Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
HOW TO GET IN TOUCH
Instituto Allende,
Ancha de San Antonio 22, San Miguel de Allende, Gto, 37700, México,
52-415-152-0190, www.instituto-allende.edu.mx.
TALE OF ONE CITY
Founded in 1542 by a barefoot Franciscan priest named Juan de San Miguel, this
hip, artsy town is famous for luring foreigners who come for a vacation and end up
staying for a lifetime. Soon after World War II, American GIs, realizing that their
postwar education grants stretched further here, began showing up to learn Spanish
and take arts courses. The Instituto Allende, along with the Bellas Artes, a govern-
ment cultural center that also offers year-round arts, dance, and music classes, lured
the expats and launched the town's reputation as a happening artist colony.
Unlike Cancun or Acapulco, where uber resorts, American fast food joints, and
discos dominate, San Miguel de Allende still feels like old-time Mexico. It's full of
winding cobblestone streets, high walls with bougainvillea pouring over them, big
courtyards, bubbling fountains, stone arches, and carved wooden doors. Way back
in 1926, the Mexican government declared the whole town a national monument
(thanks to its starring role in the Mexican revolution), so traffic lights, billboards,
flashing neon signs, and chains are major no-nos. Things you definitely don't want
to miss:
•
El Jardin Principal.
The main square in town, it is San Miguel's social
heartbeat. Shaded by trees, it has cantinas, art galleries, boutiques, and
strolling mariachis; the glorious scents of corn tortillas, carnitas, and
churros; and the landmark Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel, an elaborate
parish church with neo-Gothic sandstone arches and a lighted crucifix.
•
Tuesday Flea Market.
On a hill above the center of town, the sprawling
flea market has anything you might ever need, from fresh guavas to Mex-
ican vanilla to black Lab puppies to parts for your margarita blender. It's
a great place to practice your Spanish because most vendors, selling their
wares under makeshift tents, don't speak English.
•
Mercado de Artesanías.
Huichol Indian bead bracelets, Oaxacan crafts, tin
folk art, papier-mâché, carved gourds, and woven rugs are just a few of the
arts-and-crafts items available at this street market.
•
La Gruta Hot Springs.
With four spring-fed pools, this thermal hot
springs, one of several in the area, is the favorite of locals. You can swim in
