San Miguel del Allende

If you haven’t heard of San Miguel de Allende, you will. This stunning Colonial town and UNESCO World Heritage Site is located about four hours north of Mexico City and is quickly becoming one of Mexico’s hot spots. TravelStruck recently took our adventures south to see what the hype was about.

The first few things you’ll realize about San Miguel is that this colorful, traffic light town is stunning and has Instagram worthy shots around every turn.

The entire town is completely walkable, assuming you have comfortable shoes to navigate the historic cobblestone streets, and feels extremely safe. The colonial Spanish architecture is something to admire and of course, the infamous Parroquia Church, which is beautiful day or night, and always has an exciting cultural event in the church square.

When you’re done walking the streets, and browsing charming boutiques and art galleries, head up to one of their many rooftops bars and soak in the views from above. Some of our favorites were the Luna Rooftop bar at the Rosewood Hotel, which has an excellent selection of tapas and cocktails, Atrio and Quince, which are both located just steps from the main church.

There is no lack of gourmet restaurants to choose from, but be sure to make reservations in advance to ensure you are able to eat at your top choices.

There are several great hotel options in the area, but one of the best options is the Rosewood San Miguel de Allende. It’s a Virtuoso property built in traditional colonial style located just on the perimeter of town on expansive grounds, filled with grass, fountains and bougainvillea. If you stay here, don't forget to ask about their tequila tasting experience!

There is also the uber modern Hotel Matilda, decorated with eclectic art and has a younger vibe, but their rooftop bar does leave something to be desired. There are a multitude of boutiques hotels throughout the town, all with a unique and beautiful style of their own.

The area outside the town has so much to offer, we quickly realized that three nights was not quite enough to see and do everything that San Miguel had to offer. We were able to enjoy horse back riding though the mountains and rivers nearby, which was a fun way to see the landscape.

Another popular activity is the La Gruta Hot Springs, which has a variety of open air pools in increasing temperatures. You could easily spend several hours here, so plan accordingly. Be sure to check the times when the fountains are turned on for an even better experience.

A few minutes outside of town is El Charco del Ingenio, which is a botanical garden and nature preserve.

For wine enthusiasts, it's worth checking out several of the wineries outside town. Cuna de Tierra and Dos Buhos are two of the most popular.

Finally, if you plan to depart on a Monday, you can enjoy your last day (Sundays only) at a local Latin Jazz lunch at Rancho Zandunga, which is a spectacular ranch just 15 minutes outside of town. Enjoy a delicious meal and lounge in a hammock listening to live music. It’s also very family-friendly so your kids will love it. Please note that tickets need to be purchased in advance.

Culture, art, architecture, gastronomy, nature, history, flowers, wine, hot springs…San Miguel de Allende is worth all the hype!