Traditions, heritage and culture are the basic allures this destination has to offer, a place whose dazzling architecture and rich traditions stand for one of the finest travel options in this great nation.

By sauntering into the city, gazing at the Basilica of Our Lady of Lady of Guanajuato or the Temple of San Diego, or just stopping for a few minutes in bustling Peace Square, visitors immediately realize they have signed up for an exceptional stroll. Popular tradition has it that the foundational Mass was held in 1557. As soon as plentiful deposits of silver were discovered in the vicinity, Viceroy authorities gave the then fledgling one-horse town all the privileges and support to become a thriving village. Settlers moved there and set up several religious orders. As time rolled on, well-to-do families settled down there too, thus turning the town into a prosperous silver-digging village between the 16th and 18th centuries. Guanajuato is now said to be a genuine treasure in terms of colonial architecture in Latin America. The historic core was declared World Heritage by UNESCO and since then it’s been commonplace to watch a troupe of off-the-cuff travel guides waiting every morning to reel in some of the countless tourists who come to this city. They are then taken down the zigzagging streets in exchange for a tip. To them there’s no other town like this in all of Mexico. And they’re absolutely right, at least in one thing: the beauty of the colonial architecture, the squares and the parks that have remained intact and are by far the number-one attraction this place has to offer, coupled with the historic and cultural wealth in the form of monuments and buildings. This much makes up a lovely cityscape that cherishes a stunning patrimonial heritage currently shared by visitors from all around the world. Thus, it’s been a long time since this town stopped being a major mining center to become one of the most successful travel destinations in the region of Bajio and all central Mexico, boasting top-class hotels and services, thrilling cultural life and entertainment of all kinds either in broad daylight or at night. One of the must-see strolls is the one down the Callejon del Beso (Kiss Alley). It’s pretty near the Square of Angels and is nothing but a small 70cm-wide corridor featuring façades and balconies too close to one another. History has it that this architecture prompted a young couple to have its secret rendezvous there because they could easily talk, caress each other and even make out without leaving their homes. One afternoon the girl’s father took them by surprise right when they young lovers were kissing and the beautiful story came to a tragic end. Popular wisdom assert that the lovers’ souls still wander the place just to bless and give seven years of happiness to spouses or couples that might kiss right on the same spot. The Alley is just a stone’s throw from the Juarez Avenue, which is home to a lovely theater named after the Mexican founding father. At the same time, the Peace Square, in the heart of the historic core, currently harbors the headquarters of the state government. In the past it was the residence of well-heeled families in Guanajuato. Right before our eyes, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato stands tall, marked with number 7 on Ponciano Aguilar Street, a building dating from 1771 and built with pink quarry stones and carved-rock pillars, featuring 17th-century baroque and neoclassical style, with amazing interiors that still treasure beautiful woodcarvings, like the image of the Virgin of Lourdes that rests on a fancy pedestal of embossed silver. Marked by remarkable formal differences, yet with great similarities in terms of the materials and styles used, the Temple of San Diego of Alcantara stands out next to the Municipal Presidential Residence. The shrine boasts a valuable collection of Mexican painting from the 18th century that can be seen in its vaulted halls and hallways. The most recommended museums are the Diego Rivera House, in Positos Street, that offers an all-out approach to the different pictorial stages of the artist, starting out with his early going till his demise. The San Gabriel de Barrera Farmhouse, a huge mansion built in the 18th century, recreates the lifestyle of a rich family from that time; the Mummy Museum –it holds a hundred of them- is the most sought-after place in town, while the Quixote Iconographic Museum holds a vast collection of paintings, engravings, drawings, rugs, coins, sculptures and porcelain devoted to the Ingenious Hidalgo from La Mancha.