San Miguel de Allende: 10 Reasons to Plan Your Trip Today (Travel Guide)
Table of Contents
San Miguel de Allende - Explore the City
San Miguel de Allende is a beautiful and popular city in Mexico that is unique and vibrant. It has been brought to fame through not only word-of-mouth from those who currently call this colonial city home, but even from those who have traveled through it to experience the rich culture.
In this article we will share some of the top things to do in this special city -and, we will add some non-touristy suggestions if your stay lasts a bit longer than a week or two and want to immerse yourself in a bit deeper.
Best Small City
San Miguel has also had its fair share of worldwide attention and it has been awarded the best small city in the world by Reader’s Choice Awards by Condé Nast Traveler magazine, one of the most well-known and respected travel magazines.
La Parrochia
La Parrochia or the Parish of San Miguel Archangel, is one of the main attractions in San Miguel de Allende and may be the most photographed on display in travel brochures. La Parrochia is located in the heart of El Centro, is a popular tourist attraction, and is near the jardin. It looks like it’s a castle right out of a storybook. It’s stunning and majestic filled with history and culture.
Visit Mercado Sano
Mercado Sano is an all-organic market where you can find fresh fruits and vegetables and other organic cooking essentials. They have a coffee shop, a salon, fresh juices, and restaurants, and on Saturdays, the market is open to local vendors and is a fun place to spend the morning hours.
While I was visiting San Miguel de Allende, there was a new vegan restaurant that just opened inside the Mercado Sano, called Soltribe Cuisine.
Parque Juarez
Parque Juarez is a park with large shade trees, benches, and a calm relaxing space in nature. On the weekends there is sometimes art on display along with local vendors and artisans. There is also a basketball court to enjoy.
El Jardin
The center square in San Miguel de Allende is known as el Jardin or el jardin principal. It’s the area where you will see many locals, and tourists gathering to relax on the benches, have ice cream, listen to music, and see folklore dancing, happy people enjoying life, people holding hands, and taking in the culture. You might even see a mariachi band!
La Gruta Spa
Did someone say hot springs? The hot springs in San Miguel de Allende is an excursion you are not going to want to miss. La Gruta Spa is a popular hot spring location right on the outskirts of this city.
El Mirador
The Mirador is the Lookout Point in San Miguel de Allende. Take a taxi or walk up the mirador to see San Miguel from the highest point in the city. Take a look at our video here as we trekked through the streets and walked up and then down to get a tour of this magnificent city from atop.
Best Coffee Shops in Town
There are so many local coffee shops, but some of our favorites are:
Best Bakeries
The bakeries are out of this world, they are fresh, busy and people line up to get tasty treats, plus the smell of fresh pastries gets everyone going in the morning! Make sure you stop into the following places:
Best Rooftop Dining Restaurants
There are several rooftop restaurants that are popular in San Miguel de Allende. When in the area be sure to visit and check out the following:
Local Dining
While there is an abundance of rooftop and upscale restaurants in San Miguel de Allende, there is also a wide variety of local restaurants that don’t receive nearly the fame and we want to showcase several of our favorites.
| Restaurant | Cuisine | Description | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lavanda Cafe | Café | A charming café known for its artisanal pastries and relaxed ambiance. | lavandacafe.com |
| Café Rama | International | Offers a fusion of international and local dishes in a modern, stylish setting. | caferama.com |
| Hecho en México | Mexican | Traditional Mexican cuisine with a contemporary twist, focusing on local ingredients. | hechoenmexico.com |
| El Pegaso | Mexican | Known for its classic Mexican dishes and beautiful courtyard setting. | elpegaso.com |
| Olio | Italian | Cozy Italian restaurant serving handmade pasta and delicious pizzas. | olioitalian.com |
| La Azotea | Spanish | Delightful Spanish tapas and a selection of fine wines in a relaxed environment. | lazotea.com |
Bajiogo
Have you been to San Miguel de Allende, or are planning to visit? Where are some places you would add to our list? Drop a comment and let us know!
