Historic San Miguel de Allende sits in the rugged Mexican sierra like a bright flower in a dusty sage and gray landscape. Located four hours north of Mexico City, 6,500 feet above sea level, this prosperous town of 80,000 is filled with stylish restaurants and boutiques, bars, shops selling touristy trinkets, and countless arts and crafts galleries. There’s more than enough to keep its visitors, and its many American and Canadian expats, happily entertained.
The best way to enjoy the historic district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is to simply stroll the cobblestone streets. Take time to gaze at the endless variety of carved wood doors and buildings painted a kaleidoscope of Venetian red, ochre, burnt umber, cayenne, cerulean, emerald and vermillion. The heart of town is El Jardin, a plaza with a central gazebo surrounded by neatly trimmed trees. During the day, artists bring their easels here to paint and street vendors hawk their wares. In the evening, the square swells with townspeople and tourists, while mariachi bands play beneath the illuminated spires of the neo-Gothic cathedral, La Parroquia.
It’s a short cab ride to the Tuesday market on the outskirts of town. Under colorful tarps, merchants sell fresh fruits and vegetables, locally made honey (with bees in the bottles), new and used clothing (the latter piled three feet high on long tables), small electronics, toys, toiletries, candy, hand-painted crafts and much more. As you stroll, you can gorge on treats like blue-corn gorditas stuffed with chicken and potatoes. Each one will set you back only 10 pesos (less than $1 USD). Fabrica La Aurora, a 10-minute stroll north of the town center, was once a textile factory. It’s now an art and design center, filled with dozens of shops and artists’ studios (fabricalaaurora.com). Shoppers will find paintings, jewelry, clothing, local crafts, books and furnishings for the home and garden. There’s also a café for small bites, and two restaurants serving cocktails, sushi and international cuisine.
And just when you are about to rest and go home, a comfort and polite place is waiting for you. Just a few minutes from town, El Caracol Residencial has the perfect real estate option for you. An exclusive place for travelers and adventurers lies magically with overwhelming views to the city.
From the winner of 3 National Housing Awards, the new Caracol Condos & Penthouses will limit construction to 38 exclusive Colonial Style Condos and 12 Penthouses. With all the amenities you are used to, El Caracol Residencial offers you Pool, Club House, Gym and Spa, Roof Gardens, Concierge and Property Management Services, Motor Lobby and Valet, 24/7 Security, Shuttle Service around town. 10 feet free heights from floor to ceiling.
Reinvigorate with this exclusive place surrounded by beautiful gardens and felt ready to start another day full of activities and new places to know at San Miguel de Allende surroundings.
