Ever since I spent a few days in Mexico City with my family back in 2021 (right before I took my first big girl job), I have always wanted to go back. I knew Mexico was diverse but spending time around locals and embarking on day trips in and around Mexico City made me realize that the country had a lot more to offer than meets the eye.
After that initial longer-term trip to Mexico, I did spend another long weekend in Cancun last year. The resort-life style was fun temporarily, but not really my vibe. Fast forward to April 2024, I was ready to explore Mexico again. And this time my best friend from high school and I were going to Guadalajara!
We found an Airbnb a couple of miles away from the city center, right next to a lesser known but beautiful cathedral called the Expiatorio. We spent 3 full days and nights exploring this hidden gem and here’s the itinerary filled with sights and experiences that we would recommend.
Day 1: The art district of Guadalajara: Tlaquepaque
Initially, we wanted to explore the historic center of Guadalajara but the good thing about traveling with someone as spontaneous as you is that we were able to switch around plans as we saw fit and no one complained. On our first day in the city, we decided to take an Uber ~20 mins away from our Airbnb to the infamous Tlaquepaque.
1. Walk on and around ‘Calle Independencia:’ This street has tons of interesting sculptures, artwork and boutiques that you can explore. Tlaquepaque has been a government site that has been protected for the preservation of local artwork. The purpose of the area is to attract visitors to admire the artistic contributions that locals have made to the culture. Colorful shops and murals were everywhere, making this place an easy one to admire.
2. Take a guided walking tour: If you know me, you know that I love a good walking tour. This time I found a walking tour on Guruwalk.com that was led by a local to explore the magical village of Tlaquepaque and to experience its culture and its traditions. Our tour guide, Ricardo, was a local that had grown up in Guadalajara. He took us to the free ceramic museum and explained the significance of the artwork to the area. He took us to the local food and art markets (including el Mercado de artesania) and described the relevance of certain Mexican souvenirs to present-day locals such as the ‘molcajete,’ a mortar and pestle-like vessel used to grind spices and/or make guacamole that is traditionally made of volcanic rock. It was a fantastic way to spend 3 hours in a part of the city we barely knew anything about. He even showed us a small store that won the Guinness book of World Records a few years ago for having the most types of tequila in a small space 😉 Ricardo recommended tequilas that were his favorites, which soon became our take-home souvenirs.
3. Splurge a little for dinner: One of the highlights of the whole trip was the discovery of an upscale restaurant called ‘Santo Coyote’ that was minutes away from our Airbnb. As you enter the restaurant, you are greeted by the most gracious of hosts and waiters. The restaurant has an amazing ambience with forest-like surroundings with a touch of Aztec/Mayan influences including stone sculptures that make up the interior. Our waiter made us fresh salsa and guacamole by the table side and I kid you not, it was the best salsa and guacamole I have ever had.
Day 2: Tequila tours and tastings
Recently, when tourists have visited Guadalajara, they have figured out that the town of Tequila is less than an hour away from the city and it is also the birthplace of the beloved drink. I found a full-day tour on Viator.com led by ‘Tequila en la piel’ (Tequila on the skin) that would consist of visiting tequila distilleries, tastings and cocktails.
4. Intro to Tequila: After being picked up at a nearby hotel, we were whisked off to the distillery ‘Tequila las tres mujeres.’ Large agave plants lined the landscape with pointy, asparagus looking plants sticking out through the middle of the plants. Our tour guide showed us how and where tequila is made and then took us to the underground storage area, which was lined with what looked like wine barrels. There, we participated in our first tasting and were taught the right way to drink the liquor!
Step 1: Take a shot of tequila.
Step 2: Swirl it around in your mouth for a few minutes without swallowing it.
Step 3: Swallow it (you should feel less of a burn in your throat because now you are drinking it correctly!)
Step 4: Exhale through your mouth to prevent it from causing you a hangover the next day 😉
We tried clear tequila and the yellow-ish one (anejo vs. reposado). My best friend and I preferred the resposado and we learned that it turned a yellow-ish color because it had been distilled in the barrels for a longer period of time.
5. Yet Another tequila tasting: After the initial distillery, we were taken to the nearby village of Amatitan, where the tour guide took us to what looked like a local restaurant for yet another tequila tasting. He introduced us to black and pink tequila and showed us the bull horns that were traditionally used as vessels for tequila shots (they were huge!) Our tour guide also let us try ‘pink tequila,’ which is tequila distilled in previous wine barrels. Then, ‘black tequila’ has a smoky flavor as the barrel is set on fire, resulting in its dark color.
The guide then took us to ‘Las Ruinas de Chimulco,’ which was an old distillery and restaurant ruins with hidden caves that also consisted of an old Persian aqueduct system. Today, the ruins also serve as a restaurant. It was definitely a nice, scenic way to sober up from the tequila tastings.
6. Tequila town and Cantaritos: For lunch, we were dropped off in the town of tequila where my best friend ordered the infamous Birria, which Guadalajara and its surrounding areas is known for! For those that don’t know, it consists of a meat stew (usually pork, beef or goat) and is served with fresh tortillas that you can either stuff with the meat and eat like a taco or dip into the stew.
Our next stop was ‘Cantaritos El guero,’ which is famous for its tequila cocktails served in clay pots known as ‘Cantaritos.’ The drink consists of 4- bull-horn filled shots of tequila, fresh fruit juice, tons of lime and topped off with the soda, Squirt and ice. The cocktail was strong but tasty and was a great way to end the tour! The Cantarito also served as a great souvenir that both my best friend and me brought back home to the U.S.
Day 3: Guadalajara Historic Town
7. We started the day with brunch in a beautiful garden-like ambiance at a restaurant called “Los Arrayanes.” The architecture reminded me of an older, Spanish colonial style. Despite, it being a hot day, the ambiance was calming. We ordered chilaquiles- tortilla chips topped with meat, cheese and a salsa roja or verde (or both!) Another thing I love about Mexico is the plethora of fruit that I wish we had more of in the U.S. We tried fresh fruit juice made of a local green fruit (that resembles key limes) that are also called ‘los arrayanes,’ just like the restaurant we were dining in. The fruit juice was sweet, tart and refreshing with a beautiful green color.
8. Guadalajara cathedral: No visit to Mexico is complete without visiting at least one cathedral. This one is built in the Spanish Renaissance style and was initially constructed during the 16th century. Apparently, the cathedral houses the relics of Santa Inocencia who was killed by her father in the 1700s for converting to Catholicism. The cathedral is grandiose and similar to many others that you would encounter in Latin America, yet it contains its own charm and character. Definitely worth visiting!
9. Mercado San Juan de Dios: This market is known to be the largest in Latin America and for good reason. It’s filled with tons of shops boasting of local handicrafts and other cheap goods. It’s definitely easy to get lost within the market as it feels like a huge, repetitive maze. It’s a great place to shop for souvenirs and admire artisanal goods.
10. Evening walk around the centro historico: Since it was our last day in the city, we wanted to have a relaxing evening without any concrete plans. We wandered around the Guadalajara plaza and historic center, catching random Mariachi performances (which the city is also famous for), fountains that lit up and local families that were just enjoying an evening together. Spending the evening like this gave us a realistic and relaxing view of Guadalajara as we reminisced on the adventures of our previous days 🙂
The final verdict: I really enjoyed the charm of Guadalajara. It’s no Mexico City, but it is definitely less busy and feels more authentic. I enjoyed the food here more and the people were incredibly hospitable from the security guard at our Airbnb to the waiters and waitresses at the restaurants we dined in. I do think 3-4 days is sufficient to enjoy a long weekend in Guadalajara to take in its amazing sights and artwork and indulge in its delicious local cuisine!
The Insightful Nomad 