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Guanajuato City, the capital of its state, is packed into a narrow ravine in central Mexico, its houses painted in bright colors and stacked up the hillsides. Silver mining made it one of the richest cities in colonial New Spain, funding grand churches and mansions. A network of tunnels, some built along the old riverbed, carries traffic beneath the center, and the historic town and its mines are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Basilica on Plaza de la Paz and the tree-filled Jardín de la Unión form the heart of town, and the columned Teatro Juárez rises beside the garden. The Callejón del Beso, an alley so narrow that balconies almost touch, is tied to a popular legend. History weighs heavily at the Alhóndiga de Granaditas, a granary stormed in 1810 during the War of Independence and now a museum. A funicular climbs to the El Pípila monument for the best views of the city. The University of Guanajuato occupies a grand staircase building, and the Museo Casa Diego Rivera preserves the painter's birthplace. Just outside the center, La Valenciana has a richly carved church beside a historic mine, and the Museo de las Momias displays naturally mummified bodies.
The city suits walkers, students, and culture lovers. October brings the Festival Internacional Cervantino, a major arts festival.
WiserMap travel guideGuanajuato City Mexico Tunnels and Callejón del BesoExplore Guanajuato City with colorful hillside streets, tunnels, Teatro Juárez, Callejón del Beso, El Pípila, the Valenciana mine and the Cervantino festival.Read the guide
Plaza de la Paz is the elegant main square of Guanajuato, framed by colonial mansions and the yellow and red Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato. The basilica holds a revered wooden Virgin said to date from the 7th century. Visit in the evening when the facades are lit.
This small triangular garden, shaded by clipped Indian laurel trees, is the social heart of Guanajuato, ringed by cafes and restaurants. Estudiantinas, groups of costumed student musicians, gather here in the evening to lead callejoneadas through the alleys. Prices on the terraces are higher than elsewhere.
Opened in 1903, Teatro Juárez has a neoclassical facade topped by bronze muses and a lavish Moorish-style interior with gilded boxes. It is a main venue of the Festival Internacional Cervantino each October. Guided visits run when there is no performance, and its steps are a popular meeting point.
In this narrow alley the balconies of facing houses almost touch, and legend tells of two lovers who could kiss across the gap. Couples traditionally kiss on the third step for good luck. It gets very crowded, so come early in the morning for photos without the queues.
This massive former granary was the site of the first major battle of the War of Independence in 1810, and later displayed the heads of the insurgent leaders. Today it is a regional museum with history exhibits and murals by José Chávez Morado on the stairways. Allow about an hour.
A giant stone statue on the hillside honours El Pípila, the miner who set fire to the Alhóndiga's door in 1810. The terrace beside it offers the best view over the colourful city. A funicular rises from behind Teatro Juárez, or you can walk up steep alleys in about 15 minutes.
The main building of the University of Guanajuato is famous for its tall white facade and grand staircase of over 100 steps, a landmark of the city. The university fills the town with students and cultural life. The staircase is a popular photo spot, but be respectful of classes inside.
Guanajuato's traffic runs largely through a network of tunnels and underground roads, many built in old river channels and mine tunnels below the city. Walking or riding a bus through them, such as the Calle Subterránea Miguel Hidalgo, is a unique experience. Watch for traffic, as sidewalks are narrow.
The house where muralist Diego Rivera was born in 1886 is now a museum, with period furniture on the ground floor and upper rooms showing his early paintings, sketches and studies for murals. It is a short walk from the centre and a good stop for art lovers, taking about an hour.
This museum displays naturally mummified bodies exhumed from the city cemetery from the 19th century on, preserved by the dry soil and climate. It is one of the most visited, and most unsettling, museums in Mexico. It is not suitable for everyone, and queues are long on weekends.
On a hill above the city, the Templo de San Cayetano at La Valenciana is a dazzling churrigueresque church funded by the riches of the nearby silver mine, once among the richest in the world. Guided tours visit the old mine shaft and tunnels. Take a bus or taxi up from the centre.
Housed in a large iron and glass hall from 1910, Mercado Hidalgo sells fresh produce, local sweets, crafts and cheap meals at food stalls. The upper gallery gives a good view over the busy market floor. Try the local enchiladas mineras or a fresh juice at one of the counters.
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