Guanajuato
Patrimonio Mundial / Ciudad HistóRica · Guanajuato, Guanajuato
A silver city poured into a ravine, with its traffic running underground. Guanajuato made about a quarter of the world's silver at its height and spent the money on churches, theatres and a university, then ran out of flat ground, so the houses climbed the valley walls in stacked colours and the streets became stairs, alleys and tunnels. The old river channels beneath the city were roofed over after floods and now carry the cars, which is why the surface belongs to people. It is a university town, the birthplace of Diego Rivera, the site of the first battle of the war of independence at the Alhondiga, and every October it fills for the Cervantino, the largest arts festival in Latin America. It is steep, relentlessly, so plan half the distance you would elsewhere and wear proper shoes. Allow two or three days. Check current state travel advice for Guanajuato, stay in the historic centre, and avoid long road trips after dark.
Jardín de la Unión, Zona Centro, Guanajuato, Guanajuato, 36000, Mexico
An open city - free, no gate. Museums including the Alhóndiga generally close on Mondays, and INAH Sunday free admission applies to Mexican nationals and residents only. The funicular to El Pípila runs through the day into the evening. ⚠ THE CERVANTINO FESTIVAL IN OCTOBER FILLS THE ENTIRE CITY - accommodation books months ahead and prices multiply, though many outdoor events are free. ⚠ DRIVING IN MEANS THE TUNNEL NETWORK, where satellite navigation fails and exits are hard to read: park once and walk, or arrive by bus. ⚠ THE CITY IS EXTREMELY STEEP and at 2,000 metres. ⚠ HOURS AND FEES NOT VERIFIED FOR THIS FILE.