I recently spent 4 days in San Miguel de Allende while traveling solo around Mexico and explored all that this town has to offer. Although it’s a small town, there’s a lot to do, including museums, art galleries, restaurants, and hiking. Keep reading to learn more about visiting San Miguel de Allende and the best things to do there!
Why visit San Miguel de Allende?
San Miguel de Allende has become popular in recent years as a picturesque Mexican town, filled with well-preserved colonial architecture, a thriving arts scene and upscale restaurants. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has a fascinating history tied to the Mexican War of Independence. It’s the birthplace of Ignacio Allende, a leader of the revolution who helped to lay the groundwork for the 1810 uprising in San Miguel.
Today, San Miguel is a hub for artists, with numerous art galleries, studios and events. There’s a great culinary scene, where you’ll find everything from traditional Mexican cuisine to international fusion restaurants.
The cobblestone streets of San Miguel de Allende are incredibly beautiful, with colorful facades. The main plaza, where you’ll find the Iconic Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel, is lively and welcoming, coming alive at night with local families, tourists, and mariachi bands playing music.
How to get to San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende is located in the Mexican state of Guanajuato, a few hours north west of Mexico City. It’s accessible from a few airports, and Mexico’s extensive bus system makes it easy to get to.
How to get from Mexico City to San Miguel:
By bus: If you’re starting your trip in Mexico City, San Miguel de Allende is a comfortable 4 hour bus ride from the city. The buses depart from Mexico City’s Terminal de Autobuses del Norte and arrive at Central de Autobuses San Miguel de Allende.
I booked my bus from CDMX to San Miguel through the company ETN and it was a VERY comfortable ride. The seats were huge and reclined almost flat, and there was a TV with access to a bunch of movies. The ticket cost about $40, which was a bit much for my budget but considering how comfortable the trip was the price was ok for me!
Once you arrive in San Miguel, the Bus station is about a 10 minute taxi or Uber ride to downtown, where you’ll probably be staying. I highly recommend taking an Uber since it’s safer than a taxi.
Private transfer: If you don’t want to worry about the hassle of taking a bus, and instead want to go straight from the Mexico City Airport to San Miguel, you can also book a private transfer, like this one.
Other ways to get to San Miguel
Querétaro Intercontinental Airport (QRO): This is the closest airport to San Miguel de Allende, being about 1 hour away. If you’re arriving at this airport, you can book an ETN bus from Queretaro, take an Uber, or take this private transfer.
Bajío International Airport (BJX): This airport, located in León, is about 1.5 hours away from San Miguel de Allende. Once again, you can book an ETN bus from Leon to San Miguel, take an uber, or take this private transfer.
Renting a Car
If you’re interested in renting a car from your starting destination to San Miguel de Allende, check out Discover Cars for the best prices.
Solo Traveling in San Miguel de Allende
Is San Miguel de Allende a good destination for solo travelers? In my opinion, yes! It’s a very safe, secluded town with lots of tourists, Mexican culture and things to do. The city is very compact and walkable, and I felt safe walking by myself, even at night.
That being said, if you’re a budget backpacker looking for a place meet other young travelers and party, San Miguel is probably not the destination for you. San Miguel de Allende has become known as a retirement town for Americans, and being there for a few days I can confirm this is true. There are lots of older American couples living there full time, which has raised the prices of accommodations and restaurants (ultra-gentrification!!).
The older American crowd also means that the town has a very chill, quiet vibe. You’ll find some great rooftop bars and restaurants, but other than that you won’t find much nightlife. The few hostels in the town are very chill and quiet. I stayed at Meson Amelia, a boutique hotel/hostel, and I was the only one in my dorm for the first two nights. I really liked the relaxed atmosphere of San Miguel de Allende after spending 10 days in Mexico City.
Is Mexico City safe for solo travelers? Read my post
A Solo Traveler’s Guide to Mexico City to find out!
Best things to do in San Miguel de Allende
Fabrica la Aurora
Fabrica la Aurora is a former textile factory turned art center. The space feels like a maze, with endless rooms and hallways leading to galleries, studios, and boutiques featuring traditional Mexican art and international talent. It’s partially outside, where you can find beautiful desert plants intertwined with the art.
The space is about a 15 minute walk from downtown, on the northern edge of the town. It’s free to visit, and there’s a few on-site cafes and restaurants where you can eat lunch.
Walking tour of Historic Center
As always, a walking tour is the best way to get to know a city & its history when you first arrive! San Miguel de Allende his filled with unique history and colonial landmarks, so a walking tour of the historic center will help to familiarize yourself with its importance.
I booked a tour with a local tour guide who was recommended by my hostel, and unfortunately I cannot remember his name! He only spoke Spanish, so I took the tour as some extra Spanish practice, but I also learned sooo much about the history of San Miguel. Here’s a similar walking tour to the one I took, which will take you around the historical center and teach you about the history & architecture of the town.
La Gruta Hot Springs
La Gruta Hot Springs, located about a 15 minute drive from the center of San Miguel, is a serene retreat with multiple thermal pools and places for lounging. The highlight is a tunnel that leads to a cave-like pool, the warmest one they have.
Arrive early in the day if you want to relax and take pictures without the crowds. Since I was visiting in January and the mornings were quite cold, I visited midday when it was warm and the sun was out. The pools were a bit crowded but I was still able to relax and enjoy the hot springs. Make sure you bring a swimsuit, a towel, and cash for the entrance fee.
La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel
La Parroquia is San Miguel’s most iconic landmark, famous for its neo-Gothic design and orange-pink-hue. The church is prettiest about an hour before sunset, when the sun shines perfectly on its facade, making it look almost florescent (I didn’t get up early enough to see it during sunrise, I’m sure it’s beautiful then too!)
After visiting the church, spend some time in the lively plaza and garden right in front, Jardin de Allende. You’ll find local families and tourists hanging out there throughout the day, and at night it comes alive with mariachi bands and street food vendors.
Stroll the streets at sunset
San Miguel’s streets come alive at sunset, when the light of the sun emphasizes the colorful facades of the colonial buildings. Calle Aldama is the most popular street for taking pictures, found right behind the Parroquia. If you’re up for it you can also walk up to the Mirador San Miguel de Allende, where you’ll see perfect views of the city below.
Jardin Botanico
The Jardin Botanico in San Miguel, also called El Charco de Ingenio, is an ecological reserve and botanical garden dedicated to preserving desert plants, like native cacti and succulents. There’s many hiking trails to follow and beautiful canyon views.
I visited in January, during Mexico’s dry season, and the gardens were quite barren, but I’m sure in the wetter summer months there’s more color and life! It was still beautiful, just not as green as I was expecting.
The sun is strong and there’s almost no shade at this botanical garden! Make sure you bring sun screen and wear a sun hat to protect your face. I forgot and got a sunburn on my chest from just an hour of walking around.
Walk around the neighborhood Guadaloupe
Guadalupe is a quiet neighborhood in the northside of San Miguel, about 10 minute walk from the center. If you’re visiting San Miguel de Allende on a budget, I highly recommend checking out the accomodations in this neighborhood because they’re slightly cheaper than the ones you’ll find right next to La Parroquia. I stayed at a hostel/hotel in Guadaloupe called Meson Amelia, and I really enjoyed spending time in this peaceful side of town.
Even if you’re not staying in this part of town, I highly recommend taking a quick walk over to Guadaloupe to admire the colorful facades and murals. There’s some nice cafes and restaurants there, including a pizza place called Neopolitan Pizza, where I had the best pizza I’ve had in Mexico!
Day trip to Guanajuato
As I mentioned before, San Miguel de Allende is located in the state of Guanajuato, named after Guanajuato city. Guanajuato is a 1.5 hour bus ride away from San Miguel, making it a great place for a day trip. One day is enough to see the major sites in Guanajuato, but if you have more time you can also stay there overnight for a few days!
Guanajuato is another vibrant colonial city, known for its colorful alleyways and cultural history. Guanajuato is much less gentrified than San Miguel, with less tourism and lower prices at hotels and restaruants. It’s not as picturesque as San Miguel, but I felt like it was more authentically Mexican, which I LOVED! I wish I could have stayed there overnight so I could see more of what the city has to offer.
Some of the popular things to do in Guanajuato include going to the Museo Casa Diego Rivera, visiting the Basilica Colegiata de Nuestra Senor, and riding the funicular up to see panoramic views of the city. My favorite thing I did was go to the Museo de las Momias, an amazingly creepy museum with real mummified remains that were discovered in Guanajuato almost 200 years ago.
Drink at a rooftop bar
San Miguel’s chic rooftop bars offer amazing views of the city, and some of them have direct views of the Parroquia which are incredible at sunset. The bars serve creative, aesthetic cocktails and gourmet bites. Some of them are quite upscale, so dress accordingly.
Some popular bars include…
– La Azotea
– The Rooftop at Selina
– Cielo Rooftop
– Quince Rooftop
Hike at Sunrise with Aleph
One the best things I did in San Miguel was go on a sunrise hike in the nearby mountains. My hostel, Meson Amelia, recommended Aleph, a local guide who runs sunrise hiking and meditation tours. It was a really unique experience that I didn’t expect to have in San Miguel, but as an avid hiker I really loved it!
Aleph picked me up from my hostel early and we headed to a nearby trail, where we hiked up and watched an amazing sunrise over the mountains. At the top, we relaxed and Aleph led a meditation session accompanied by ceremonial cacao tea.
If you’re interested in booking a hike with Aleph, check out his instagram here where you can find his contact!
If you’re looking for a charming Mexican destination with a mix of history, relaxation, nature, and good food, San Miguel de Allende is a great option! Safe travels!
Ready to book your trip to San Miguel de Allende?
- Use Google Flights or Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights to San Miguel de Allende
- Find the best hotels on Booking.com and the best hostels on HostelWorld
- Rent a car from DiscoverCars
- Use GetYourGuide to find walking tours, day trips and unique experiences
- Book airport transfers & tours on Viator
- Stay protected with travel insurance from SafetyWing
- Stay connected to the internet with an eSIM from Airalo
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