Cultivating your creative side is easier than ever in San Miguel de Allende, where artists and expats can be found sculpting and painting among the colonial architecture and cobblestone walkways. Start your day at El Jardín, the city’s central plaza, where you might find yourself amid a mariachi concert or a local festival. Once you’ve had your fill of people-watching and exploring the shops that line the city center, make sure to stop at the mask museum or spend the evening at a performance in the Public Library‘s Santa Ana Theatre.
AN ULTIMATE LIST OF THE CITY’S VENUES LOOKS LIKE THIS:
El Jardín
El Jardín is San Miguel’s main plaza, located in the heart of the city. At the Zocalo, as El Jardín is often called, you can spend time people-watching, perusing the nearby shops and restaurants, and reorienting yourself should the town’s winding roads lead you astray.
Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel
Intricate, pink pinnacles poking through the skyline will help you locate the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, a towering parish church overlooking El Jardin from the southern side of the plaza. The prominent church’s neo-Gothic design is the vision of the self-taught stonemason and architect Zeferino Gutiérrez, who is rumored to have used European lithographs of Belgian and German churches for artistic inspiration.
El Charco del Ingenio Botanical Garden
Much of San Miguel’s splendor can be discovered in its abundance of manmade beauty, but at El Charco del Ingenio, nature is the aesthetic draw. At this more than 170-acre botanical garden set in an ecological preserve, you’ll have the chance to spot wildlife, walk along greenery-lined trails and learn about various species of local cacti. Meanwhile, the San Miguel community often gathers in the garden to watch performances, partake in ceremonies, and attend environmental education programs. Recent travelers recommend enjoying a hike through the park, picnicking alongside the waterfalls, or spending an evening at a concert in the outdoor amphitheater.
Fábrica La Aurora
A textile mill from 1902 to 1991, Fábrica La Aurora has since become an art-lover’s paradise in northern San Miguel. Just a short walk north from El Jardin, the converted factory shows evidence of the site’s history, including oil-stained floors and traces of cotton, tucked into crevices. If you’re looking to shop, you’ll be satisfied by the diverse selection of furniture, jewelry, and contemporary art stores that pepper the complex. After you’ve spent plenty of time eyeing paintings and sculptures, switch your focus from palette to palate with a stop at one of Fábrica La Aurora’s restaurants like the Food Factory or Café de la Aurora.
Instituto Allende
The picturesque Instituto Allende has been drawing art students to San Miguel de Allende for more than 50 years. Originally built in 1736 as the home of the noble Condes de la Canal family, the sprawling campus became an art and language school more than two centuries later. When the institute opened in 1951, American veterans flocked to the mountainside town after learning that the Instituto Allende qualified for study under the GI Bill. It wasn’t long before word of the beautiful aesthetics spread and aspiring artists were heading to the school in droves.
El Charco del Ingenio Botanical Garden
Much of San Miguel’s splendor can be discovered in its abundance of manmade beauty, but at El Charco del Ingenio, nature is the aesthetic draw. At this more than 170-acre botanical garden set in an ecological preserve, you’ll have the chance to spot wildlife, walk along greenery-lined trails and learn about various species of local cacti. Meanwhile, the San Miguel community often gathers in the garden to watch performances, partake in ceremonies, and attend environmental education programs. Recent travelers recommend enjoying a hike through the park, picnicking alongside the waterfalls or spending an evening at a concert in the outdoor amphitheater.
