Goldiept

Hi,

Am so glad to be planning a trip to Mexico!!!!!
We are planning a trip to Guanajuato and San Miguel in November. Haven't booked it yet but thinking of 10 days.
How should we divide out time in those cities?
Does anyone know of any crafts towns to visit? I was in Oaxaca a few years ago and visited the towns where local handicrafts were made. It was amazing. Do either of those cities have anything like that?
Does Day of the Dead get celebrated there?
Have read a couple of guide books but haven't seen these topics addressed there.
Thanks, in advance, to you Fodorites who have always been so helpful when I needed it!!!!

robertino

Hi goldie -

For me, 10 days in Guanajuato, zero in San Miguel.

Kidding. Sort of.

10 days is a good amount of time. I would fly into Queretaro and stay there for a couple of nights. The Casa de La Marquesa is a little pricey but definitely worth it. Then bus to SMA. I stayed 2 nights, which was plenty. Then the bus to Guanajuato.

Guanajuato is amazing. There are many nice places to stay but I enjoyed staying right on the Jardin at the Hotel Luna. Ask for a quiet room. Make sure you go up to La Valenciana.

I don't think Guanajuato has the same sort of craft towns nearby as Oaxaca. And there are no major archaeological sites nearby. But it's a great place.

You can fly home from BJX, about 30 miles away.

Or, with 10 days you could start in Mexico City for 4-5 days, bus to Queretaro or SMA for a couple of days, then Guanajuato.

Stewbear

Spent a week in Guanajuato this March. I have booked a home for the month of February this year so I am indeed in Love With this city!
Have not been to SMDA so will visit this year before I decide how I feel about it.

robertino

Stew - be sure to bring plenty of money to spend in all those San Miguel boutiques and art galleries!

Stewbear

I quit buying about 25 years ago. With a Man Cave full of my Mexican art things plus a wife who is an artist the most I buy now is a Tee-shirt or two.

Goldiept

Thanks for all the input.

Didn't realize SMDA was not so attractive a place to visit and will heed your advice. Also didn't know about the airport at Queretaro. Thought the choices were Lima or Mexico City.

Robertino - how far is Quertero by bus from Mexico City? Have always wanted to go Mexico City but my boyfriend didn't want to sit on a bus for 4 hours to get to SMDA. We were thinking of the Lima airport then bus to SMDA, then to Guanajuato. If Quertero is not too long a ride, maybe I could convince him to go to Mexico city first, break up the bus ride, cut a couple of days from SMDA and see Quertero instead.

Do you think Mexico City, Quertero, SMDA then Guanajuato sounds like too much in 10 days? I could probably make it 2 weeks if it sounds like a reasonable thing to do.

How much time to you think Mexico City would need to do and not rush too much?

From the raves about Guanajuato, though, sounds like we should spend all out time there. We'll see.

Will check it all out.

Thanks again, everyone.

robertino

Goldie -

Queretaro is 3 hours by bus from DF. A bus to QRO leaves directly from the airport. But Continental, or what used to be Continental, flew directly from Houston to QRO a few times a week. That's how i got there. Maybe United has taken the route. I hope so.

I am not familiar with a Lima airport in Mexico. There is Leon / Bajio, or BJX, which is about 25 miles north of Guanajuato.

Keep in mind that the buses in Mexico are very comfortable. Better than Amtrak, if the comparison registers with you. So a 3 or 4 hour bus trip really isn't so bad.

With 10 days you could start in DF rather than in QRO. 3 -4 days bare minimum in DF, including a day trip to Teotihouacan. Then the 3 hour bus ride to QRO. 2 nights there is fine. Then about 2 hours on the bus to SMA. I personally would figure out the bus schedule so I could basically just stop there for lunch, see that horrible church, and get the next bus to Guanajuato. But 2 nights there wouldn't be so bad. Then another 2 hours or so on the bus to Guanajuato, 3-4 days there, then fly home from BJX.

glover

Yes, I think you've confused Leon airport with Lima(Only Lima I know is in Peru). YOu will love ALL these cities. Think Robertino's itinerary for you sounds like a good one. I think your bf will be pleasantly surprised by the bus experience. As Robertino said, buses are very comfortable - and you'll be looking out the window at scenery you've never seen before after all. I don't believe that people are telling you that San Miguel is "not so attractive a place to visit." In fact, it's quite beautiful and that's exactly why so many ex-pats have chosen to live there. So now many from the U.S and Canada don't want to go there because there are too many of our own types there, ha ha. But I say phooey on that. If it weren't beautiful we wouldn't all be there. . . great architecture, shopping, some good restaurants, a lovely zocalo, cultural activities, etc. That said Guanajuato is possibly more fabulous because of its hills and university etc. And once we finally spent a night or two in Queretaro, we really liked it alot! There is so much to see and do in Mexico City that you could spend a week just there!

Goldiept

Duh! You are right. That's what I get for writing past my bedtime. It's Leon, not Lima.

Ok. This sounds like a real plan now. I think we will forgo Mexico City and save it for another time when we can give it the time it deserves, then head to Pueblo. Have had a ball looking at the map and seeing all the places in Mexico I would like to visit.

Will fly to QRO, spend a couple of nights, then to SMDA for a couple of nights and spend the rest of the time in Guanajuato.
Am getting pumped now!!!!!

Thanks for all of your advice, Robertino. Will check out the hotel you mention in QRO.

Glover - didn't mean how it came out about SMDA. Am sure the reason it is so popular is the beauty. In fact, it was my priority to go there until I read the consistent posts about making Guan. the priority am taking your collective advice.

Robertino - Thanks so much for all your advice. I am sure the bus will be fine. Besides, there really is no choice if we want to get anywhere.

Any suggestions for b &b /restaurants in these cities?

robertino

You're welcome! I know you will have a great time.

Hotels ...

I have not been totally thrilled with my hotel choices in Mexico City so far. I love the Maria Cristina's courtyard bar and would probably stay there on my next trip. In a room there - not at the bar, necessarily. I also like the looks of La Casona and the Condesa and Roma neighborhoods just south of Zona Rosa in general.

DH hotels are generally clustered in 3 places - the zocalo area, the Zona Rosa area, and the Polanco area. Polanco is very posh and, to me, dull. Full of chain hotels and fancy 'international' restaurants. There are some who like staying around the zocalo; there are some who like staying in or near Zona Rosa. Zona Rosa has the advantage of being convenient to a lot of things and also lots of nightlife.

In Queretaro - yes, definitely the Casa de La Marquesa. Check out their website and see whether you want to splurge on one of their really interesting suites. Worth it.

San Miguel - again, not my favorite town, but I really did like my hotel. The funny thing was that it cost about $20 per night and is one of those rare places where you can't reserve - you just show up and hope for the best. I am not a 'show up and hope for the best' type but in this case it worked. The San Sebastian. Really nice simple rooms, very pretty courtyard. Roof deck.

Guanajuato - there are lots of places. I was very happy with the Hotel Luna. It's right on the Jardin, so the location is perfect, but can get a little noisy. I asked for and received a room at the back of the hotel overlooking a quiet and charming back street.

Hope this helps!

Goldiept

That helps a lot.

Decided not to see Mexico City this time around. Don't want to run like a chicken with it's head cut off. The older I get, the more I just want to be able to take my time in a place. When I put too much on my plate I keep this buzz in my mind to see stuff as quickly as possible so I can get on to the next place.

I am not a wait and see person as to the San Miguel Hotel. Will look it up, though. Seems that my daughter will be coming too - YAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!! Don't want the 3 of us waiting and seeing, though I do wish I could be that kind of person. Will look that hotel up, though.

By the way - what do you think of Leon? Checked the plane schedules today and I would need to be on a plane at 6 AM to get to Queretaro at a decent hour. I will be a basket case for 2 days - clearly I'm not an early person. Is Leon nice too? Looked at photos on the web and looks good. There are later flights there and I would scrap Quenet. if they are on the same level of interest.

Thanks again for your input.

robertino

Hi Goldie -

Since you're not going to Mexico City, try to fly into Leon-BJX and go straight to Guanajuato, and leave from Queretaro.

I don't think you need to go into Leon itself.

Goldiept

Hi to you, Robertino,

Great idea. Will check it out. I feel like a total wuss not wanting to get up that early but I know I will be a basket case for 2 days if I have to do that.

Will sign off now.

I very much appreciate you taking the time to share all this stuff with me.

cferrb

You might want to consider taking a side trip to Dolores Hidalgo if you are in Queretaro and San Miguel de Allende. The history in that area is incredible, with the Grito de Dolores, the cry of independence, having been issued in Dolores Hidalgo, and then a battle in Guanajuato at the granary. Queretaro has its own history, with the execution of the French emperor, and the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe.

WillTravel

I skimmed the thread, but I would say that each of SMA, Guanajuato, and Queretaro are worth as much time as you want to give them. I definitely would not give up SMA entirely, and there are lots of great cultural offerings if you are into that (like chamber music concerts, etc.). The other