Guadalajara: two days in the heart and soul of Mexico

Guadalajara is the heart and soul of Mexico. These are my top things to do in Guadalajara, including a day trip to the town of Tequila and its agaves.

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Guadalajara is tequila. Guadalajara is mariachis. Simply put, Guadalajara is Mexico. It is the second largest metro area in the country, but it carries the tradition and the heart of Mexico’s ranches and its charros (Mexican horsemen or cowboy).

This metropolitan city that offers the latest in education, art, and culture. Don’t let the size fool you, though. Some areas in Guadalajara carry a small-town atmosphere.

Guadalajara’s international airport is my favorite starting place for other adventures throughout the country. It has affordable, non-stop options, it’s close to some amazing areas in Mexico (check out my favorite road trip ideas), and you get to enjoy the city itself!

During my travels to Guadalajara, I like to stick to what makes this city the soul of Mexico. So lets explore the more traditional spots in this city that you can visit in a single day, plus a bonus one-day trip to Tequila!

Start Your Day Early

In order to optimize your time in this amazing city, you’ll have to hit the primary areas that you simply cannot miss: centro histórico and Tlaquepaque. I suggest you get started between 8-9am so you can cover all the ground we need to cover in one day—I’m not a morning person, but it is well worth getting up early! 😊

You will notice a few of my pictures are taken at night–this is because I also like to stay at a place at the centro histórico and end each day with a walk at night to enjoy the energy and atmosphere. A+! Most attractions will be closed at that time, though.

Tienes el alma de provinciana

hueles a limpia rosa temprana,

a verde jara fresca del río,

son mil palomas tu caserio,

Guadalajara, Guadalajara

hueles a pura tierra mojada.

Guadalajara, Pepe Guízar

Visit the Centro Histórico

The centro histórico is fairly compact, so once you reach it you can visit all its wonderful places on foot. Total walk travel time is about 25 minutes to reach the primary spots.

Start with the Catedral de Guadalajara. It is one of the city’s icons that lets you know you’re in the historic downtown. It was originally built in the 1600’s, but a couple of earthquakes in the 1800’s damaged the original church. Its latest towers were re-built in the mid-1800’s.

People watching is a must at the Plaza de la Liberación. This area is perfect for relaxing and getting a snack. There you will find the giant “Guadalajara Guadalajara” sign where you can take a picture.

In this area you can also ride in a Calandria (a horse pulled carriage) through the streets of the city. This is an excellent way to get a quick guided tour of the downtown area’s historical buildings, while feeling like Cinderella. 😉

The next sight on your walking tour of historic downtown is the Teatro Degollado. This theater opened in 1866, and is known for its performances and artistic design. You can watch a performance at your leisure in this theater or go inside and take a peek on days there aren’t any scheduled performances.

Now we continue walking through Paseo Degollado, where you can do some shopping where the locals shop as we head to the Fuentes Danzantes. In the background, you will begin to see the Instituto Cultural Cabañas (also known as Hospicio Cabañas).

The last stop in our walking tour of the historic downtown is a real treat: the Instituto Cultural Cabañas. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in the 90’s. This place was built in the late 1700’s as a hospital and orphanage. Today, it hosts Jose Clemente Orozco murals, including the Man of Fire which is one of the works of art you can’t miss. Take a tour of the place so you can get the main insights on the most important pieces in display.

Get a snack or an early lunch in downtown so you can have dinner in Tlaquepaque.

Uber or taxi is the way to go in Guadalajara. I recommend not driving, but if you’re set on using your vehicle, it is nowhere near as bad as Mexico City. If you don’t mind some traffic near the down town area, you should be ok.

Tlaquepaque

Tlaquepaque is a place you simply cannot miss if you visit Guadalajara. It is considered a pueblo mágico, and a very special one at that. It is basically swallowed by the Guadalajara metropolitan area. However, it has managed to keep its “small town” charm! Don’t believe me? Lets take a look!

“Ay ay ay ay! Tlaquepaque Pueblito…

Tus olorosos jarritos

hacen mas fresco el dulce tepache

junto a la birria con el mariachi

que en los parianes y alfarerias

suena con triste melancolia

Guadalajara, Pepe Guízar

Tlaquepaque is best enjoyed by strolling its streets. If it weren’t because of the high number of tourists, it would feel like you’re miles away from a large city. Like in many other pueblos mágicos, you will find a small square, shops, a mercado, snacks, and crafts.

I recommend to go to El Parián to have something to drink and enjoy the music. Locals recommended against eating there, as there are other, tastier options (see the last section of this blog).

Walking through the pedestrian streets of Tlaquepaque is an excellent way to finish up the long day.

Places to Eat

Jalisco, much like other places in Mexico, offers a diverse variety of food and drinks. Although you could devote an entire article to the gastronomy in the region, I certainly wanted to highlight a couple of recommendations.

La Chata (Av Ramón Corona 126, Zona Centro) in the downtown area was a very good place to try a number of dishes from pozole, to tortas ahogadas (a “soaked” sandwich, if you will). There always seems to be a line of locals. The line moves fast, so no worries 😃

The best tasting ice-cream I’ve had in Mexico is from Chapalita in Tlaquepaque. A local taxi driver recommended it, and he was right on the money. It’s a nieve de garrafa, which is just a big wooden tub where it’s traditionally made in.

Instead of eating at El Parián while in Tlaquepaque, we opted to eat at El Abajeño. It’s a nice ambiance, not as commercial as El Parián. They have some well-served dishes, plus you can enjoy them with a tequila cazuela, which is a tequila beverage with some mixed-in fruit flavors. Also, don’t forget to try a Tejuíno (cold drink made of fermented corn, shown in the gallery above). 

Day Trip to Tequila

As an amazing bonus, you can take a day trip to Tequila, Jalisco. This town is known for the production of tequila. As you drive into the city, you will see many fields of agave, the plant used to produce the famous Mexican drink. Here’s your chance to see how it is distilled, and get a taste of several types of tequila. You’ll be a tequila connoisseur when this day is over. You’re welcome 😉

Check out my article Tequila, Jalisco: Make it a great day-trip for more pictures and details!

Travel with Iván

This is one of my top pueblos mágicos to visit, and only an hour drive from downtown Guadalajara. You can reach Tequila via your own car, or you can take a train ride there.

Jose Cuervo operates a train from Guadalajara to Tequila in which you can start enjoying your tequila on the way to Tequila. Alternatively, we like to drive there to make stops along the way to try out snacks such as camote de cerro with lime and chile.

While at Tequila, you need to take a tour from one of the distilleries in the region. This will give you the insight on how agave is converted into the popular Mexican drink. Furthermore, you can get an opportunity to visit agave fields and also do a tequila tasting session.

One of the downsides of Tequila is that it does have a high number of tourists. If you don’t mind the extra people, you would still enjoy its food, the several stations to taste the jarritos (clay jars with tequila mixed drinks), and the general ambiance.

Note that there is also a mercado in Tequila. This is where I prefer to eat when I go there. It is very well maintained, and it feels more authentic.

Other Places

Guadalajara is certainly a great place to visit that I would recommend exploring in more than just 2 days. If you’re fortunate enough to be there longer, there are other traditional areas that you should visit such as Zapopan, the Lake of Chapala, and Tonalá. Nevertheless, if you visit the historic center of Guadalajara, Tlaquepaque and Tequila, you will get an excellent taste of what the soul and heart of Mexico has to offer.

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Guadalajara is one my favorite starting points when I travel to Mexico. It is really a great city to explore. Let me know what you think about this post. Have you been there yourself? What do you think of the city?

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