Colonial Mexico Driving Itinerary For The Discerning Traveler

Have you “been there – done that” in regards to the Mexico beach scene? Would you like to try something a little more interesting? Then consider the Colonial Heartland of Mexico which combines historical Baroque cities with secluded beach resorts.

Laura Davis, one of our preferred suppliers has designed an itinerary that will lead you Far From the Madding Crowd. Fly into Leon, the shoe capital of Mexico. Visit the colonial cities of San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Lagos de Moreno, and Guadalajara, before ending at a beautiful beach resort along the Costalegre.

< Quick Tip >
Driving is not difficult and the roads traveled are very well maintained. Driving is generally safe but take precautions as you would in any new environment. Plan your trip in advance, plan your stops, have a good map and don’t drive at night. The four-lane highways are less than 10 years old and worth the toll (less traffic, no trucks, and few buses). But gas stations are limited on these toll roads, so make sure you have a full tank. You can buy a good map at Barnes & Noble: the Mexico South map indicates the gas stations on each highway. For more driving details, we can contact each hotel on your behalf for driving instructions.

Itinerary:
Day 1 - 3: Arrive in Leon – traveling from the West Coast makes for an easy transition as it is just a 2 hour difference in time change. Exit the airport and take the Autopista #45 in the direction of Queretaro. At Celaya you will take the Autopista towards San Miguel de Allende. This will take about 1¾ hours.

Spend three nights in San Miguel de Allende. We have two boutique hotels to choose from, both in the historic heart of the city.

Casa Quetzal (4-star. $175.00 incl. breakfast) This hotel is owned by the American artist, Cynthia Price. There are six suites, each with a themed décor – Zulu, Zen, Karma, Frieda, Diego and Pacifica (the honeymoon suite with a private Jacuzzi). Breakfast is served either in your room or on the terrace. Cynthia offers art lessons and can arrange horseback riding excursions to an area where they have just discovered a small pyramid. [Exclusive Package for 2 people: 4 nts in a suite, round trip transfer from Leon Airport, breakfast daily, tax & service for $1053. This pricing valid April 15 – June 30, 2006]

Dos Casas (4-star. $210.00 incl. breakfast, tax & parking) This hotel has 5 rooms and is more contemporary. Catherine Zeta Jones stayed here when she came to go shopping. The hotel is wired for WiFi, and has a large kitchen where they serve breakfast and have Mexican cooking lessons. All rooms have fireplaces, DVD players, balconies or terraces, and ceiling fans. The junior suite on the top floor has its own private terrace and outdoor Jacuzzi. A transfer from Mexico City takes 4 hours and costs $150.

San Miguel de Allende is in the high desert and the climate is very similar to Santa Fe, New Mexico. The locals like to say it is eternal spring, with warm days and cool nights, so be sure to dress in layers. San Miguel de Allende was once an important crossroads for mule trains carrying silver and gold and returning with European treasures.

Today, it has kept its colonial charm despite becoming a place where Americans and Europeans have retired. You do not see the streets filled with Americans or Europeans and you do not see an American influence – no McDonalds. The town center is very quaint with the Neo Gothic Templo de La Concepcion church as the focal point for Plaza Allende. Every September there is a running of the bulls and over Thanksgiving they have a jazz festival.

San Miguel has great shopping and every Tuesday there is a market. In fact, Catherine Zeta Jones came to San Miguel for shopping recently, and stayed at one of our hotels. San Miguel is a place where you want to slow your pace – walk, stop and look at the shops or architecture. The first 12 days of February, Calandaria, is another interesting time to visit. There are a lot of plants for sale.

< Quick Tip >
Two dining recommendations here: El Correo for casual dining and La Capilla for a special dinner. La Capilla is a great restaurant with roof top dining, live Mexican music and dancing.

Day 4 - 5: Drive to Hacienda Sepulveda stopping at Guanajuato. This will take 1 ½ - 2 hours. Drive north on the Autopista towards Dolores Hidalgo and then west on Autopista #110.

This city once supplied a quarter of the silver output for “New Spain”. The result is another beautiful silver city that reflects the wealth that was once there. One of the 19th century touches are tunnels under the heart of the city for the traffic, keeping the center devoid of traffic lights or neon signs. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Another aspect of Guanajuato is its importance in the fight for independence from Spain. The Alhondiga de Granaditas was once a granary and this was the site of the first rebel victory.

Guanajuato has lovely Baroque architecture and charming little streets. One street, Callejon de Beso, is so narrow that two people on opposite sides of the street can lean over their balcony to kiss. It is a city where you can still see men riding burrows down the cobbled stairs, leading other burrows laden with their wares.

In the evening, the young men come out to serenade the ladies. La Valenciana, another mining town above Guanajuato, is also worth a visit.

< Quick Tip >
I recommend a meal at Casa del Conde de la Valenciana where you can eat and shop at the same time! Great food!

Now proceed towards Leon on Autopista #45. Continue until you reach the intersection with Autopista #80 towards Lagos de Moreno. Just 4km on a well paved road from Lagos de Moreno you will find the Hacienda Sepulveda.

Two nights at the Hacienda Sepulveda, an historic hacienda from 1687. This is an all suite hotel with rates starting at $145 or $209 for full board (recommended). This hotel is in the countryside, just outside of Leon and the colonial town of Lagos de Moreno.

It is still a working farm where they grow much of the food that is served in their dining room. The food is delicious! They have chickens and peacocks roaming the grounds and also a stable of beautiful horses for horseback riding.

< Quick Tip >
There is an ancient aqueduct close by that you can visit by horseback and have a picnic. It should be a part of every itinerary in Mexico!

The building that was once the granary is now a beautiful full service spa, complete with a shaman. The hacienda was once the family home of Ing. Juan Alfonso Seranno and the staff, starting with the General Manager, Luis Manuel Santos, continues to give you the feeling of being in a family home. What is particularly charming are the family photos and the crayola drawings from the grandchildren that are on display in the bar.

A 15-minute trip by car from the Hacienda is the small colonial town of Lagos de Moreno. Tourists rarely find their way to this architectural jewel which boasts many 18th & 19th century buildings. It has everything you would expect from a big European city, a Baroque cathedral, an opera house - Teatro Rosas Moreno and a monastery – Templo y Ex Convento de Capuchinas. They call it the Athens of Jalisco.

Day 6 – 7: Drive to Guadalajara, 1 ½ - 2 hours. Depart Hacienda Sepulveda on Autopista #80, in a southwest direction to Guadalajara where you will spend two nights.

Guadalajara is the 2nd largest city in Mexico. The locals say it is their Silicon Valley with the industrial boom over the last 20 years. Starbucks, Home Depot, Costco, Wal-Mart and other American stores are prevalent. However, the historic center retains the traditional flavor of its other name “The Pearl of the West”.

The hotel we represent is called Villa Ganz and is located in a very nice area with lots of restaurants and shopping centers. It is just 3 blocks from the American consulate, two blocks from Ave Chapultepec, and very near the shopping centers Plaza del Sol, Gran Plaza, and Centro Magno.

This hotel was once a private residence and has a lovely garden in the back where you can have your breakfast. There are 2 rooms that face the garden while the others are upstairs. The hotel has air conditioning and ceiling fans, and the staff is friendly. Rates start at $200 incl. breakfast.

Guadalajara is a great base from which to see many things in this area. The historic center, Plaza de Armas, is beautiful with its cathedral and fountain.

< Quick Tip >
Take a carriage ride around the historic center that is only 140 – 200 pesos, and dine at an interesting restaurant, Santo Coyote, which was like a big tree house.

Just outside of Guadalajara is the little town of Tlaquepaque. This is an artisan’s village where you will find handicrafts, silver jewelry, furniture and restaurants. You can also go to Tequila, the city and area where the agave plants are grown. It cannot be called Tequila unless it has been processed in this area.

We went on a tour of the Jose Cuervo Tequila factory to see the process of how tequila is made. Other distillery tours are La Preseverancia and La Rojena which are two of the biggest and oldest distilleries.

This area is also known for opals and you can visit a pyramid and the colonial town of San Miguel Las Altas. You can also visit Lake Chopallo and San Juan de Lagos.

< Quick Tip >
The rainy season is May, June and July. August and September are good months to visit. Remember that you are still in the high desert, 1 mile high, so the temperature is good year round.

Day 8 - 10: Depart Guadalajara on Autopista #80 all the way to the coast. You will then turn northwest along Autopista #200 as you drive along the Costalegre. The Costalegre is the secluded beach area between Manzanillo and Puerto Vallajarta. Here you will spend your last three nights.

We have two beautiful properties. El Carreyes and Las Alamandas.

El Careyes is a great property for families. The three- story hotel is built in a horseshoe with views of the oasis pool in the center and the ocean beyond. Every room has a terrace which includes a private plunge pool for Jr. Suites. In addition to the 51 rooms and suites there are 5 master suites (2 bedroom/2 bath), one 3-bedroom/3-bath casa that sleeps 8, and a 2-bedroom/2-bath casa that sleeps 6.

Besides the private beaches, spa, gym, kayaking, tennis and horseback riding, the hotel offers a game room with foosball, air hockey and pool as well as board games and books. Next to the game room is the movie viewing room. There is another room with four computers with free internet access for their guests. Rates start at $305. Breakfast, tax and service are additional.

Las Alamandas is the perfect place to end a trip. This exclusive property has a staff of 125 to look after the 14 suites located in 6 Casas. It is a perfect place for family or small groups. Las Alamandas is located half way between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo, roughly a 2 hour drive each way. However, if you have your own airplane, they do have a private airstrip.

The hotel offers a gym, horseback riding, 4 beautiful private beaches, mountain bikes, tennis, boat rides on the river that runs through the property, bird watching at the resort’s bird sanctuary and surfing in high season.

< Quick Tip >
You can reserve one of the beaches for exclusive use for a morning or afternoon. The hotel will drop you off with a picnic basket and cooler full of drinks and station one of their guards to keep other guests away for complete privacy.

This hotel has been the vacation spot for Robert De Niro, Jennifer Anniston, Brad Pitt, Sting, Robin Williams and Cindy Crawford. Rates start at $460. Breakfast, tax and service are additional.

Day 11 – Return to USA – Drive to Puerto Vallarta International Airport (2 hours).

Whether you would like us to arrange an itinerary for you that follows Laura's, or customize your own, our travel experts are eager to assist you.