We were only planning to stay in San Miguel de Allende, the locals call it SMA, for 3 days. As fate would have it, we ended up spending 10. SMA is a fascinating colonial city with cobblestone streets and towering cathedrals. The extensive expat community ensures that there is a vibrant culinary scene ranging from artisan ice cream, bakeries, authentic Mexican food, to Italian food. The most important thing to know about SMA is that its inhabitants are warm and friendly, but beware their laughter is contagious. Here is a list of the seven things we enjoyed most during our visit to San Miguel de Allende.
1. Visit the city center at night
During the day the sun shows off the architecture of SMA. As the sun goes down the interior lights of the courtyards, restaurants, and art galleries draw you inward. The most beautiful buildings of San Miguel de Allende are lit up at night to display their grandeur. Make sure to check out the Church of the Immaculate Conception and the Templo de San Francisco. The true crown jewel of SMA’s city center is the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel. In the square across the street, trees are softly illuminated. Mariachi music fills the air and vendors are selling everything from balloons to ice cream. There are also several restaurants and bars where you can sit and enjoy the scenery.
2. Take a cooking class
Food is the window to the soul, and what better way to learn a culture than by learning to cook the cuisine. San Miguel de Allende is a tourist destination, so it is a breeding ground for fusion food but it is also deeply rooted in traditional Mexican cuisine. We took two cooking classes through Airbnb Experiences during our time in SMA.
The first class was with Miguel, a chef who trained in Mexico City. Miguel was full of laughter and had a light-hearted approach to Mexican cuisine. We cooked his take on mole poblano with Mexican rice and two salsas. The meal is served with wine from the Valle de Guadalupe making it a truly Mexican experience.
We also took a class on the Oaxacan classic of black mole with Mario. Black mole has Pre-Hispanic roots and is famously difficult and time-consuming to make. Mario walked us through all of its 31 ingredients in his professional kitchen of Salon Oaxaca. After all of our hard work we got to relax and enjoy our black mole on the rooftop terrace overlooking the city.
3. Visit the Cañada de la Virgen
The Cañada de la Virgen is archaeological site boasting pyramids dating from 530 AD. The Otomi people designed the site based on astronomical, agricultural, and religious beliefs. The sun and moon help to depict important crop dates based on alignment along the pyramid. The site lies about a 20-minute drive outside San Miguel de Allende, and can only be accessed through a guided tour. Once you arrive at the parking area there is a seven-kilometer bus ride to Cañada de la Virgen, which leaves every 30 minutes. The guided tour lasts approximately 2 hours. The site lies at 7,920ft (2,415m) and requires a 3km round trip walk on uneven terrain so bring proper footwear. An added bonus is that you get to climb to the top of the pyramid at the end, it’s a beautiful view.
4. Try street food
San Miguel de Allende is known for its culinary diversity. Don’t overlook the street food. There is no white table cloths or wine glasses here but don’t let that fool you, the food is delicious.
Tacos Al Pastor (shepherd style) is based on lamb shawarma brought by Lebanese immigrants to Mexico. The recipe calls for pork marinated in middle eastern spices and is cooked to order on a vertical rotisserie. It is generally served with pineapple, cilantro, onions, and various salsas. Try Taqueria el Bracero, the tacos were a great value at an unbelievable $8 pesos each.
Barbacoa is a traditional Mexican dish where whole goat or sheep is slow cooked in a hole in the ground covered with maguey leaves for 14 hours. Barbacoa is traditionally served with corn tortillas, salsas, and pico de gallo. Try El Pato Barbacoa y Mixiotes. Their barbacoa is done in a traditional style and is super delicious and inexpensive. Pilar the owner speaks good English, and is passionate about her craft. In Mexico, barbacoa is generally eaten for breakfast and lunch. It is first come first serve so if you come past noon, there will probably be no barbacoa left for you.
5. Visit the Instituto Allende
The Instituto Allende is the epicenter of the vibrant arts and crafts scene of SMA. They offer classes ranging from traditional weaving to stone sculptures and even classes on the Pre-Hispanic San Miguel. The art school is open to the public, so if you don’t want to take a class you can walk around the grounds and enjoy the architecture and many murals. If you explore long enough, you can find a large patio with a beautiful view of the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel. On this patio on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, you can also find live music and festivities.
6. Try some Mezcal
Mezcal is experiencing an upsurge in global popularity. It is a distilled spirit similar to tequila that is generally handcrafted by small scale producers from techniques passed down through generations. It has a smokey flavor due to the way the agave plant is burned in ovens before distillation.
Visit San Mezcal, with over 100 types of mezcals organized by states in which they were produced. Exercise caution as they are served in 2 oz pours. We had the duck tacos, which paired wonderfully with our smokey mezcals.
If 2 oz pours of hard liquor is a little too strong for your palate, try La Mezcaleria where they mix Mezcals into delicious margaritas like cucumber and cilantro. The grilled octopus is worth a visit on its own, even if you don’t like to drink.
7. Get lost
San Miguel de Allende is a vastly diverse city. Whether you are interested in history, architecture, fine arts or culinary delights SMA has something for you. Take a stroll along it’s beautiful cobblestone streets and there is a surprise at every intersection. The streets are lined with art studios, luxury hotels, restaurants, taquerias and cantinas. You are sure to find something that catches your eye. That’s the beauty of San Miguel de Allende you don’t have to do anything, just being there is enough.
