I seem to have lost my wanderlust for travelling in Europe (hopefully temporarily) so now we're thinking about San Miguel de Allende. Everyone I know who's been there has glowing reviews and we've never been to Mexico, so I'm quite excited about this.
I just have a couple of questions to start with more to come later, I'm sure.
First of all, we're thinking of April or May. Is that a good time of year for SMA?
Is two weeks too long? (I generally think one week is too short to travel anywhere.)
And finally, for now anyway, are there good day trips from SMA that can be done without a car?
Many thanks in advance.

You have several experts here on that part of Mexico, to which I can't contribute.

But think about spending even more time and going to Mexico City!! There are some good recent trip reports you can peruse.

I use Weatherspark for trip planning. A quick glance is that April is better than May, and early May is better than late May.

I actually live in San Miguel. The town has its fans & detractors. Mlgb made a good suggestion, about including time in Mexico City if possible. But I think 2 weeks in San Miguel is too much. I think a better itinerary, instead of the entire 2 weeks in SMA and doing day trips, would be to spend some nights in Queretaro & Guanajuato. But both can easily be visited from SMA. That said, April & May weather-wise, are probably the 2 worst months to visit. It's hot, dry & dusty. Some restaurants & businesses close for a time in May to remodel, clean, do maintenance etc as it is the low season. May this year was exceptionally hot with mid to high 90's most days. More typical temps now, but even last year the hot season lasted through much of July. Going forward, if you decide on the area, there are lots of excellent day trips to do from the 3 cities I mentioned.

We spent a week in SMdeA as part of a three month trip around Mexico. I thought a week was too long. Nothing inherently wrong with the places, in many respects it was very charming. It just didn't gel with me, perhaps because I found it a little to ex-pat orientated. By contrast we spent 4 days in Guanajuato , as mentioned by baldone above. (Indeed I am pretty sure it was at his suggestion). We loved it and wished we had had longer. a really fun place. some photos from our time there @ https://accidentalnomads.com/2018/11/29/guanajuato/

Baldone - the reason I came here tonight was to ask my own question re San Miguel. Our twenty something nieces are coming to Mexico in October. I have already suggested Guanajuato to them. Do you think they would enjoy San Miguel for a few days?

Bang-on advice above. I was hoping that locals like Baldone might respond for you, GTG!
And did not Tony Cohan, the author of 'On Mexican Time' live in SMA?
He seemed like the Peter Mayles of Mexico.

I am don. the mariachi des cobres

You know, I think they would. Sma gets lots of 20-somethings from Queretaro & Mexico city, so it's not just us blue-haired (or no-haired) expats. Some really cool rooftop bars, lots of live music. They might enjoy one of the hot springs out by Atotonilco.

I think he moved. To guanajuato I believe. Coincidentally, on our first visit to San Miguel I think in the early 2000's, I just happened to find his book in the airport book store. We knew very little about San miguel at the time. A couple of years ago I found OMT in the book exchange at our mailbox service. I read it again probably 20 years later? From the 2nd read, I thought I recognized some of the places he described, so out of curiosity I emailed him and he confirmed what I thought. Seemed like a nice chap.

Dagnabit! So much for that plan!
OK, if not April or May, when would be my best time to go? I can't go January to March, you say no to April/May and I suspect June, July and August would be too hot. So what about September, October or November?
I'm surprised to hear that two weeks (or even just one!) would be too long in SMA. We're slow travellers. We like to wake up in a leisurely way and not pack too much into a day although we do like to go out in the evening and rooftop bars and live music suit us just fine.
What do you think about one week in SMA and one in Guanajuato. Also, is it very hilly? Walking doesn't seem to be my best thing lately.

Thanks baldone. I will pass that on to them.
Goddesstogo. We two are very slow travellers. Our last trip to Mexico was for three months and we often spent a week in each place. That was from October to December and we felt the weather was pretty much perfect. Baldone has covered the SMdeA bar and music scene and I recall being quite impressed with the music in one blues bar. Guanjuato is even more fun I would say, - strolling minstrels and mariachi bands in the street make it very much the party place but in a nice relaxed way. Other places we really enjoyed and stayed a while were Morelia, Patzcuaro and Zacatecas (though I believe Zacatecas may be off limits due to cartel activity. Especially loved Oaxaca where we are returning in October and may be worth considering ( and it is pretty flat!). I think we had around ten days there and that certainly flew by.

As for hill, yes , I recall both places being quite hilly but not overly so. Both seemed quite walkable towns

Hi Goddesstogo—

i recollect that San Miguel de Allende was hilly, at least seemed so compared to the Centro of Queretaro. I’m remembering some hills around the main plaza being steepish. Guanajuato is steeper.

I spent a month in nearby Queretaro in the summer of 2015 and 2016 studying Spanish at an institute there in June & July. And the weather I found preferable to that of say mid Atlantic USA in summer with pleasantly cool evenings thanks to the altitude. Before going, I was nearly spooked by talk of rainy season and yes there was rain, but wasn’t all the time. I was there for a purpose plus the courses offered a social element and consequently my time there did not seem too long; maybe some course (not necessarily language) in SMdA if that interests you might make lingering more appealing?

i hope you do end up going as the Bajío is really a magical area of the continent.

best wishes. Daniel

Actually, July & August are great months to visit. It's the rainy season so everything has greened up nicely and temps are pleasant. Historically, figure on high 70's or low 80's for highs. Sma sits at 6500 ft asl. Take a look at current weather conditions on the app of your choice. July & August is the summer 'high' season as folks from Texas are in town to escape the heat & humidity back home. It's my favorite time of year; last summer looks like it was an anomaly.
It sounds like for you, 2 weeks may not be too long. I can think of a good number of day trips from San Miguel to keep you busy but not wear you out. I can elaborate later. Poor internet right now.
This is just my opinion, but if you were to split up the trip between 2 cities, I'd opt for Queretaro over Guanajuato. Queretaro has the largest historic center in the country apart from Mexico city. And it's flat, whereas Guanajuato's isn't. Although much of Guanajuato's center is fairly walkable, but the little alleys are anything but. More to come later.

Thanks to all of you - - this has been so helpful! We've always liked to travel in October so maybe that's the right time for us to go. Now I'm considering either just going for a week to SMA or a week there and a second week in one of the other cities you've suggested with a couple of day trips tacked on.
More questions to come as soon as I do a little more research but this is a great start!

I think a week is great for slow travel. And I loved a day trip to Dolores Hidalgo. It's famous for ice cream but even more famous for lovers or ranchera music, for it is home not only to the Museum in the birthplace of Jose Alfredo Jimenez, a diety to some......and his gravesite which is something to see. And lots of inexpensive ceramics.....nice town, lovely main square......

I remember a nice walk we took along the road from town on the highway to Celaya..thre was a nice organid market (yes, mainly expats but really good!) and someem fabulous carnitas in the garage of a private house in a residential area just off that highway. Carnitas Bautista....fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Grage of residential area on road to Celaya, outside San Miguel de Allende

Ay, que rico!!!

Lo mejor!!!!!!!!!



And some great ceramic stores along the route, too.

There's a great botanical garden, too.

Maybe Celaya, but recent events may have limit4 its appeal to visitors, not sure. Oh but they make a great sweet there.....is it cajetat, Baldone???? Be still my heart!

Yes to Guanajuato....

Same trip we went to Morelia and to the monarch sanctuary......imagine,, yours truly was interviewed for a feature on Mexican tv about tourists visiting the reserve!!!!! (Listen, I take my thrills where I can get them..)

What a good trip we had!!!! It's abominable that I have not been to Mexico since before the month before the start of Covid, and that was just to Merida.....
Such a wonderful country, such lovely people.....very easy to travel alone as solo female..

Thanks so much, ekscrunchy. Lots of good information there and pictures to boot!
Is Delores Hidalgo (sounds like a nightclub singer in a an old black-and-white detective flick) a day trip from SMA? And what are the 'recent events' in Celeya?

You MUST buy the cajeta de Celaya.........smear it one toast for breakfast....I think it's made from goat milk in Celaya, not like the cow milk they use in Argentina...not sure, however.
There is also a very famous old-fashioned candy store in Celaya....worth a visit.


There is come cartel activity there but I am not sure that, as a tourist, I would worry about that. A well respected local journalist, with police bodyguards, was killed yesterday...again....not anything the average tourist would encounter.

I can NOT tell my SO that! Just something to keep to myself.
I will however let him know about the cajeta and the candy store!

Eks, coincidentally I was digging up a TR for GtG that I did a couple of years back that included Celaya. The link:
San Miguel De Allende day trips
GtG, I've got a few more day trip thoughts from & around SMA if that's OK.

Sure, baldone, I'd be happy to have the information.
By the way, I only figured out your screen name when you mentioned hair/baldness upthread. Until the lightbulb went on, I thought you must be Italian -- Bal-don-ay -- and I still can't get that name out of my head. You're always going to be Bal-don-ay to me!

Here's some easy day trips to research from SMA.
Dolores Hidalgo. Where the 'grito', the call for Mexican independence took place. The city Plaza has multiple ice cream vendors all offering exotic flavors such as avocado, beer, tequila, cajeta, etc. Also is known for its take on talavera pottery. The bus station is a short walk to the Plaza. Nice Italian restaurant, D'Monica, just steps away from the Plaza. At one time in the early TA days, it was rated as the best restaurant in Mexico. While it is good, it won't fit the current algorithm of how TA figures such things. But still the best in Dolores. Eks touched on Dolores too.
One of San Miguel's hot springs. There are I think 5 or 6. We've been to 3, La Gruta, Escondido Place & the Mayan Baths. The latter is quite luxurious, and typically requires reservations for their sunset buffet. More expensive than the others.
Atotonilco. The Santuario there is called the 'Sistine Chapel of Mexico' due to its extensive artwork & frescoes. While in Atotonilco, be sure to visit Mama Mia's Campestre, a lovely restaurant set outdoors under the trees by their pond and among their herb gardens. There they brew their own craft beers. Pizza, pasta, steaks, salads.
Wineries. There probably 7-8 different taxiable wineries in the immediate San Miguel area. Viñedos San Lucas has a nice restaurant, as does Santísima Trinidad on the way to Dolores.
Archeological site. Cañada de La Virgen is small, but well restored. Just south of town.
Not really a day trip, but lunch or dinner at Rojo Vivo is nice. It's in an old 18 century hacienda just outside of town. Best burgers in San Miguel. Darn good margaritas too.
Queretaro has the 'ruta de queso y vino' (wine & cheese route) but San Miguel's wineries are easier to get to w/o a car. There is an archeological site in the urban area, El Pueblito. Tequisquiapan is a good day trip too. You could visit both Tequisquiapan & Bernal as a day trip, but it'd be a long day. Again, not a day trip, but the Cervecería Hercules is a cool place. Microbrewery set in an old still semi-functioning textile mill out by where the acueducto begins.

This is brilliant information -- thank you!
I'm keeping all of it in my SMA file. If you don't see me here for a while, it's not that I've forgotten or abandoned the trip but we'll be going in fall of 2025 so I've got a good bit of time for planning.
Here's an important question though. I know I can't count on flights this early (or even airlines, for that matter) but if I'm flying from Toronto, do you think I can get a direct flight to Mexico City? Or is there a closer international airport? And how do I get from wherever I land to SMA?