From what I’ve seen so far, San Miguel Allende is the grand dame of Mexico’s colonial cities. Its colonial core is small and incredibly well preserved. There is estimated to be between 20,000 and 25,000 foreign residents, primarily Americans and Canadians (mostly retirees). It’s also a huge tourist attraction for wealthy Mexico City residents, less than four hours away by car. This influx of capital shows. There are a ton of boutiques, boutique hotels, art galleries, high end restaurants and stylish coffee shops throughout the small central core. The first day I was here I even saw two Teslas navigating the tight, cobblestone streets; the first I’ve seen anywhere in Mexico outside of Mexico City.
It doesn’t have the artistic, hippy vibe of San Cristobal or the casual vacation vibe of Oaxaca City. It’s the grown up version of a Mexican colonial town. That all being said, I really did enjoy just walking around and hanging out here. It has a nice, calm manageable feel to it.
The most famous of the city’s landmarks is La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel, San Miguel’s parrish church. It was built in 1880 and strongly influenced by French neo-Gothic architecture, which gives it a unique light feel, in contrast to the heavier, older style of a lot of the Spanish churches and cathedrals I’ve seen so far in Mexico.
I had a very comfortable, roomy Airbnb apartment right in the center of town.
