Guanajuato Top Ten

1) Those Views
The thing that drew me to Guanajuato in the first place, the views of the town from the Pipila monument are even more breathtaking in person. Waking up to this view our first morning in Mexico was absolutely magical.

2) The Food
While Guanajuato may not have the culinary pedigree of nearby San Miguel de Allende, you're still in Mexico, and that means good, relatively inexpensive food is available. A couple of stand-outs were Tasca de la Paz and Dulcinea Churreria.

3) The Romance
This is another country-wide phenomena - on my first trip to Mexico City, I was a bit surprised by the amount of PDA I saw on a daily basis. In Guanajuato, from the Romeo and Juliet-esque story of the Callejon del Beso to the mojigangas that roam the streets following wedding parties, love takes on more tangible forms.

4) The Mummies
Mexico has an interesting relationship with death, not surprising given its bloody mix of Mexica and European Catholic heritage. In Guanajuato, this fascination takes the form of a Mummy Museum. Following a cholera outbreak, cemetery real estate grew tight and graves of the departed who did not have relatives willing to continue paying the rent were emptied in a warehouse. People started slipping the custodians a few pesos to see the well-preserved bodies, and eventually, a tourist attraction was born.

5) Diego Rivera house
One of Mexico's preeminent artists is a son of the city, and you can still visit his house today. It was fascinating to see how Diego Rivera tried many other artists' styles on his way to developing his own voice. The blue walls, cacti, and rainbow reflections in the museum lobby aren't bad for an instagram photo op either.

6) Underground tunnels
Originally dug to divert the flooded Rio Guanajuato, today these tunnels relieve surface traffic and make the city more pleasant to walk around. It's worth popping down below the surface to check out the tunnels and see a subterranean bus stop.

7) All That Glitters
Guanajuato has a long history of mining. That guy at the top of the hill holding the torch? He was a miner. In colonial times, 2/3rds of the world's silver came from the mines in the nearby hills, a couple of which you can visit today. San Cayetano, or la Valenciana, is a church with a fantastic altarpiece, constructed by a man who struck it rich with the silver vein next door. Given this, the silver jewelry at Corazon de Platas (Positos #20) seemed like the perfect souvenir.

8) A Room With a View
We stayed in two hotels (one at the beginning of our trip, one at the end), and both had incredible views. Balcon del Cielo was a relatively budget option, but having a terrace with a panorama of Guanajuato was priceless. On the other end of the trip, we stayed at Hotel de la Paz, down in the center of town. Our balcony overlooked a beautiful square and the ochre and crimson cathedral next door. When the church bells ring from mere yards away, you're transported to another time.

9) Teatro Juarez
While the performance schedule is a bit spotty, the Teatro Juarez is worth a visit. Its grand steps serve as a meeting point for evening callejoneadas, but even if you're not following one of the troubadour groups around town, it's a wonderful place to people-watch and listen to the mariachi groups that wander the plaza. Inside, you can take a guided tour or show yourself around.

10) University Town
Compared to nearby cities, Guanajuato seems to have an electric atmosphere, thanks to the local university bringing down the average age. Still traditional - Guanajuato hosts Mexico's largest Cervantes festival - on weekends, you'll be kept up to the early hours listening to a dozen rounds of Cielito Lindo. It's a fun experience, if you're open to it - my 70 year old mother preferred Guanajuato to SMA because of its energy.