Guadalajara on a plain, Mexico on a lagoon!
The state capital of Jalisco , and the second largest city in the country, is a hymn to everything traditionally Mexican. Mariachis and tequila, of course, but also tree-lined plazas, Cobbled boulevards, colonial relics, imposing cathedrals and a friendly, welcoming character that invites you to rethink that initial idea of staying only two days. Come discover it!
DAY 1
9 o'clock. Start the day in the purest Mexican style: with some good chilaquiles in the Historic Center. If you've woken up with an adventurous foot, head to Mercado San Juan de Dios , one of the most authentic (and cheap!) 'gastronomic centers' in the city, where you can share pot coffee and enchiladas side by side with neighbors from all over the world. life.
For a less intense introduction to Jalisco life, try Café Madrid (Avenida Juárez 264) . This institution has been feeding the mornings of Guadalajara for 50 years based on eggs rancheros and pure Guadalajara hospitality.
10:30. Once his strength is restored, he begins to get to know Guadalajara from its nerve center: arms square, with the Cathedral and its twin towers presiding proudly.
Consecrated in 1618, the Cathedral is almost as old as the city itself and, like the city, will not leave you indifferent. Gothic altars, gold pillars and stained glass windows with biblical scenes (the Last Supper is essential) are combined in a hodgepodge of styles that can overwhelm architectural purists, but that define Guadalajara, concentrated in one room.
Guadalajara Cathedral, with its towers with neo-Gothic spiers, is a symbol of the city.
11:30. From one Guadalajara institution to another. If you only visit one museum in the city, make sure it is this one: the Hospicio Cabañas Cultural Institute. Heritage of humanity by unesco, It is a gem inside and out.
East of Plaza Tapatia, this old orphanage hides within its beautiful neoclassical walls a series of modernist murals by José Clemente Orozco, one of the great Mexican painters, showing scenes from pre-Hispanic Jalisco and the conquest.
In keeping with much of the Mexican muralist work, the works are modernist and dramatic, full of images of fire, prayer and chains, in a denunciation of the oppression of power and a warning against the dangers of fascism.
2:00 p.m. At lunchtime, don't even think about it and go to one of the many stalls that dot the Plaza de Armas and Plaza Tapatia where they sell the Jalisco dish par excellence: the drowned cake.
This street delicacy is as simple as it is satisfying: a sandwich, stuffed with your choice, literally drowned in sauce (spicy or not spicy) . Does the explanation leave you halfway? Do not let us tell you, and try it. In which position to take the big step is a matter of chance, but if you need a recommendation Las Famosas, three blocks from the Cathedral, is a classic.
Have you been hungry? Do not miss the opportunity to try the local cocktail: the tejuino, a drink made from corn, mixed with lemon sorbet and piloncillo (caramel), which is also sold at street stalls. Its alcoholic content is very low, but do not trust: It hits when you least expect it.
A drowned cake from Jalisco, but very, very, drowned.
4:30 p.m. In the afternoon, head north and head to Zapopan, the call to become the new cool neighborhood of Guadalajara (although in reality it is a town adjacent to the capital) .
Its most emblematic building is its Basilica, built in 1730 and home to the Virgin of Zapopan, who is visited by pilgrims throughout the year. The Basilica comes to life after the six o'clock mass, when the families of the neighborhood, pilgrims and religious gather in the square after paying their respects.
In addition to the Basilica, Zapopan has other more secular charms. Its Art Museum is the best exponent of modern art in the city, and has had among its walls, among others, works by Frida and Diego.
Modulations Exhibition, at the Zapopan Art Museum.
8:30 p.m. As night falls, Guadalajara comes to life. Tapatíos, residents and visitors take to the streets in search of chelas, tacos and good company. The colonies (neighborhoods) with the most nightlife are Providencia and Chapultepec, which are conveniently located next to each other.
An institution in Providencia is La Cervecería Unión. Taking advantage of its privileged location on the corner of Avenida Américas and São Paulo Street, the brewery boasts a terrace almost as wide as its menu, where craft beer and creative Mexican cuisine abound. Don't miss out on the pachola tacos, a specialty from the Altos de Jalisco brought to the big city.
23:00. With high spirits and a full stomach, the Guadalajara night has only just begun. for a dose of nostalgia and glam rock, Genesis awaits you to transport you to another era. It doesn't matter if you come looking for hits from Abba, Alaska, the Spice Girls or the Chemical Brothers: retro rules here.
Looking for something with more atmosphere? Not for nothing do they call Guadalajara the Mexican San Francisco, and if you come at the end of June you will find one of the most celebrated Pride parades in all of Latin America.
At any time of the year, Pride is lived in Angels Club. This mega-discotheque (where everyone is welcome) has three floors, lots of fans, and goes on all night.
Guadalajara is proud of its Pride day, one of the most outstanding in Latin America.
DAY 2
10:00. Recover from the night before (as best you can) with breakfast at La Cafeteria, in Colonia Americana. This "home away from home", as they present themselves, concentrates its menu on traditional Mexican dishes without artifice, with the bean muffins as big stars.
To drink: Try bringing your brain to life with an iced cappuccino. After reviving (albeit badly), take a walk around the colony. Americana is in the heart of one of the most traditional and best preserved areas of Guadalajara, and tree-lined avenues hide old mansions, charming squares and cobblestone streets that are worth getting lost in.
12:30. If it happens to you that your second day in Guadalajara is Sunday (or Thursday), that means one thing: market day. The Tianguis de Tonalá is one of the largest in the state of Jalisco (and the country), and a purely local experience worthy of being printed in memory.
Rows and rows of stalls as far as the eye can see sell everything from tablecloths to masks, and you'll have a hard time deciding where to start. One piece of advice: go with patience, it is usually packed with people.
The Tianguis de Tonalá market is one of the largest in Jalisco and in it you will find everything you can imagine.
3:30 p.m. To eat in Tonalá, pull from the traditional and the authentic that El Rincón del Sol offers you on a platter. After hours of haggling, some chiles en nogada they will suit you wonderfully.
five pm. Plan to spend the afternoon forgetting about the crowds and the big city, and head to Tlaquepaque. It could go through one more magical town, blink and you will believe that you are in a colonial town many kilometers from Guadalajara.
Tlaquepaque is a dream of cobblestone streets, pastel-colored houses and craft shops (not cheap, really). But even if you don't buy anything, it will be hard for you not to spend a few hours wandering aimlessly through its alleys, and contemplate life from a bench in the very lively Jardín Hidalgo.
A must-see in Tlaquepaque is the Museo Pantaleón Panduro and his collection of folk art, collected and displayed in an old religious mission.
Church of San Pedro, in the idyllic Tlaquepaque, much more than a magical town.
8:30 p.m. At dinner time, you don't have to leave Tlaquepaque (we know how difficult it is). The central square has a multitude of options, but a good one is Casa Luna and its phosphorus-rich menu: fish and shellfish are the kings of the table.
If your stomach only allows you to snack on something, but asks you to do it in a place with a lot of atmosphere, La Matatinta will welcome you bosanova rhythm.
And after dinner, don't miss out on the opportunity to say goodbye to Guadalajara with its most authentic sound: that of the mariachi band. El Parián, a block full of bars in an arcade in the central square, is the best place to do it… and much more if it is accompanied by a margarita.
At Casa Luna you will be impressed by its fish menu, but also by its unique decoration.