About San Miguel
San Miguel de Allende, previously known as “San Miguel el Grande,” is located in the mountainous region of central Mexico, at the gateway to the bajío area, about 1800 m (6000 ft) above sea level.
Founded in the 16th century by Friar Juan de San Miguel, it was an important stop over on the Antiguo Camino Real, part of the silver route from Zacatecas.
It was here that General Ignacio Allende, one of San Miguel's native sons, was a leading player in the war against Spain for independence. Unfortunately, General Allende was not a witness of the Independence of Mexico as he was captured during a battle and beheaded. Allende became a national hero and San Miguel got to be known as the
“Forge of National Independence”. Later, in 1826, San Miguel el Grande was renamed “San Miguel de Allende” after the local hero.
Life in San Miguel
In the 1950's San Miguel became known for both its beauty and its cultural atmosphere, making visitors experience the feeling of a journey to the past.
San Miguel de Allende is now world famous for its mild climate , colonial architecture, and large expatriate population , most of them Americans with a good percentage of Canadians, and a dash of Europeans and other nationalities. San Miguel de Allende is one of Mexico's top 10 tourist destinations, and receives over 100,000 tourists per year. It recently ranked fourth place on the list of top tourist destinations published by the Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards, and has been the feature of dozens of articles in newspapers and magazines .
Many people have chosen to retire here, as the large community of foreigners has brought about a number of conveniences that would normally not be available in a town this size.
There is a lot to do in San Miguel; amenities range from enjoying a morning at the hot springs, to dining in a world-class restaurant. San Miguel offers a large number of accommodations, from luxury hotels to intimate bed and breakfasts, and rental facilities.
San Miguel offers a wide variety fine dining: German, Italian, French, Irish, Chinese, traditional Spanish and Iberian cuisine, Argentinian steakhouses and Tex-Mex, and of course, very refined Mexican food.
Nightlife is also very popular. Many bars and discos are open until dawn on weekends.
Shopping in San Miguel is yet another attraction, everything from souvenirs to art crafts from all over Mexico is available in San Miguel. Many clothing shops and boutiques have opened, offering leather goods, jewelry, shoes, and designer fashion.
Furniture makers and interior decorators are well represented and San Miguel has become a provider for many designers who come here to take home a little piece of Mexico.
San Miguel is more than just a popular spot for vacationers and retirees; people have found the wonderful climate and picturesque streets of San Miguel de Allende the ideal place to study art or learn Spanish, and even learn to cook authentic Mexican cuisine.
San Miguel de Allende has many groups, clubs, charities and other organizations that have given to the expatriate community an opportunity to contribute to the town that has welcomed them.
San Miguel de Allende is also world renowned for its community of artists, many of whom, while garnering international acclaim, have chosen to live and exhibit here in the numerous art galleries in town.
Cultural enjoyment is truly a never-ending possibility year round, as are the local festivities and fireworks.
In addition to the attractions of San Miguel there are many other wonderful places to visit nearby. The Colonial city of Guanajuato is only an hour away. Over the mountains, 40 miles to the east, is the city of Queretaro. Other very interesting places to see but a little more distant are Bernal and Tequisquiapan.
Weather
The weather in San Miguel varies with every season, each with its own interest and beauty. This is high altitude climate and the humidity is quite low even during the warmest months of May and June. During the warmest time of the day walking is acceptably comfortable on the shady side of the street.
At times, in summer and fall there are tropical rains frequently accompanied by exciting thunder and lightning, yet the days can be quite warm. Rains will usually last an hour or two and occasionally longer or come at night. Fall and early winter bring bright, warm, sunny days with cool to cold nights. Winter from mid November through February can be quite brisk with heat required at night; however, many people come here at this time of year to abandon the extremely cold snowy climates of their Northern homes.
Safety
San Miguel de Allende is considered a very safe city, but like in any other city, crime does occur. One should always be careful and try to be safe just like you would be anywhere else in the world.
- Carry minimal amounts of cash whenever possible.
- Try not to draw attention to yourself. Don't wear flashy, expensive looking jewelry or clothing, especially when traveling alone.
- Try to carry small bills when shopping.
- Leave unneeded credit cards, traveler's checks, and cash in the hotel safe.
- Pay attention to the people around you when hanging out in a big crowd.
- Keep copies of all your important traveling documents,
- Leave valuables back at your hotel on a safe.
- Report crimes when they occur.
Just do what you normally will anywhere else.
Getting Here
San Miguel de Allende has two nearby international airports.
- “The Aeropuerto Internacional de Guanajuato” The BJX airport is located only a 170 km (about 110 miles) from San Miguel.
- “The Aeropuerto Internacional de Queretaro” is about 70 km (40 miles) from San Miguel de Allende.
Another option is “the Benito Juarez in Mexico City”, located about 4 hours South from San Miguel. The Mexico City airport offers a larger choice of flights and is served by a broad range of international airlines. Flying to Mexico City is cheaper than flights to BJX or QRO, but flying into Leon or Queretaro is definitely more convenient.
Travelers can arrange airport pickup or drop off through one of the local transportation services ; drivers are not only bilingual, but also familiar with the area. There is also a cab service outside the airport. They can drive you all the way to San Miguel or the bus station in Guanajuato.
Traveling by Bus to and from San Miguel.
The Central de Autobuses, (the bus station) is 1 1/2 miles west of town on the Calzada de la Estacion. Taxis from the bus station to the center of San Miguel are 20 to 25 pesos during the day and usually 30 to 35 pesos at night and are available everyday of the week.
To and From Mexico City:
It's a 4-hour trip to San Miguel from Mexico City's Terminal del Norte, on a first-class bus (with one stop in Queretaro). Second class busses leave about every 30 or 45 minutes. Another alternative is taking a bus to Quéretaro and from there to México City or a direct bus to the Airport.
To/From Guanajuato:
Flecha Amarilla has several buses everyday to San Miguel.
To/From Queretaro:
First-class buses leave about every 20 minutes in the mornings, and every 1-2 hours in the evenings. Lines working this route are Satelite, Flecha Amarilla, and Herradura de Plata.
To/From Laredo/Nuevo Laredo:
Transportes Frontera/Estrella Blanca has a first-class bus leaving Nuevo Laredo in the afternoon arriving in San Miguel de Allende very early the next morning. The return bus leaves San Miguel in the afternoon and arrives in Nuevo Laredo the next morning. Buy your ticket through Greyhound. There are also several smaller charter bus lines with offices in Laredo, which specialize in carrying passengers to and from central Mexico to Laredo and points north. The prices are generally lower and buses are in general very comfortable.
Find more information about San Miguel at
PortalSanMiguel.com
In-Pulsa will be happy to help you arrange your stay in San Miguel while looking the the site. Please get in touch with us.
Benito Juárez 458-A, Celaya, Gto.
México, Esq. Galeana
Tels. 01 (461) 612-6721
01 (461) 613-5057
01-800-823 1023
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or 011-52-(461) 613-5057
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