Things to do in San Miguel De Allende
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Warren Hardy Spanish
Offers Spanish instruction using flash cards.
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Vía Orgánica
This healthy option – a café and vegetable shop – is part of the not-for-profit Mexican organization, Vía Orgánica. The organic produce is grown by local farmers. The café’s menu delights the taste buds; think minestrone soups, salads, and some of the best cakes around. Vía Orgánica also runs permaculture/farming workshops. Follow your nose north along Hidalgo. Veer right onto Calzada de la Aurora, first left into Talavera and first left again.
reviewed
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Museo Casa Allende
Near the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel is the house where Ignacio Allende was born, now the Museo Casa Allende. Recently remodelled, the museum relates the interesting history of the San Miguel area. The 2nd floor is a reproduction of Allende’s home. A Latin inscription on the facade reads Hic natus ubique notus, which means ‘Here born, everywhere known.’
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Fábrica La Aurora
The largest concentration of contemporary art galleries and design studios (mainly expatriates’ work) is housed in the trendy Fábrica La Aurora, a remodeled raw-cotton factory on the north end of town. Many galleries are promoted in local papers, but otherwise, be guided by your whim.
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Chamonix
The pretty garden atmosphere at this restaurant offers a more upmarket, yet relaxed setting and a high-quality international menu and regional specialties. Organic produce is used where possible.
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Berlin
Stop in this cool, artsy spot for a tasty blend of German and international food. The bar is very Euro and if you eavesdrop, you may get the scoop on where to find the next hip art opening.
reviewed
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San Agustín
A ‘don’t leave San Miguel without…’ experience. This is a sweet tooth’s paradise and the best place to go in Mexico for chocolate and churros (doughnut-like fritters; M$35).
reviewed
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El Grito
An oversized face above the doorway of this upscale disco shouts out ‘high prices’ to the young and fashionable Mexican crowd queuing outside.
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Aventuras San Miguel
Offers tours around the region including horseback riding, hiking and camping trips; minimum two people.
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Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel
The parish church's pink 'wedding cake' towers dominate the Jardín. These strange pinnacles were designed by indigenous stonemason Zeferino Gutiérrez in the late 19th century. He reputedly based the design on a postcard of a Belgian church and instructed builders by scratching plans in the sand with a stick. The rest of the church dates from the late 17th century.
In the chapel to the left of the main altar is the much-revered image of the Cristo de la Conquista (Christ of the Conquest), made in Pátzcuaro from cornstalks and orchid bulbs, probably in the 16th century. Irish visitors will be pleased to find a statue of St Patrick, a tribute to the Irish who changed sides…
reviewed
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Jardín Botánico el Charco del Ingenio
On the hilltop 1.5km northeast of town is the 88-hectare botanic garden. This wildlife and bird sanctuary, an ongoing project thanks to the efforts of local volunteers, was created by a caring local (who donated the land) to conserve a natural area around the town and to provide a recreational and ceremonial space for the community. Excellent two-hour tours (in English) depart every Tuesday at 10am (M$80). Monthly full-moon ceremonies also take place here.
reviewed
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Mama Mía
This perennially popular place has separate areas with different hours to host its weekly schedule of gigs. Hit Mama’s Bar for live rock/funk, or join a more sophisticated crowd in the restaurant patio for live folk music, including South American music, salsa and jazz (check the changing schedule). Up front, Bar Leonardo’s shows big-screen sports and La Terrazza, the terrace bar, offers a fine view of the town. Some serious nightlife gets going around 11pm.
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Escuela de Bellas Artes
This school is housed in the beautiful former monastery of La Concepción church, which was converted into a fine-arts school in 1938 and still offers courses. It’s worth coming here to view the murals of Pedro Martínez, plus the Siqueiros Room, which features the extraordinary unfinished mural by David Alfaro Siqueiros (it plays with your mind – we won’t spoil the surprise). The rest of the gallery – a series of rooms – holds temporary exhibitions.
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La Capilla
This elegant restaurant's atmosphere and location - in a former chapel of the parroquia - is unbeatable. The restaurant's fairy-lighted rooftop terrace affords romantic and spectacular sunset views. The menu, which offers truly international cuisine doesn't always live up to the location's lofty heights; it gets mixed reviews. Downstairs there's a classy café-bar and counter selling quality chocolates.
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Templo de la Concepción
This splendid church has a fine altar and several magnificent old oil paintings. Painted on the interior doorway are a number of wise sayings to give pause to those entering the sanctuary. The church was begun in the mid-18th century; its dome, added in the late 19th century by the versatile Zeferino Gutiérrez, was possibly inspired by pictures of Les Invalides in Paris.
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Oratorio de San Felipe Neri
This multi-towered and domed church dating from the 18th-century is near the east end of Insurgentes. The pale-pink main facade is baroque with an indigenous influence. A passage to the right of this facade leads to the east wall, where a doorway holds the image of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (Our Lady of Solitude). You can see into the cloister from this side of the church.
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The Other Face of Mexico
This extraordinary private collection of masks, housed in a purpose-built museum at the back of the US owners’ B&B, is worth visiting – though it’s open by appointment only (call [tel] 154-43-24). It has over 500 beautifully displayed masks, and provides a clear context of the Mexican mask tradition. The admission fee goes to charity.
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Templo de la Salud
This church, with a dome tiled blue and yellow and a big shell carved above its entrance, is just east of San Felipe Neri. The facade is early Churrigueresque. The church’s paintings include one of San Javier by Miguel Cabrera. San Javier (St Francis Xavier, 1506–52) was a founding member of the Jesuits. It was once part of the Colegio de Sales.
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Colegio de Sales
Once a college, founded in the mid-18th century by the San Felipe Neri order, the Colegio de Sales has regained its educational status; it currently houses part of the University of León. Many of the 1810 revolutionaries were educated here. Spaniards were locked up here when the rebels took San Miguel.
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Instituto Allende
This large 1736 complex, the original home of the Conde Manuel de la Canal, features several patios, gardens and an old chapel. It was used as a Carmelite convent, eventually becoming an art and language school in 1951. Above the entrance is a carving of the Virgin of Loreto, patroness of the Canal family.
reviewed
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Walking Tour
This excellent tour departs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from the Jardín. The English-speaking volunteer guides provide a fascinating historical and cultural commentary on the main sights of town. Proceeds go to Patronato Pro Niños (www.patronatoproninos.org), a children's charity.
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La Posadita
This enjoyable eatery gets five stars for its excellent service, Mexican fare, and location – near the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel. Head up a steep set of stairs to the restaurant or the wonderful rooftop terrace with great vistas. It serves delicious margaritas, enchiladas and meat dishes.
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Centro de Crecimiento
Runs 'Saturday Adventures' every Saturday at 10:30 to ranches, haciendas, vineyards, monasteries and Talavera factories. Tickets are purchased from El Jardín on Fridays 10:30-12:30 and Saturdays 09:30. Proceeds go to the organization, a rehabilitation center for children with disabilities.
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Los Burritos
You definitely don’t head here for the decor (although note the carved donkey heads on the chairs), but instead for the vast array of cheap antojitos and the mouthwatering, made-to-order guisados (fillings) from mole to chipotle (a type of chili) and potato.
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Bugambilia
Said to be one of the oldest surviving restaurants in San Miguel. Indeed, it offers a traditional experience in a lovely bougainvillea-filled patio setting. It’s famous for chiles en nogada (stuffed chilies, fried in batter and served with creamy sauce) but receives mixed reviews.
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