The sweeping landscape of Mexico’s central highlands (also known as the Mexican Altiplano) is home to some of the country’s most picturesque and agreeable colonial towns and cities which offer an abundance of character and culture—and the benefits of mountain living.

The benefits of mountain living in Mexico

Living at elevation —typically, Mexico’s inland colonial towns and cities are situated at elevations of at least 4,000 feet above sea level— offers several benefits:

Ideal climates

Many places situated at elevation in Mexico offer the benefit of year-round temperate, low-humidity, climates created by a combination of the locations’ latitude and an average elevation around 6,000 feet above sea level which make it a pleasure to live and be outdoors, and an ideal location to enjoy active outdoor activities.

Enjoy plenty of daylight all-year

Year-round and especially during the winter, you benefit from at least ten hours of daylight every day of the year, with no shortage of daylight hours in the winter, and you also enjoy extended light into the evenings during the late spring and summer months.  You can learn about climates through the seasons in Mexico here on Mexperience.

Fresh highland air and breathtaking views

Enjoy crisp, fresh, mountain air which complements the magnificent views from local vantage points, and elevations that can aid your good health and general well-being without being too high so as to become uncomfortable.

Access to good local infrastructure and amenities

Many of Mexico’s popular colonial highland towns and cities offer provincial living with plenty of local fresh food and produce markets, (much of it grown locally), independent shops and boutique traders, with accessibility to popular big-brand stores, outlets, and supermarkets as well as specialized stores offering foods and homewares foreign residents often seek out when living here. Most colonial cities also have adequate-to-excellent healthcare facilities locally; in smaller towns, more extensive facilities are available in larger nearby cities.

Well-connected to transport links

You’ll discover that the highland towns are well connected by modern roads, most are serviced by frequent intercity bus services, and some also have airports nearby. High-speed internet access is available in your home, as well as wireless data over advanced mobile networks which form part of Mexico’s extensive communications infrastructure.

Integrate into genuine local communities

Many of the colonial towns and cities offer you the opportunity to participate and integrate in local communities.  Here you can discover authentic neighborhoods and real local community spirit, and if you choose to, you can integrate with local lifestyles and community groups, and forge long-term friendships.

Considerations for mountain living in Mexico

Mountain living isn’t for everyone.  Some people yearn to be near the ocean with year-round warmth, whereas highland towns tend to be cooler—and may even get cold at times during the winter months.  A very small number of people find that they can’t adjust to living at higher elevations, while others find the mountain towns too remote, rural, or provincial for their lifestyle preferences or intentions.

If you’re unsure, visit for an extended stay

An ideal way to determine if mountain life in Mexico will suit you is to invest in a trial period —perhaps six months to a year— and see how you respond to the experience.  When you take the time to explore, you’ll discover thriving communities where, when you’re prepared to integrate, local people will come to know and greet you by name, you’ll cultivate appreciable relationships, you’ll give and receive value as you trade at the local markets through transactions which feel human and personal… and over time, you become the community you seek.

When you look with care you’ll also find the very best of Mexico in these places—people, culture, climate, food, amenities, and real local communities. For some, Mexico’s highland towns and cities become exceptionally special places to live.

Choosing between urban and (semi) rural settings

Other than Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, Mexico’s highland towns and cities are situated in provincial (rural or semi-rural) settings and we recommend your consider whether living in the Mexican countryside would suit you, as well as giving careful thought to your lifestyle needs as a whole as you short-list potential places to live instead of looking at certain aspects in isolation.

As with other places you may consider moving to in Mexico, you’ll need to plan and prepare for your new lifestyle, you might need to acclimatize to the higher elevation, and you’ll need to be prepared to forge your own story here. Hundreds of thousands of foreign residents enjoy a good life in Mexico; with some considered choices and forward planning, you could as well.

Explore highland towns and cities in Mexico

Here are some of the more popular colonial towns and cities foreign residents have settled in, as well as some which are less well-known and gaining attention in recent times.

Mexico’s colonial heartland

Querétaro, Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende for traditional colonial highland cities; Aguascalientes for a more contemporary living lifestyle; and Zacatecas if you’re seeking a mountain city off-the-beaten-track and on the edge of a mountain frontier.

South-central highlands

Cuernavaca, Tepoztlán, and Puebla.  These traditional provincial highland places are situated conveniently close to Mexico City and yet are far enough removed from the congestion of the capital to enjoy a genuine provincial atmosphere and feel.  For a more rustic option off-the-beaten track in this area, consider Taxco.

In the mountains west of Mexico City

The highland lakeside towns of Chapala, and Ajijic are home to the largest community of foreign residents in Mexico; the city of Morelia offers old-world colonial elegance, and the ancient highland town of Pátzcuaro offers an attractive blend of colonial indigenous cultures amidst an intimate colonial setting. If you’re seeking an urban lifestyle at elevation, Guadalajara offers vibrancy, culture, and all the benefits of a large metropolitan city, and is close to Ajijic, Chapala, and Jocotepec—small towns settled along the northern shoreline of Lake Chapala and home to tens of thousands of foreign residents, most from the US and Canada.

Further south, to Oaxaca and Chiapas

Oaxaca City remains one of the most authentic and cultured colonial cities in Mexico; and further south, in the breath-taking state of Chiapas, you’ll find the highland mountain town of San Cristobal de las Casas—somewhat off-the-beaten-track and close to the traditional indigenous mountain communities of San Juan Chamula and Zinacatán.

Discover more places to live in Mexico

Discover interesting and charming locations to live, work or retire in Mexico, and articles with helpful insights about choosing a place to settle here.

Resources for Living & Lifestyle in Mexico

Mexperience offers you a comprehensive online resource of information and local knowledge to help you discover Mexico, explore choices, find opportunities and plan a new life in Mexico.  Our resources include:

• Detailed knowledge about planning a move in Mexico
• Insightful articles about living and lifestyle in Mexico
• Detailed insights about retirement in Mexico
• Practical insights for planning your Mexico lifestyle
• A regular Mexico Newsletter you can subscribe to for free

The ideal month to buy a Mexican flag

Ambulant vendors selling Mexican flags are everywhere during the first half of September.  If you’re looking for a Mexican flag, this is the easiest time of year to acquire one, as almost every major street corner has someone selling them, from the small plastic flags which attach to a car or window, to colossal flags of monumental proportions—and everything in between.

200 years of El Grito

September 16th is Mexico’s official Independence Day and a national holiday, marking the events that led to the creation of the Mexican Republic following three centuries of Spanish colonial rule.

On the night of September 15th, state officials in towns and cities across the country re-enact Miguel Hidalgo’s pre-dawn grito de independencia (cry of independence), which originally took place in the small town of Dolores Hidalgo, near San Miguel de Allende, in 1810.

Key provincial cities where independence is celebrated

The most popular provincial cities to attend for Independence Day celebrations are San Miguel de Allende and nearby Dolores Hidalgo—the ‘cradle towns’ of the independence movement.  Other popular provincial cities where lively celebrations take place include Guanajuato, Querétaro, Oaxaca, and Puebla, although celebrations are national and every town and city will mark the occasion in its town square.

The capital’s zócalo — focal point for the national festivities

In Mexico City, the capital’s zócalo (main square) traditionally swells with thousands of people who attend to hear the country’s President re-enact the grito from the balcony of the National Palace.

Traditionally, egg-shells filled with confetti are thrown and crushed on people during the celebrations, so we also recommend that leave your ‘Sunday best’ clothes in the wardrobe if you attend a local fiesta—at the town square, or elsewhere.

Place is personal, subjective, and important—and as you consider places to live in Mexico, Mexperience helps you to consider your choices and shortlist locations that may suit your lifestyle needs.

Discover places to live, work or retire in Mexico

To help you discover and explore potential places to live here, Mexperience publishes a curated list of locations to consider for living, working or retirement in Mexico—organized by popularity and notoriety and classified by the location type.

Our articles introduce you to key places where many foreign residents live now, emerging locations that are becoming increasingly popular with foreign residents, as well as those places that are less well known, or situated off-the-beaten path. We also publish a selection of detailed guides of places to live in Mexico:

The most popular places to live in Mexico

Discover locations that have for a long time, or in recent times, garnered considerable popularity with foreign residents (retirees and others) and have active communities of interest established at the location.

Emerging locations to live in Mexico

Discover locations that have, in recent years, been catching the attention of foreign residents and have fledgling or developing communities of interest present there.

Underexplored locations to live in Mexico

Discover places that do not have significant numbers of foreign residents already established and are generally ‘off-the-beaten-path’ for most foreigners considering Mexico for living and retirement. These places can offer attractions that may be of interest to some potential foreign residents and retirees seeking someplace more traditional, unusual, and with a lower concentration of foreign residents living there.

Detailed living guides

For detailed guides to selected places to live and work or retire, connect to our section with Guides to Living Places in Mexico

The book narrates the experiences of Tony and his wife Masako as they serendipitously discover San Miguel de Allende in the 1980s, and soon afterwards spontaneously decide to leave their highly-strung life situations in Los Angeles and move to live in San Miguel.

Cohan’s chronicle is a blend of personal observations about a Mexican culture that is at once alien and alluring to the new arrivals, with narratives that describe some everyday experiences and sentiments foreign residents often pass through as they establish their presence here and begin to settle into their routines and surroundings.

The memoir traverses a 15-year interval of the couple’s life together, which begins around the time of the 1985 earthquake that rocked Mexico City and concludes around the time of the book’s publication date in 2000. The narratives illustrate Mexico as it was in that era, and if you had read this book at the turn of the century, you would have recognized the continuing presence then of what Tony Cohan describes, while also mindful that Mexico was on the cusp of significant change.

To anyone who’s lived in Mexico for a good while —reading this memoir today while reflecting on 35 years of changes— it’s immediately apparent how some things have moved-on and none so much, perhaps, as their constant struggles to keep in touch with family, friends, and associates using the old long-distance telephone kiosks, and the difficulties they encounter trying to get a telephone line working at the house they buy: matters which have been consigned to the annals of history with services like cellular telephony and widespread internet access.

Some aspects of the narrative describe a San Miguel that is now long-gone—and a San Miguel which the original foreign artists who settled there in the 1950s had asserted was gone by the time Cohan’s memoir was published.

The city has changed from being a bohemian sleepy backwater town where artists mustered to cultivate their work, to one of the most popular locations in Mexico’s history; sought-after by wealthy foreigners and Mexicans buying weekend homes in the historic district, and visited by tourists from across the world.

Tony Cohan and his wife purchased their old colonial home in the central historic district of San Miguel for US$65,000—a sum that would not cover the closing costs in today’s market, where property prices easily compete with Mexico City’s most trendy neighborhoods.

Although the story describes a Mexico of three decades past, one of the remarkable aspects of the memoir is that Cohan’s descriptions of now long-gone ways and means blend with those which continue to remain firmly present in the realms of everyday Mexican life and, in that sense, the book today serves as an account that describes Mexico on its own passage through Mexican time.

The book is published in hardback, paperback, and audio versions. It’s also available as an eBook. See the Author’s website.

Living in San Miguel Allende

San Miguel de Allende is situated about 170 miles by road northwest of Mexico City. The Spanish founded the city as San Miguel El Grande and the location served as an important military and commercial center when Zacatecas was one of the world’s principal silver mining centers, although the town was renamed in 1826 to San Miguel de Allende, in honor of Ignacio Allende—one of the protagonists of Mexico’s independence movement—who was born here.

San Miguel de Allende At-a-Glance:

Location Type

Colonial

Population

139,297 (2005 Census)

Altitude

6,200 feet above sea-level

Time Zone

Central Time

High/Low Temperatures

34F/1C (Nocturnal, Winter), 75F/24C (Daytime, Summer). Year-Round Average 66F/19C

Rainy Season?

San Miguel de Allende’s rainy season runs from late May to October each year, with tropical downpours happening on occasions.

Hurricanes?

San Miguel is inland and not affected by hurricanes

Local Economy:

Tourism, specialized retail commerce, art and language study, agriculture (beans, corn, wheat, alfalfa), chicken farms.

Expat Penetration

Very High*

Cost of Living

Higher*

Travel Guide

Travel Guide to San Miguel

Safe in San Miguel Allende

Latest Mexico Safety Updates

*Relative to other foreign expat communities in Mexico

Ignacio Allende is one of the Mexico’s most famous historical figures who was a captain in the Spanish army and later sympathizer of the Independence Movement. Although he was captured and executed for treason, he is considered one of the founding fathers of Mexico and began the movement that led to Mexico becoming free of Spanish rule.

The city’s importance began to decline after the War of Independence and, by the turn of the 20th century, San Miguel de Allende was in real danger of becoming an abandoned ghost town. It was its Baroque-Neoclassical architecture which captured the attention of foreign artists who, in the mid 20th Century began to move here and set-up several cultural and artistic institutions in the town. Famous artists, including Siquieros, began to lend the town some notoriety, and so followed a steady stream of foreign students, artists and retirees who came to San Miguel. Today, tourism, art, culture, retail commerce, and agriculture are the mainstays of the local economy.

From its historical roots, San Miguel has been transformed from a quiet, quaint, cobble-lined town that really started to develop under the auspices of artists who adopted the town in the 1950s—to today’s explosion of popularity with so many foreign expatriates choosing to live (full-time or part-time) in Mexico that the town is one of the most densely populated expatriate areas in the entire country.

The overall feel of San Miguel remains colonial and bohemian, but the town is alive with activity and growth which continues to make this one of the most coveted places for living, working and retirement by foreign expatriates.

One of the most alluring features of San Miguel de Allende is that it has successfully managed to combine old-world charm with modern-day cosmopolitan lifestyle and amenities.

Most of the art and cultural activities which take place here are concerned with arts and learning, painting, weaving, photography and sculpture. San Miguel is also one of the most popular places for foreigners to come and learn Spanish, and so Spanish language schools have become an important part of the local economy.

The influx of expatriates and well-heeled Mexicans has not gone unnoticed by investors. The city is developing rapidly and the outskirts of the city are being developed with housing projects. Major retail brands, including Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Starbucks and others, have moved in, either to San Miguel proper or nearby Celaya. Franchises setting up in San Miguel are doing so to mixed reviews by local people, some of whom may be heard moaning about the inevitable commercialization these bring, but who probably also value the convenience they amenities offer, nonetheless. For local Mexicans, these investments bring much-needed infrastructure and jobs to what remains a semi-rural environment in the Mexican colonial heartland.

Continuing Popularity Among Visitors, Expatriates and Mexicans

San Miguel de Allende continues to be one of the country’s most important tourist centers. In part due to its location–it’s situated centrally the heartland of the colonial ‘silver’ cities– and also because the town’s charm is well supported by its excellent amenities (fine hotels, restaurants and shops) which cater well to modern visitor’s needs and desires.

Foreign expatriates continue to flock here, too. Some of the expats who arrived in the 1960’s and were left disappointed by the colossal transformation that took place have chosen to leave, but their spaces have been eagerly taken by others who hold no such nostalgia for the old and are quite content with the town in its present-day form.

Some of those moving-in are well-heeled Mexicans, who have established country homes here, often visiting at weekends, or renting out the homes to visitors when they themselves are not using the property.

Inward Investment

San Miguel de Allende, like a number of other prominent and popular Mexican towns and cities has experienced a massive surge of inward investment since the mid 1990’s. These capital inflows have created a renaissance of San Miguel’s historic center and especially the outlying areas in the mountainside which surround this picturesque town.

As San Miguel became one of THE most sought-after places to live in Mexico between 2000 and 2008, dozens of new building projects ensued and, when the most desirable areas of the historic center has been bought and/or restored, developers moved to fill the unquenching demand for homes by developing housing projects in the hills and mountains surrounding the city. See ‘real estate’ in this guide for more information.

Unesco World Heritage Site

The city’s 64 central historical blocks and its nearby sanctuary in Atotonilco were declared a UNESCO world heritage site in July 2008 in recognition of its architecture as well as its historical importance as one of the ‘birth cities’ of Mexican independence.

Downturn, But Not Out

The global economic downturn, a drop in language-study tourists (and the significant impact that has had on the arts and language study interests of the town), and the news-flow concerning Mexico’s drug-related violence have each and all served to take their toll on San Miguel’s fortunes over the last few years.

However, all the reasons foreigners came and settled here in the first instance remain. This is one of Mexico’s most beautiful places; it has a near-ideal climate, it’s relatively close to Mexico City and has excellent road transport links. The town is served by airports in Mexico City (approx 3.5 hours by car), Querétaro (90 minutes by car), and in León (90 minutes by car). Mexico’s colonial cities are extremely safe places to visit and live in, and the adverse news-flow which has, in part, caused the downturn, will itself pass, and people will, again, be turning their eyes with anticipation to San Miguel de Allende.

If you don’t mind a place that has a high density of foreign expatriates living there already, and if one of your requirements is to be in a community well-settled by other expats, then San Miguel de Allende should appear on your short-list of places to live in Mexico.

San Miguel de Allende is one of the most-written about places in Mexico. However, no amount of words can convey the almost mystic allure this place holds with the thousands of foreigners who live here, and the hundreds of thousands of foreigners and Mexicans who enjoy returning to visit this town each year. Like so many places in Mexico, you have to go and experience it to better understand—moreover to experience—just how San Miguel casts its spell.

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Cost of Living in San Miguel de Allende

The cost of living in Mexico is typically lower in Mexico than it is the USA, Canada and Western Europe, although precise costs depend upon where you live and your lifestyle choices.

Cost of Living Report

To learn more about the cost of living in Mexico, connect to the Mexico Cost of Living page on Mexperience.

Regional and geographical cost variations do exist, and this part of the guide shows you how some goods and services at Cuernavaca vary from the average.

See Also:

Banks, Banking and Credit in Mexico | Money in Mexico

Blog Articles:

Money, Banking & Finance | Mexican Economy

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Real Estate in San Miguel de Allende

Information about the real estate market in San Miguel Allende.

Real Estate Market in San Miguel de Allende

Prices of realty in San Miguel de Allende have risen considerably over the last decade. The influx brought investment to the historic center, where old ruined buildings have been lovingly restored by new owners and, as demand soared, the areas in the hills and mountainside surrounding this colonial city have been developed into homes, too.

Prices for all realty soared as copious quantities of cash poured gratuitously into the town from Mexico and abroad, and raised property prices to levels which (and as happened in so many of Mexico’s semi-rural towns) never reflected the production potential of the local economy.

San Miguel was one of Mexico’s “boom economy” stories of the 2000s and so it is now undertaking necessary period of consolidation and re-balance that will, in due course, bring about a much more mature and stable property market in the region.

Most real estate is sold through local realty agents who know the area and the surrounding region, as well as directly through the developers marketing major realty projects, either out of town or on one of the nearby golf courses.

Real estate types range from old colonial homes in the historic center (and which today command very high prices, making them affordably to only the wealthiest buyers), to more contemporary-looking homes around the center’s peripheries and outskirts, where you can also find condos and some golf-course property available on tailor made developments.

If you are looking for a restoration project, some may still be available locally. To find them, you could wander around the center, as some properties have ‘for sale’ signs posted; others do not; contacting a local realty agent is the best way of finding out what the status of an old (ruined) building may be, and to negotiate the sale if the owner is open to offers.

Rentals Market in San Miguel de Allende

San Miguel has a very buoyant local property rental market. Some luxury homes here are also vacation rentals (rented full or part time as such); offered for rent by the week or over week-ends. Longer term accommodations may be sought as well, and some people who own property here but only live in San Miguel for part of the year will rent their homes out during the period of their absence. Long term rental properties in San Miguel are offered through local realty agents and by individual property owners listing properties on the internet or local newspapers and magazines, as well as signs posted at restaurants, cafes and bars near the vicinity where the rentals are situated. Some owners post a notice on the property, e.g. “Se Renta,” with a contact telephone number.  For short-term rentals, Airbnb has become the defacto go-to site for searching available homes and making bookings.

See Also:

Guide to Real Estate in Mexico | Home Maintenance | Home Security

Healthcare in San Miguel de Allende

San Miguel has two general hospitals serving the local community: the public hospital is funded and managed by the state, and a privately-managed hospital which offers a range of specialized healthcare professionals and services including pediatricians and cardiologists, ophthalmologists, orthopedics, etc. as well as a unit offering cosmetic procedures.

In addition to Mexico’s state sponsored healthcare provided via the country’s national health service IMSS, good quality healthcare services offered through private clinics with US -standard healthcare services exist in Cuernavaca. The privately-run out patient clinics available locally are ideal for day-to-day ailments, sprains, broken bones and other health matters which would normally be diagnosed and treated by a General Practitioner of medicine.

See Also:

Health and Healthcare in Mexico | Travel Health in Mexico

Local Climate in San Miguel de Allende

San Miguel de Allende enjoys a yearly average temperature of 66F/19C. Winter months can be cooler and drop to 34F/1C at night; summer months may reach highs of at least 75F/24C. The area’s weather is temperate and semi-arid. Summers are warm or moderately hot with a rainy season. Winters temperatures are moderate although cooler/colder days may occur on occasions when nortes (cold fronts) push down from the north.

Winter Climate:

January through March are the coolest months. Temperatures can range from lows of around 34F/1C overnight, to between 66F/19C and 73F/23C during the day.

Spring Climate:

April through June – springtime – are warmer months in San Miguel de Allende with temperatures ranging from 42F/6C overnight to 73F/23C in the daytime.

Summer Climate:

July through September are the hottest months, with temperature ranging from 46F/8C overnight, to 75F/24C or higher in the daytime. Temperatures and humidity reach their peak in May and June.

Autumn Climate:

Temperatures moderate again starting in September and daytime temperatures begin to climb down from their summer highs. Temperatures in the autumn months range from 37F/3C overnight to 68F/20C in the daytime.

Rainy Season:

San Miguel de Allende’s rainy season runs from May to September, with most of the rain falling in July and August. Torrential afternoon rains may be experienced several days a week and, in the peak temperature months between May and August, tropical storms may feature, too.

Hurricanes:

San Miguel is inland and not affected by hurricanes. Sometimes, if a hurricane falls on the Pacific Coast, climates inland may be affected, for example, with overcast skies and slightly lower temperatures.

See Also:

Weather and Climates in Mexico

Practical Information About Living in San Miguel Allende

This section contains links to guides where you can learn more about living in San Miguel Allende.

Accessibility / Transport

Getting Around San Miguel Allende

Getting Around

Transportation choices in Mexico

Communications

Staying in contact while living in Mexico

Money and Banking

Guide to Money in Mexico | Banks & Banking in Mexico

Practical Matters

Practical Information (Travel Guide)

Auto Insurance in Mexico

How to insure your foreign-plated car in Mexico

Safety in Mexico

Latest Safety Updates

Key Attractions

Travel Guide to San Miguel Allende

Most (but not all) of Mexico’s colonial cities are situated at elevations of at least 5,000 feet above sea level and if the place you choose is situated in these high lands you can expect cooler and more temperate climates year-round than you’ll experience in colonial cities which are situated at lower elevation or nearer to the coasts where temperatures soar, particularly during the late spring and through the summer months.

During late fall and throughout the winter, early mornings, evenings, and nights are cooler in colonial cities—even chilly in some higher places that may also require the warmth of a fireplace or other heating system. The spring and fall climates are close to ideal in most of Mexico’s highland colonial cities, featuring a temperate ambiance with occasional rainfalls between otherwise undisturbed sunlight, shining across crisp and deep azure-blue skies.

The late spring and summer months in Mexico’s highland colonial cities are warm and can get quite hot.  Most regions experience seasonal rains between June and October each year; these often take the form of torrential afternoon or evening downpours which cool the high summer temperatures and make the local flora radiate with color and fragrance.

Which colonial cities are people moving to?  The two big ‘expat enclaves’ of San Miguel de Allende and Ajijic/Chapala have been popular with foreign residents for decades, and their lure and appeal is still attractive to many who visit and call these places their home, full or part-time.

Foreigners researching places to live in Mexico will usually come across popular colonial locations like San Miguel de Allende, Ajijic, and Cuernavaca. Other places that are less well-known but which have have been rising in popularity in recent years include: Mérida, Puebla, Guanajuato, Querétaro, and Oaxaca. For places somewhat off-the-beaten-path, you might also consider researching San Cristobal de las Casas, and Morelia (with nearby Pátzcuaro).  If you’re seeking a colonial setting near the coast consider Mazatlán, Manzanillo, and Campeche.

With the exception of the most popular colonial towns, Mexico’s colonial settings offer (generally speaking) lower property purchase and rental prices than equivalent land and homes situated at popular Mexican beach-side towns and resorts. However, house prices in colonial cities have risen substantially in recent years and property prices across Mexico are no longer the bargain they once were.  It’s also worth keeping in mind that lesser-known colonial locations don’t tend to generate the same level of property sales turnover as the most popular locations do, so if you buy land or property away from a fashionable area, it might take longer to sell.  You can learn all about property purchase and ownership in Mexico here on Mexperience.

We recommend above all else that you take time to step back and consider your lifestyle needs and short-list locations in Mexico that serve those needs.

If you’re looking for a long-term investment and a foothold in Mexico that will provide you with a stable home, a good climate, decent access by road (some cities also have airports not far away); a lower cost of living than the US, Canada and Europe; and a place where you can be surrounded by culture and heritage, do some research here on Mexperience to learn about Mexico’s colonial cities and then go and experience a few of them in person.  You may be pleasantly surprised.

San Miguel de Allende, most often referred to as San Miguel, is one of a group of old Silver Mining cities, which also includes Guanajuato, Zacatecas, Queretaro and San Luis Potosi.

Over the last two decades San Miguel de Allende—once a quiet, quaint, cobble-lined town that developed a following among artists in the 1950s—has exploded in popularity with foreign expatriates who have chosen to live (full-time or part-time) in Mexico. The overall feel is still colonial and bohemian, but the town is alive with activity and growth which also makes it an exciting place to visit.

Although this is a small city, it successfully combines old world charm with modern-day cosmopolitan lifestyle. Most activities surround arts and learning, painting, weaving, photography and sculpture. Spanish Language schools are big here too; you can learn more about residential Spanish Language Courses with Mexperience’s Learn Spanish section.

Although San Miguel can be enjoyed as part of day visit, you really need to stay here for a few days to grasp the essence of what this colonial city has to offer. It’s a very popular weekend destination, and people from Mexico City will spend weekend breaks in San Miguel to escape the urban congestion of the capital. As a result, Thursdays to Sundays are much livelier in San Miguel, although hotel rooms in San Miguel are harder to come by at the weekends.

The town is known for its fine hotels and B&Bs, quaint restaurants and fine boutique shops pureying a wide assortment of articles from arts and crafts, to fine clothes and jewelry.

Gathered around the colonial center are a number of fine examples of great colonial architecture, including the Parish Church which resides in front of the tree-lined main plaza.

San Miguel is magical and lively place to visit. It is a must-see destination as part of a tour of Mexico’s colonial cities. If a local festival is going on, you’ll have a first-hand experience of the colorful traditions celebrated in this region; but even during quieter times, this city has a unique, attractive charm that reflects all that is best about Mexico. Come here for a visit and experience what so many others have encountered here: an irresistibly draw cast by a spell that is uniquely Mexican, uniquely San Miguel.

Key Attractions

Colonial Center

San Miguel is endowed with stunning views and equally stunning colonial architecture. From the minute you enter the town square you’ll be enchanted by its antiquated beauty. The Parish Church, which faces the main plaza (zocalo), is one of the main architectural attractions here.

Be sure to visit the recently restored home (colonial mansion) of Ignacio Allende, the famous Patriot who the town was named after.

Another colonial gem that should be seen is La Casa del Conde Canal (House of the Count of Canal), now occupied by the famous art institute, Instituto Allende (see below). You can walk through the salons and watch as students paint, weave and sculpt as part of their courses.

Instituto Allende

One of the most famous art schools in Mexico, the Instituto Allende hosts thousands of art students from all over the world who come here to learn arts and languages in the heart of San Miguel. Students come here and stay for weeks or months; rented accommodation is plentiful and available in nearby residential areas.

Museums and Art in San Miguel

Centro Cultural Ignacio Ramirez – Also known as the Escuela de Bellas Artes (school of fine arts), this is a local art institute where you can take courses in art, sculpture, music and dance. The center is hosted in a former convent; one of its most treasured inheritances is an unfinished 1940’s mural painted by David Alfaro Siqueiros. Large trees, a huge courtyard and colonial fountains set the scene for this magnificent place to study, learn and explore. Concerts and lectures are given here; check locally for details.

Casa del Mayorazgo de Canal – This is the old family home of the Canal family – now occupied by Banamex Bank. Check out the wooden-carved door.

There are plenty of art galleries allowing you to find art for sale everywhere in San Miguel, but there is also a selection of fine galleries from which you can buy artwork in San Miguel. See the What to Buy in San Miguel section for further details.

Exploring Around San Miguel

There are hot springs nearby, where you can bathe in natural warm mineral waters. The most popular are La Gruta and La Taboada—both lie about 30 minutes’ outside of San Miguel.

From San Miguel, day trips are available to the town of Dolores Hidalgo, named after the famous Patriot who sounded the “Grito” (Cry) for Mexican Independence. September 16th is huge in Dolores Hidalgo—it is traditional that Mexico’s President comes here to re-enact the “Grito” on his last year in office. Dolores Hidalgo is also famous for Talavera—a very strong ceramic which is used to make a variety of crockery and also wall and floor tiles. The pottery is colorfully decorated. Talavera is plentiful here and a lot less expensive than you could buy it elsewhere.

Special Events

San Miguel has a huge number of festivals and parties. There is a saying that Mexicans will find any excuse to have a party. This is no more true than in San Miguel de Allende which literally has a celebration (big or small) happening every week of the year. See the local events section below, for more details about some of these.

Getting There & Around

By Air – There is no airport at San Miguel de Allende, but if you want to fly close, you have two options: Aeropuerto Internacional del Bajio near Leon (95 miles) and Aeropuerto Internacional de Queretaro (53 miles)—note that both airports are virtually equidistant from San Miguel in travel time: taking around 90 minutes to reach by car.  Check carriers that fly to each location. Mexico City’s international airport, which is about 170 miles away, takes approximately 3.5 hours to get to by car (subject to traffic congestion in and around the capital). Private ground transport to San Miguel from airports is via private taxi or airport transfers. For detailed information about flights and flying, see the Mexperience guide to Air Travel in Mexico.

By Bus – You can travel to San Miguel on a luxury bus from Mexico City – the trip takes around 4 hours and departs from Mexico City’s northern bus terminal. If you don’t want to travel across Mexico City from the airport to the bus terminal, you can board a bus from Mexico City’s airport to Queretaro, where you can can change and board a second bus to San Miguel. For detailed information about bus transportation read the Mexperience guide to Bus Travel in Mexico.

By Car – Driving to San Miguel is very fast and efficient with the roads and toll roads that connect the region. See additional information about Driving in Mexico and Mexico’s Toll Roads on Mexperience.

Car Rental – To explore Mexico’s colonial towns and cities, consider renting a car for your visit. Having your own car will give you more flexibility than using public transport options and, in some cases, offer you access to places which are otherwise difficult to visit without the use of a car. Read our guide to Car Rental in Mexico to learn what you need to know about car rental in Mexico and connect to the Mexperience Travel Center to reserve your Rental Car.

Taxis – Taxis in most of Mexico’s colonial towns and cities are not metered, so agree your price before you get in. Taxi travel is very affordable in Mexico, in comparison to the USA, Canada and Europe, and so provides a viable means of public transportation in Mexico. Your hotel can arrange taxis for you; some post their rates on a board in the lobby; taxi hotel rates are usually higher than cabs you hail off the street. If you speak Spanish, you will have a distinct advantage and be able to negotiate a price with the driver. For detailed information, read the Mexperience guide to Taxi Travel in Mexico.

Local Events Calendar

San Miguel is host to a significant number of Local Events all year-round; many related to arts and culture. The principal ones are detailed here.

January 21st – Ignacio Allende’s Birthday – a local parade and celebrations take place to mark the birthday Ignacio Allende—one of Mexico’s most revered historical figures and the person whom the town of San Miguel Allende is named after.

Easter Week – Religious celebrations are big in San Miguel, not least because it has six Patron Saints—and Easter week is, of course, one of the biggest. The festivals during Easter week will include a variety of celebrations, parties and street performances.

Third Saturday in September – sees what is probably San Miguel’s biggest festival—that of it’s Patron Saint Archangel Saint Michael. The celebrations last all weekend and include bull-fights, cock-fights, street performers, dances, music and the very famous “pamplonadas“, which include letting loose bulls to run through the streets, chasing the crowds around a pre-determined route. Beware! Accidents tend to happen every year during this event, some of them can be fatal. Stay clear of the bull-run if you’re not prepared to run hard, fast and possibly be prepared to dodge an agitated two-ton bull.

Practical Information

Telephone: Connect to the guide about Communications in Mexico on Mexperience for detailed information about keeping in touch and the latest table of national dialing codes.

Exchanging Currency: Banks with ATM machines are found throughout the downtown area of San Miguel. During business hours, they and the local Casas de Cambio will buy traveler’s cheques and cash from you as well. For detailed information about exchanging and managing your money, read the Mexperience guide to Money in Mexico.

Travel Insurance: We recommend that you are adequately covered with travel medical insurance and/or travel assistance insurance when you are visiting Mexico. Read the Mexperience guide to Travel Insurance in Mexico for full details and links to specialist insurance suppliers.

Internet Access: Internet cafes can be easily found in towns and cities across Mexico and WiFi is increasingly commonplace–from cafes, shops, hotels, and some cities even offer free WiFi in some defined public spaces.

WiFi Access at the Library: The town’s central library (biblioteca) offers free WiFi (wireless internet) access, so if you have a laptop and need access to the web for email or other information, you can get online at the library. It gets busy in the afternoons, when school children go there to study and use the internet access too.

What to Buy in San Miguel Allende

San Miguel is principally known for its fine artwork and crafts which is widely available throughout the town with niche and boutique shops selling an ample range of high quality art-related items.

Local Climate

San Miguel enjoys year-round, warm-to-hot & dry weather. The climate is ideal for taking part in a variety of outdoor sports and activities and for taking in the local culture, architecture and scenery. Rain is seldom a feature here; thunderstorms happen infrequently during the months of April thru November, but tend to be fierce and brief in the late afternoon, leaving the evenings dry and cooled off. Winter evenings and early mornings can be quite cool – so pack some warm pullovers if you’re visiting during the winter months.

Weather & Climates in Mexico

Learn more about the weather and climates through the seasons and regions by connecting to the Mexperience guide about Weather and Climates in Mexico