San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende is a colonial center for the arts and a
wonderful city full of tree-shaded plazas and unusual neo-
Gothic churches that have now been designated historical
monuments. Visitors from all over the world head to this
charming town for its beauty, climate and colorful fiestas. Its
reputation as a center for the arts also attracts students of all
ages interested in studying art, painting, weaving, sculpting,
photography and Spanish.
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE LOCATION
San Miguel de Allende is located four hours northwest of
Mexico City – in the country’s colonial highlands – and was
named after Ignacio Allende, a leader in Mexico’s War for
Independence. The city’s main plaza is where most of its
colonial masterpieces are located, including its many colonial
mansions that house charming boutiques, patio restaurants
and fine shops.
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE ATTRACTIONS
The best way to explore San Miguel de Allende´s wealth of
historical sites is on foot. The parish church, La Parroquia, is
the city’s most important structure and what truly sets it apart
from its neighbors. According to local legends, the cathedral’s
creator, Ceferino Guitiérrez, was inspired by a European
postcard and decided to build a Mexican-Indian version of a
Gothic cathedral, which resulted in the pink-spire building.
The Instituto Allende is another historical landmark, founded in
1951 on the grounds of a formerly abandoned hacienda.
Today, it is one of Latin America’s largest schools of fine arts
for English-speaking students, offering everything from fine
arts to intercultural business communication.
For additional cultural activities, visitors can head to the Centro
Cultural Ignacio Ramirez, which offers a variety of events
throughout the year, including art exhibits, theater productions,
dance performances and concerts. The center is housed in a
magnificent former convent built in the mid 18th century and
also serves as an arts school offering painting, ceramics,
stained glass, sculpture, weaving, theater and dance lessons.
Another historical sight worth visiting is the Academia Hispano
Americana, founded in 1959 and housed in an 18th-century
mansion declared a national monument.
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE RESTAURANTS
Rumor has it that no other town in Mexico the size of San
Miguel de Allende offers such a wide selection of top-quality
restaurants. The small inns offer award-winning cuisine at
places like Casa de Sierra Nevada, Villa Jaraconda and La
Puertecita, while restaurants around town offer an ample
selection of flavors and fares. Also unparalleled are San
Miguel’s handicraft offerings, with everything from furniture to
antiques to the city’s characteristic scored tin articles available
along the streets leading into the central square.
San Miguel de Allende´s unspoiled provincial feel combined
with its level of cultural activity make it one of Mexico’s truly
enchanting travel destinations.
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE FACTS
Location: Guanajuato State
Distance from Mexico City: 170 miles northwest
Population: 80,000
Closest major airport: Leon-Bajio Intl Airport of Guanajuato
(BJX), León (70 miles away)
Time Zone: Central Standard Time
San Miguel de Allende is a colonial center for the arts and a
wonderful city full of tree-shaded plazas and unusual neo-
Gothic churches that have now been designated historical
monuments. Visitors from all over the world head to this
charming town for its beauty, climate and colorful fiestas. Its
reputation as a center for the arts also attracts students of all
ages interested in studying art, painting, weaving, sculpting,
photography and Spanish.
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE LOCATION
San Miguel de Allende is located four hours northwest of
Mexico City – in the country’s colonial highlands – and was
named after Ignacio Allende, a leader in Mexico’s War for
Independence. The city’s main plaza is where most of its
colonial masterpieces are located, including its many colonial
mansions that house charming boutiques, patio restaurants
and fine shops.
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE ATTRACTIONS
The best way to explore San Miguel de Allende´s wealth of
historical sites is on foot. The parish church, La Parroquia, is
the city’s most important structure and what truly sets it apart
from its neighbors. According to local legends, the cathedral’s
creator, Ceferino Guitiérrez, was inspired by a European
postcard and decided to build a Mexican-Indian version of a
Gothic cathedral, which resulted in the pink-spire building.
The Instituto Allende is another historical landmark, founded in
1951 on the grounds of a formerly abandoned hacienda.
Today, it is one of Latin America’s largest schools of fine arts
for English-speaking students, offering everything from fine
arts to intercultural business communication.
For additional cultural activities, visitors can head to the Centro
Cultural Ignacio Ramirez, which offers a variety of events
throughout the year, including art exhibits, theater productions,
dance performances and concerts. The center is housed in a
magnificent former convent built in the mid 18th century and
also serves as an arts school offering painting, ceramics,
stained glass, sculpture, weaving, theater and dance lessons.
Another historical sight worth visiting is the Academia Hispano
Americana, founded in 1959 and housed in an 18th-century
mansion declared a national monument.
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE RESTAURANTS
Rumor has it that no other town in Mexico the size of San
Miguel de Allende offers such a wide selection of top-quality
restaurants. The small inns offer award-winning cuisine at
places like Casa de Sierra Nevada, Villa Jaraconda and La
Puertecita, while restaurants around town offer an ample
selection of flavors and fares. Also unparalleled are San
Miguel’s handicraft offerings, with everything from furniture to
antiques to the city’s characteristic scored tin articles available
along the streets leading into the central square.
San Miguel de Allende´s unspoiled provincial feel combined
with its level of cultural activity make it one of Mexico’s truly
enchanting travel destinations.
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE FACTS
Location: Guanajuato State
Distance from Mexico City: 170 miles northwest
Population: 80,000
Closest major airport: Leon-Bajio Intl Airport of Guanajuato
(BJX), León (70 miles away)
Time Zone: Central Standard Time
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
FAMILY TRAVEL FUN.COM
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |