Things To Do in Guanajuato

The Church of San Diego, on the Jardín Unión, stands almost as it did in 1633, when it was built under the direction of Franciscan missionaries. A flood in 1760 nearly destroyed it. The reconstruction was completed in 1786, largely at the expense of the Count of La Valenciana. The pink cantera-stone facade is a fine example of the Mexican baroque.

The Plazuela del Baratillo, just behind the Jardín Unión, has a beautiful fountain (a gift from Emperor Maximilian) at its center. You'll always find people sitting around it peacefully, some in the shade and others in the sun. Its name derives from its former role as a weekly tianguis (market); vendors would yell "¡Barato!" ("Cheap!").

Just west of Baratillo is the Church of the Compañía. Built in 1747 by the Jesuit order, it was the biggest of their churches. The churrigueresque decoration lightens it somewhat, but the interior, which was restored in the 19th century, is neoclassical. This church was built as part of a Jesuit university, which was founded in 1732 on orders of Philip V. It's the last of 23 universities the Jesuit order built in Mexico. The main building of the university is on the same block as the church. Its entrance was rebuilt in 1945 in neoclassical style.

Farther west, between the main street, Juárez, and Calle Positos, are three connected plazas worth seeing: Plaza San Roque, Jardín de la Reforma, and Plaza San Fernando, where you can sit at one of the outdoor tables and enjoy coffee in a perfectly charming setting. This plaza is an increasingly popular hangout.

Special Events and Festivals -- Every year in October, the state of Guanajuato sponsors the Festival Internacional Cervantino (International Cervantes Festival), 3 weeks of performing arts from all over the world. In recent years, the festival has featured marionettes from the Czech Republic, the Eliot Feld Ballet from New York, the Kiev Ballet, and a host of Mexican artists. The shows are held in open plazas and theaters all over town. Book rooms well in advance during the festival; if Guanajuato is full, consider staying in San Miguel de Allende.

The main office for the festival is in Mexico City (tel. 55/5615-9417; www.festivalcervantino.gob.mx). The local office is in Plaza San Francisquito 1, 36000 Guanajuato, Gto. (tel. 473/731-1161). You can order tickets through Ticketmaster in Mexico City (tel. 55/5325-9000). Keep your confirmation number; you'll need it to pick up your tickets in Guanajuato. The best time to be at the festival is during the week; on weekends it's absolute madness.

A Ranch Museum -- Surrounding Guanajuato were more than 150 haciendas of wealthy colonial mine owners. Most are now either in ruins or restored and privately owned, but one has been made into the Museo Exhacienda San Gabriel de Barrera. About 3km (1 3/4 miles) from town on the road to Marfil, it's a lovely place noted for its elaborate gardens in different styles (Moorish, English, and Spanish, for example). The hacienda house presents a good picture of the 18th-century life of the hacendados. The hacienda still has its requisite chapel (baroque, of course), with a key identifying the various figures depicted in the retablo. There is also a state-run shop displaying all the handicrafts produced in the state. The grounds are open daily from 9am to 6pm; admission is 41 pesos. The store's hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 5pm.

Language School -- Of the five language schools in Guanajuato, the best known is Escuela Mexicana, Potrero 12 (tel. 473/732-5005; www.escuelamexicana.com). This school offers small classes for students at various levels of language proficiency, and it has very flexible course scheduling.

Nearby Attractions

We've listed some attractions a short distance above the city, and the best way to get to them is by taxi. You can hire one for around 140 pesos per hour. I would recommend taking the panoramic highway around the city, which allows you to pass by La Valenciana, La Cata, and La Raya; each has a mine and a church. The highway circles around to El Pípila. The drive is enjoyable and lasts about an hour, with a couple of stops and a quick drive along the submerged highway to view the houses that are perched above the road.

If city planners had known the Jardín Unión would be so popular, they might have made it larger. This tiny plaza, shaded by Indian laurel trees, is the heart of the city and the best hangout. No other spot in town rivals its benches and sidewalk restaurants.

You can catch some worthwhile free theater in Plazuela de San Roque at 8pm on Sunday when the university is in session. Students perform short theatrical pieces known as entremeses (interludes). These are usually costumed period pieces that rely more on action than dialogue, so you don't need to understand too much Spanish to get the point. The costumes are great and look curiously appropriate in this plazuela.

If you're looking for a place just to have a drink, try La Clave Azul (tel. 473/732-1561), at Cantaritos 31. It's a small bar tucked away off Plaza San Fernando, and it's very much a product of its environment. A couple of small, irregularly shaped rooms with rock walls and rustic furniture are connected to each other by narrow stairways. It's a popular spot with the city's bohemians, especially Thursdays and Fridays. Hours are daily 1 to 9 or 10pm (open later on weekends).

More conventional nightspots -- such as dance clubs -- aren't difficult to find; ask at your hotel. La Dama de las Camelias, Sopeña 32 (no phone), is an unpretentious second-floor bar that doesn't get going until late in the evening. The music is all classic recordings of danzón, mambo, son cubano, and salsa. It opens at 8pm, starts getting busy around midnight, and closes at 4am. Bar Ocho (no phone), another salsa bar, is behind the San Diego church at the foot of the hill where El Pípila stands.

The Redolent Mexican Cantina

If you're curious about Mexican cantinas, swinging saloon doors and all, Guanajuato is a good place to do your fieldwork. You should know, however, that most of these are men-only drinking dives.

The town's favorite son is José Alfredo Jiménez, the undisputed master of ranchera music. This is the quintessential drinking music (long laments punctuated by classic Mexican yelps) that drives most non-Mexicans screaming from the building. But after downing a few copitas, you may warm up to it, and after asking about Jiménez, you'll probably get a few more drinks on the house. Around the Jardín Unión, a couple of cantinas aren't bad; I always enjoy a few shots at one called El Incendio (the Fire), Cantarranas 15. Unlike most cantinas, this place welcomes women. It opens at 10am and closes at 4am. You may be surprised to see an open urinal at the end of the bar. While this is a standard feature in cantinas and part of the, er, authentic flavor, you still may wish to opt for a seat at the opposite end.