Things to Do in Guadalajara

Guadalajara rewards more than a single day. The city proper has several excellent cultural sites; the surrounding area includes tequila country, a large lake, and the craft hub of Tlaquepaque.

Instituto Cultural Cabañas

The most important site in Guadalajara: an 18th-century hospice complex (UNESCO World Heritage Site) containing the frescoes of José Clemente Orozco — particularly the Man of Fire on the chapel dome, Orozco’s vision of humanity’s relationship with industrial power. It’s among the most powerful public art in the Americas. The complex also houses rotating contemporary exhibitions.

Mercado Libertad (San Juan de Dios)

The largest covered market in Latin America: a multi-storey building of food stalls, clothing, electronics, and crafts. The food court on the ground floor has the best birria (the city’s signature slow-cooked goat/beef soup) and tortas ahogadas (pork rolls in tomato-chilli sauce). Crowded and chaotic — the real Guadalajara rather than the tourist-facing version.

Tlaquepaque

15 minutes southeast of the city centre, Tlaquepaque has pedestrianised streets lined with artisan workshops and shops: hand-blown glass, talavera ceramics, traditional furniture, silver jewellery, and leather goods. Quality ranges from mass-produced to genuine craft. The El Parian square has mariachi performances and good food. Worth a half-day.

Tequila town

65 km northwest. The town of Tequila and the surrounding blue agave fields form a UNESCO World Heritage agave landscape. La Rojeña (Cuervo) and Herradura distilleries offer tours. The scenery along the highway through the agave fields is striking. A tequila train (the Tequila Express) runs from Guadalajara’s Paco Garibaldi station on Saturdays — an all-inclusive day trip with tours and food.

Lake Chapala

50 km southeast — the largest lake in Mexico, in the high valley of the Trans-Volcanic Belt. The town of Ajijic on the north shore has a large North American expat community and a pleasant main square. A weekend trip rather than a day trip; boat tours on the lake leave from Chapala town.

Mariachi and nightlife

Plaza de los Mariachis (near the Mercado Libertad) is the traditional gathering point for mariachi bands — they play for diners at the surrounding restaurants, table by table. It’s touristy but genuine: the musicians are professional and the performances are good. The Chapultepec neighbourhood (Avenida Chapultepec) has the city’s most concentrated bar and restaurant scene.