San Miguel De Allende, Mexico
- Emmy
- Apr 9, 2023
- 8 min read
Updated: May 7
San Miguel de Allende is everything I look for in a destination and more - authentic food, mountain backed sunsets, darling markets, local art, beautiful architecture and culture, friendly people, stunning boutique hotels, and lots to see and explore - all at a relaxing pace of life.
It's no surprise San Miguel has made all the top charts, from "Best Small City in the World" to "Best City in the World to Visit," and I couldn't agree more - that's why I'm pumped to finally share all the places we visited, restaurants we enjoyed, and memorable things we did during our 6-day visit. For even more details, check out these articles from Travel + Leisure and National Geographic.
ABOUT SAN MIGUEL
The best way to experience San Miguel is to walk, wander, and explore. If a door is open, pop inside and look around - chances are you'll encounter something beautiful or a friendly face willing to share their story and favorite local spots.
The charming colonial town is every photographer's dream, offering incredible light, vibrant colors, and the bustle of life in a community filled with creativity.
It's very much a walking town made up of old side walks and cobble stone streets, so my biggest recommendation is to pack comfortable shoes. We didn't wear heels once - and I won't even pack them next time. Sneakers, casual dresses, and a sunhat is the way to go. I wore many day outfits into night.
WHERE TO STAY
I love a good boutique hotel and San Miguel has no shortage. After scouring through all the websites and reviews, I chose Casa No Name - a charming boutique close to the center of town. The hotel is tucked away on a side street, so it's a quiet location and a pretty quick walk to get anywhere.
Casa No Name was formerly home to renowned artist and fashion photographer, Deborah Turbeville, and was converted to a 6-room hotel in 2017. We stayed in the Ambu room, which was small but perfect for two sisters sharing a King bed and not looking to spend much time at the hotel. I loved opening the bedroom and bathroom windows each morning to enjoy the fresh air. Our room faced the courtyard where we had breakfast most mornings. Try the kumquat and banana breads - both are completely worth the carbs you will inevitably walk off.
The hotel also features a beautiful garden area as well as a rooftop bar and pool. We loved the two ladies at the front desk who were most welcoming and helpful throughout our stay. I highly recommend Casa No Name and will definitely be back.
Other Recommendations: Casa 1810, Hotel Matilda, Live Aqua, Rosewood San Miguel, Casa Sierra Nevada (Belmond), Airbnb
ROOFTOP RESTAURANTS
We made it our mission to hit up as many rooftop restaurants as possible and I must say, we didn't encounter a single bad one. We found all restaurants to be very reasonably priced, especially for Jen's beers and margs and my fresh juices. Each offers a different and unique view of the La Parroquia and the food is delicious, fresh, and healthy. Below is a full list of all that we hit up for lunch and/or dinner throughout our 5-night stay.
EDT Tip: You'll want to order bottled water anywhere you go. Make your reservations around sunset for a really spectacular view. I loved seeing how La Parroquia changed with the sun throughout the day.
We liked Atrio so much, we went for lunch twice. It was Jen's favorite marg of the trip.
Went for lunch and recommend ordering the volcanes de filete. Very tasty!
Enjoyed a serene sunset dinner. I really liked the tuna tartar and the roasted rock cornish chicken.
Ask for Carlos and order the Burrata.
Popped in for an afternoon bevvy. Order anything made with the fresh squeezed passion fruit.
Atop the Rosewood Hotel, so a bit more upscale than the rest. They serve fresh pineapple with Tajin on top when you arrive and it's the most lovely arrival snack ever.
Note: It may be an unpopular opinion, but I did not include Quince on this list because it felt like a tourist trap just looking to make money. Voted best rooftop in the world, it surprisingly felt much less authentic than the other restaurants. The food was good and it was a spectacular view, but I probably won't go back.
COFFEE + BREAKFAST
My favorite latte of the trip was from Ki'bok. They have almond milk and sugar free vanilla syrup, which isn't always easy to find when traveling internationally. It's located just up the street from the Belmond hotel and there are lots of good shops nearby.
The last meal of the trip was an amazing breakfast that left us wishing we had also checked out 1810's rooftop restaurant for dinner. Casa 1810 is a hotel we would consider staying at in the future.
BRUNCH, LUNCH + DINNER SPOTS NOT ON ROOFTOPS
The Live Aqua hotel is a beautiful Forbes four-star rated resort. I wanted to check it out as a possible place to stay in the future and it checks all my boxes - calm elegance, good food, and amazing service.
We enjoyed lunch at the bar by the pool. Ask for Jose - who is a delight - and order the tuna, pescadillas, and ribeye tacos. Also be sure to check out the hotel gift shop - it was full of goodies.
We took a taxi to Comunidad at the new Habitas hotel on the outskirts of town. Being the only ones dining, it was a very CHILL vibe so we had a quick, quiet meal, took a few pictures, and were ready to leave. If you have a car, definitely check it out. If you are relying on taxis, it can be a lengthy process as it takes around 15 minutes to get there and can be tricky getting a taxi to come back for you. Luckily the hotel helped us with that part, but it was still a bit of a wait.
Don Taco is the perfect spot for a casual lunch or snack. An excellent, inexpensive menu near the city center with friendly service and super yummy tacos.
We loved dining at this cute courtyard restaurant with locals and expats - it's a lovely and intimate french ambiance. I wasn't sure about the menu at first, but we loved everything we ordered. I've recreated the salad many times since we've been home, which was one of my favorite meals of the trip (butter lettuce, prosciutto, red onion, figs, cherry tomatoes, walnuts, dried peach, and goat cheese).
THINGS TO DO
One of our favorite activities was the cooking class at the Belmond Hotel with Chef Ruben. The class takes you to the local market (Ignacio Ramierz) to pick up produce and supplies, then you go back to the cooking school to whip up a delicious meal with all your new friends and fellow travelers. It was a really fun way to spend the first half of our day and we got to know a lot of nice people.
In class, we made Cochinita Pibil, Traditional Guacamole, Green Tomatillo Sauce, and Xnipec Sauce. Click here for the recipes.
EDT Tip: Be sure to eat well before you go, as it's a long process going to the market and making the meal and we were starving by the time we ate!
Seeing San Miguel from above was such a treat. We booked through Globo San Miguel and picked the package that included buffet breakfast after at the Rosewood Hotel. It's an early morning start, so we took a nap after and then were able to enjoy the rest of our day.
EDT Tip: Take a small cross body purse and wear sneakers, as you do have to climb into the hot air balloon basket, which doesn't offer much room for anything other than yourself.
SHOPPING + ART
Just start walking around San Miguel and you'll find shops and markets in every direction. Below are a few of my favorites.
EDT Tip: Visit an ATM when you arrive and pull out pesos. They are preferred everywhere, which was a surprise to me since most of the tourist towns I go to on the reg seem to prefer USD.
Open daily from 10 am to 6 pm (5 pm on Sunday)
Once a textile Factory, Fabrica La Aurora is now home to modern art galleries, furniture and interior design stores, antiques, jewelry, gifts, and more made by the great artists who live in San Miguel. If you're looking for textiles, you won't find those here. We walked from town (around 15 minutes) and found some cute textile shops along the way.
Open daily from 10 am to 6 pm
The Mercado Artisans is full of handmade textiles from local artisans as well as fresh fruit, veggies, and spices (this is the same market we visited in the Belmond cooking class; see above). Prices are reasonable and about the same as you'll find at any other market in town.
Open daily from 10 am to 7 pm
A great place to shop for all kinds of textiles and gifts. I was in heaven with all of the colorful, embroidered items.
Check out Daniel Rueffert's Gallery on Sollano 15. His art is incredible and I just loved meeting him and hearing his story. David moved to San Miguel in 1969 and paints landscapes and Mexican scenes, beautifully capturing all the bright colors.
A friend sent me this local shopping guide, which is full of a lot of the same places we liked.
Note: We checked out the local Tuesday market on our last day. If you want to see how the locals live, definitely check it out, but I wouldn't plan on doing any real shopping there. Besides a few hidden gems, it was mostly every day items locals would need (underwear, phone cases, toys, clothing, etc.) and nothing you would want to buy to take home. We didn't see many other tourists and it was a hike to get there and back.
AIRPORT + TRANSPORTATION
Getting to San Miguel from Dallas was a breeze. I love how a 2.5 hour flight can take you a world away.
San Miguel Airports
We opted to fly into BJX, as flight times allowed us to arrive earlier and leave later than the other airport option, which is Queretaro (QRO). BJX is slightly farther than QRO (by around 20 minutes), but was worth it for the extra time we were able to spend in San Miguel. While BJX is small, we were pleasantly surprised to find a Priority Pass Lounge to pass the time before our flight.
EDT Tip: I compared flight costs over the course of a few months - from DFW they stay around the same price, so I would choose an airport based on travel times that work best for you.
Transportation
Martin at San Miguel Dreams (sanmigueldreams@gmail.com) drove us to and from Leon, as well as to the local San Miguel Tuesday market and we would book him again. The cost was $80 USD one way for 2 people, or $160 USD round trip. Martin accepts USD or pesos.
EDT Tip: Watch your luggage closely and be alert leaving the airport. Someone tried to snag my suitcase from Martin as we were getting into the car. Other than that, we felt incredibly safe the entire time and I think this was a one-off incident that could have happened anywhere. A good reminder to always mind your p's and q's anywhere you are in the world.
Taxis are easy to come by, but as mentioned, get pesos to pay with - it's preferred and the drivers seem a lot less confused when you pay in pesos. We did take Ubers a few times, which was great because we didn't have to communicate in Spanish, but they are inconsistently available so I wouldn't plan to rely on them.
All in all, I love this city and it was one of my favorite trips ever. I can't say enough good things and think it's worth at least a 4 night stay.
QUESTIONS?
Have specific questions or want to know more? Feel free to send me a message on Instagram and I'm happy to help you plan your visit.
Comments