Most people who visit Mexico will spend a few days in Mexico City and then head to Cancun or the Yucatan Peninsula area, but I had no intention of doing that, as I know I will be back in Mexico in the future. So I stayed ‘near’ the Mexico City area, going to León and then San Miguel Allende, with some day trips from San Miguel de Allende.
León is not touristy, which is something I enjoy a lot while traveling. (I have the possibly unpopular opinion that tourists ruin things for everyone haha.) The second part of this trip was also meant to be more a bit more relaxing and slower, as in CDMX I was out and about all day every day, and that can get exhausting very quickly.
So for the rest of this trip, for the most part, I went out in the morning and early afternoon and then relaxed and rested for the rest of the day in the Airbnb or hotel where I was staying.
I spent three days in León, which were more than enough. The first day I spent in the center, going to the plaza principal, the Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica, the Plaza Fundadores, the Museo de la Ciudad de León, and the Templo de San Juan de Dios. I also wandered around, sat and had coffee in the main square, and took some time to enjoy the scenery. The second day I went to the Museo de arte e historia de Guanajuato, which had a great exhibit about the history of the area, and the Templo Expiatorio del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, an impressive church located outside of the center. And on the final day, I went to the Parque Metropolitano, where I sat and read a book near the large lake in the center of the park.
Next was San Miguel de Allende, which everyone on the Internet raves about. I had found a super cute boutique hotel there, aptly named La Casa de los Soles (The House of the Suns—see the pictures below!) and planned four whole days there, which, it turns out, was way too many. San Miguel de Allende is small, and touristy. Sometimes a change of plans is necessary when traveling, so I decided to spend two days in San Miguel de Allende and spend the other two days on day trips.
Although San Miguel de Allende is touristy, it is also beautiful. Most of the buildings are painted in shades of yellow and red and blue, and the center is charming. There are three churches close together, the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, the Templo de San Francisco, and the Templo de Nuestra Señora de la Salud, and also two museums, the Casa de Cultura Banamex and the Museo histórico Casa de Allende. There is also a market full of anything you can think of—blankets, scarves, magnets, and other artisan crafts, and a place that has mouthwatering churros and chocolate. Enough for a full day.
The other two places I went were Querétaro and Dolores Hidalgo, both a short distance from San Miguel de Allende.
I wish I would have spent much more time in Querétaro, its center was full of life and bustle and there were a lot of things to do. I started at the MAQRO art museum, which had a wonderful exhibit by ten women artists, then went to the Museo de la Ciudad, and then wandered around the center a bit, stopping in the Plaza de Armas to sit and people watch before heading to the aqueduct that stretched to the outskirts of the city.
Dolores Hidalgo is much smaller, but also just as historical, as it was the place where the first revolt against the Spanish began. The main square, called Plaza del Grande Hidalgo, is in front of the Museo del Bicentenario and the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. There were two other museums, one the Museo de la Independencia, and the other the Museo de Sitio Casa de Hidalgo, but they were closed the day I was there.
I spent the last day in San Miguel de Allende café-hopping, reading books, and relaxing for the long journey back home. I was in just a small part of Mexico, and fully intend on going there again in the future; there are countless things to see and do there. To be honest, if it weren’t for the weather (too hot!) I could see myself living there forever.