the ravine
Book the taxi or the bus the day before. The way out runs through traffic and tunnels, so allow extra time, and more on a market day or a festival week.
Your bags
Pottery, tin ornaments and sweets are easy to buy and heavy to carry down steep steps. Ask the seller to wrap them well, and pack the fragile things in the middle of your bag.
If you have a few hours
Sit in the main garden under its trimmed trees with a coffee, or take one last slow walk through the alleys behind the basilica.
Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Guanajuato?
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, January to March and October to December are the most comfortable months for walking around Guanajuato. This plan is built for february, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
How many days does this plan cover?
It covers 6 days in Guanajuato, planned for february. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
Who is this plan for?
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
Is anything on this plan booked?
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Can I plan my own days like this?
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Can I change this plan?
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
How much walking is there?
On foot, about 0.3 to 3.9 kilometers a day, and 7.7 kilometers by car or transit in all across 6 days. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
5 days in San Miguel de AllendeAbout 40 km awayAn easy add-on
3 days of aqueducts and a giant rock in QuerétaroAbout 110 km away
4 days of a pink plaza, hot springs and a fair cityAbout 150 km away_10.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
