Best things to do in Guanajuato

Guanajuato City Essentials

Guanajuato City, a former silver mining hub, is defined by its unique subterranean road network and narrow, winding alleys. This collection features the neoclassical Teatro Juárez, the baroque Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato, and the Alhóndiga de Granaditas, a key site of the Mexican War of Independence. Visitors can explore the macabre collection at the Museum of Mummies, ride the funicular to the El Pípila monument for panoramic views, or walk through the iron-framed Hidalgo Market, originally designed as a train station.

Guanajuato City Essentials — Map

iose / Public domain

A

El Pípila Monument

El Pípila is the nickname of a local hero of the city of Guanajuato in Mexico.

B

Teatro Juárez

A 19th-century neoclassical theater featuring a facade with twelve Doric columns and bronze statues of the Greek muses. The interior exhibits an ornate Moorish revival design.

C

Museo de las Momias de Guanajuato

This museum displays over 100 naturally mummified bodies exhumed from the adjacent Santa Paula Cemetery. The mummification occurred due to the specific mineral composition and dry conditions of the local soil.

Radeksz / Public domain

D

Kiss Alley

Narrow street (only 25 inches) famous because of the ancient legend which tells stories of lovers who kissed from the opposite balconies.

Cecygdl / CC BY-SA 4.0

E

Union Garden

This tiny triangular garden is a beautiful patch of greenery in the Guanajuato busy city center. Come for the live concerts.

Manfre Orozco / CC-BY-SA

F

Basilica of our Lady of Guanajuato

The Basílica colegiata de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato is considered one of the most emblematic structures in the City of Guanajuato,…

Manfre Orozco / CC-BY-SA

G

The Storming of the Alhondiga Center

For anyone interested in learning about the Mexican independence and seeing the memorabilia, this is a must-visit place.

Manfre Orozco / CC-BY-SA

H

Hidalgo Market

Located in a railway station hall, this enormous market sells items ranging from food, sweets, crafts, souvenirs to clothes and toys.

I

Miguel Hidalgo Underground Street

The Guanajuato's River is a tributary of the Lerma River in the central near region of Mexico called the Bajio.

J

Plaza de la Paz

The city's main triangular square is surrounded by colonial-era mansions and the yellow Basilica. It features a central bronze monument dedicated to peace, inaugurated in 1903.

Manfre Orozco / CC-BY-SA

K

Guanajuato Funicular

Too tired to climb up the hill to the El Pípila monument? Then take the fancy funicular ride from behind Juárez Theater.

Vlad Litvinov / CC BY 2.0

L

Quijote Iconographic Museum

The exhibits of this museum focus on the Spanish fictional character Don Quixote created by Miguel de Cervantes.

M

Templo de la Compaía de Jesus

An 18th-century Jesuit church known for its elaborate Churrigueresque facade carved from pink stone. The building features a massive neoclassical dome added in the 19th century.

Manfre Orozco / CC-BY-SA

N

Legislative Palace

The Neoclassical facade and the Art Nouveau interior epitomises the originality and grandeur of this legislative palace.

O

Templo San Diego de Alcalá

This 18th-century Franciscan church features a highly decorative Churrigueresque facade. It stands on the site of the city's first monastery, which was largely destroyed by floods in the 1700s.

Other Lists

Museums and Art Galleries Historic Churches of Guanajuato Historic Sites & Monuments Parks & Historic Squares