Dolores Hidalgo lies 40km (25 miles) northwest of San Miguel on Highway 35. Most people go there to shop at the Talavera pottery companies, but the town itself merits a visit. It remains a quiet, provincial place with a lovely main square and parish church; on the church steps, Father Hidalgo proclaimed the independence of Mexico. The church has a charming facade that, if pressed, I would label late Mexican baroque, but that doesn't do it justice. The interior of the church was plundered at various times but retains a couple of altarpieces that are worth a peek.
The main square has a quaint, small-town feel to it. Vendors sell ice cream in exotic flavors -- tequila, shrimp, and pulque (a fermented beverage made from agave) are just a few enticing examples -- as well as mango, guanábana, and other more familiar standbys. It all started 30 years ago on a dare, and then caught on for the notoriety it gave the vendors. Ask for some impossibly bad flavor -- such as cilantro-mescal-chocolate chip or chicken mole swirl -- and, without batting an eye, they'll tell you they're fresh out and to come back tomorrow. Most of these ice creams are known as nieves and are low in fat; for a richer ice cream ask for a mantecado. If you're hungry, there is a restaurant, El Patio, on the east side of the square.
Dolores has two small museums. The Casa de Hidalgo (admission $2/£1) is filled with letters and historical artifacts having to do with Father Hidalgo, and will be of most interest to history buffs. The Museo de la Independencia (admission 50¢/25p), a more dramatic approach to the theme of independence, also has a small collection of memorabilia of José Alfredo Jiménez, the king of ranchera music.
Recommended Day-Trip Tours -- Dolores Hidalgo is the most popular destination for day-trippers from San Miguel. Some people make a day trip of Guanajuato or Querétaro. It's a hurried way of seeing them, but it can be done. Several tour guides and companies in San Miguel make trips to all of these places. Leandro Delgado (tel. 415/152-0155; leandrotours@hotmail.com) is an independent tour guide who is well informed and conscientious. He speaks English, is a good driver, and is familiar with the artisans of Dolores Hidalgo and Guanajuato. Sr. Delgado and other guides offer trips to see the monarch butterflies, 5 hours away in the state of Michoacán. This is an exhausting trip; do it in 2 days, staying overnight in the town of Angangueo, if you can. The season runs from mid- to late November to March.
