Guadalajara

Guadalajara is, as my friend described it, a city of “Sunday simples”. You come here for long lunches on leafy terraces, pops into surprise boutique shops, and evenings spent people-watching with tequila. It’s a place to stroll and stumble upon hidden galleries and tiny cafes. 

I had a feeling I would like it, and my intuition was spot-on. This was the first of many weekends I plan to spend in Guadalajara.

Start your morning with…
Fresh juice, pan dulce, chilaquiles, and Masala chai tea on the patio at La Cafeteria in Colonia Americana. There might be a line, but it’s worth the wait, especially since they offer complimentary coffee until your table is ready. Check out Limoncello, an artisan gallery with affordable and very beautiful home items.

Do the Historic Center tourist thing…
Walk toward the Historic Center, stopping to see the quirky exhibits in the Casa Reforma Cultural Center on the way. Take a 30-minute tour of the José Clemente Orozco frescoes in Museo Cabañas, a building which is a masterpiece in itself, and leave enough time to see the galleries.

I didn’t get to, but I encourage you to hop on the adorable tourist train that takes you around the city.

Shop, eat, and sing along to mariachi in Tlaquepaque…
Head to the Mercado Libertad for a spin before taking a 30-peso metro ride on the pink line to La Revolución. Walk through the quiet neighborhood to the historic center of Tlaquepaque.

I liked perusing:
Apoarte for clothing
The Rodo Padilla Gallery for fun sculptures of fat people riding tiny bikes
Galería Cempasúchil, an upscale, artisan-made, Mexican-style Pier 1 Imports

Don’t miss Augustín Parra’s golden gallery of religious relics not currently on display in the Vatican.

At 3:30 p.m., park yourself in the front row at any restaurant in El Parián, order a drink and a snack, and hum along to a fantastic mariachi band. Because when in Rome, ya know?

Have lunch or linner, as I like to call it, at El Abajeño for something traditional or Casa Luna for something a touch more fancy.

Take the Jose Cuervo train to Tequila for the day …
Just do it. During your free time, have lunch at the absolutely delightful and delicious restaurant in Casa Sauza. Order extra housemade salsa and the vegetarian aguachile — it’s to die for.

Go to the Sunday market in Tonala…
Wake up when you want and order a car to Tonala for the impressively huge market that seems to overtake every corner of the town center. You probably won’t buy anything, but that’s not the point. There are tons of street food options if you’re hungry.

Before you leave, browse the Bernabe gallery’s incredible collection of handcrafted dishware. Try to see the workshop if you can. The Bernabe family is extremely well-known for their role in Mexican craftsmanship and photos of famous people from all over the world (including Obama) can be found on the walls.

Have a big farewell lunch at La Tequila…
It’s great and the place is so lively. Have a tequila flight, try the birria with mushrooms, finish with the lemon nieve with tequila.

Where to stay:
We stayed in an Airbnb, so I’ve got no hotel suggestions. The neighborhoods I recommend are Americana or Lafayette.

Where (and what) to eat and drink that’s not included above:
Tikuun Comedor Local — Service is slow but the hongos dish and the miso ceviche were superb.
Almacén de Botellas — For sexy wine bottles with naked bodies.
La Flaca — Sweet staff and a solid vegan menu with eggplant tacos that I still think about daily.

Activity Suggestions:
A day trip to Tequila on the Cuervo Train.