Guanajuato

Why Guanajuato:

I was in San Miguel de Allende for my friend’s wedding. My flight home the day after the wedding was from the Leon airport. Guanajuato, reportedly one of Mexico’s most enchanting cities was in between San Miguel and the airport. 

December 15, 2024: Tunnels and Mummies, Oh My!

After rallying from the epic wedding the night before, I walked to the San Miguel de Allende bus terminal a kilometer west of the center. From there, I bought a bus ticket to Guanajuato. The buses go regularly but I couldn’t get on one for 90 minutes and this route only operated with premium buses so I had to pay about $14 for the trip (vs $3-4 for other routes of a similar length). 

The bus left at 11:30 and I reached the outskirts of Guanajuato at 13:00. From there, I took a public trolley into the center. This ride was nuts! Guanajuato is unique for its underground road tunnel system. The tunnels were originally built to divert the river on which the city is built. But later, more tunnels were added to keep traffic out of the historic city center. Most tunnels are one-lane and barely large enough for the bus. It felt like a roller coaster dipping and curving through the darkness. But unlike Disneyland, this is Mexico and there are no lap bars or safety checks.   

I was dropped off in the packed city center near the Alhondiga de Granaditas, a former grain storehouse that played a key role in the Mexican Revolution. In 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla threatened to take over Guanajuato, then one of the richest silver mining cities in Mexico. Hidalgo had 20,000 rebels but 300 wealthy loyalists hid in this storehouse hoping that the strength of the building would save them. Hidalgo and the rebels eventually broke in with the help of the now legendary El Pipia, killed everyone inside, and looted Guanajuato. This was the first battle against actual Spanish troops.  

Today, the Alhondiga is a museum about the War of Independence and features impressive murals. There are also memorials to the main rebel leaders including Hidalgo, Allende, Morelos and Guerrero. 

Just steps from the Alhondiga is the main market. Like seemingly many public markets in Mexico, this one was designed by Gustav Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame). The market had a towering, curved ceiling. Most vendors were on the ground level but a few vendors were on the small second story. 

Since it was lunchtime, I decided to get some carnitas tacos from a longtime vendor. They were okay. 

What I should have done is eaten outside at one of the “fondas” – a series of 20ish identical cheap restaurants, each with a screaming woman attempting to woo you to theirs.  

My next stop was El Callejon del Beso (alley of the kiss). This is perhaps the most famous landmark in Guanajuato. The legend behind this alley goes as follows: a silver miner loved the daughter of a wealthy man. But the man did not allow the romance. The daughter lived on the narrowest alley in town. So, the miner rented a room directly across the alley and they would kiss across the balconies. Eventually the father discovered the romance and killed his daughter. The miner eventually killed himself out of grief. 

Tourists, but especially girls from across Mexico flock here to have their dating app photo profile pictures taken here (who doesn’t love a love story?). The line to take a photo was about 30 minutes long. You could take your own photo for free, but professional photographers were on hand for $10. 

Instead of waiting in line, I simply walked around the back of the alley and took a selfie there without a wait. #TravelHack

I then worked by way towards the majestic cathedral. 

Behind the cathedral is another massive church (Guanajuato was rich enough to afford a second church). 

At this point, I was running low on cash. Normally it is very easy to exchange money in Mexico but these “cambios” all close on Sundays. I could have also used a bank, but the ATM fees were almost $10. Instead after asking around, I found a fancy restaurant that let me exchange. 

I was now in the main square, Jardin de la Union. This lively plaza has an unusual triangular shape and a giant hedge surrounding the kiosko. Instead of a church, the main landmark in Jardin de la Union was the Teatro Juarez. The outside looked like a Greek temple. 

Many Latin American cities have nice theaters including Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Guanajuato’s was no exception. The interior was Moorish Revival and was stunning. 

I also visited a couple smaller museums such as the old capitol building and an old house. But the grand finale was still to come. After walking 30 minutes west, I reached the Mummy Museum. 

By the late 1800’s the town’s cemetery was getting full. The authorities decided to exhume those who did not pay for perpetual care and presumably move them somewhere else. However, when they opened the caskets, they realized that the bodies had been perfectly preserved as mummies! Soon after, the cemetery opened the Mummy Museum to show the mummies to the world. Mummy collection occurred all the way until the 1956 Today there are over 100 mummies in the museum’s care. 

The mummies are…terrifying but also fascinating. You can see hair, facial expressions, clothing, and even pubic hair. 

There were also a couple babies. 

Almost as weird as the mummies were the fellow museum visitors who posed mockingly with the mummies. At first this struck me as disrespectful but then I remembered that Mexico is a culture that does not fear death: their main holiday is spent picnicking in the cemetery and their ancestors performed human sacrifices. 

With that is was almost time to head to the airport. I grabbed a bite to eat: a “miner’s enchilada” with potatoes and then got a taxi. The ride took 45 minutes and used up exactly the remainder of my pesos. Whew! 

I then flew back to LA on the direct flight from the Leon/Bajio airport. 

Final Thoughts:

Guanajuato is an amazing place, well deserving of its UNESO World Heritage Site designation. The old city is unique with its beautiful buildings, river-shaped downtown and the tunnels. I have never seen anything like it.  

The attractions are also top notch. The mummy museum is the most unique but the many other museums are impressive. The architecture is an attraction in itself. 

Finally, the town has an electric energy with tons of people walking around, including many students. 

The one downside to Guanajuato is the food. There really are not many stellar restaurants here and there is not much of a regional cuisine. So yes its Mexico but the food is weak compared to the rest of the country. 

Guanajuato should be at the top of any Mexico traveler’s list. And being 90 minutes from San Miguel de Allende, you can combine the two into a single trip. While I rushed and saw most of the attractions in a half day, I think 1.5-2 days is the optimal time to see everything without being rushed.