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San Miguel de Allende
(full day - min 2people)
US$ 78
per person
As an almost picture perfect colonial city, San Miguel de Allende traces its
roots to the village planned in 1555 as a watch station along the road
between Mexico City and the rich silver mines of Zacatecas. Subsequently,
San Miguel attracted cultural and wealthy noblemen who built impressive
palaces.
Today's San Miguel remains a peaceful artist's colony during most
of the year
... with cobble-stoned streets, pastel colored colonial buildings with
flower filled patios and an air of tranquility that stimulates the mind and
pleases the soul.
The thing most people notice first in San Miguel is
The Parroquia,
the
pseudo
gothic church in the heart of San Miguel de Allende. Legend has it that the
architect of the facade (added in 1888) of the church had never seen a
gothic church and had to take his ideas from picture postcards of the gothic
cathedrals of Europe. Apparently not much of a draftsman, he drew pictures
of his concept in the dirt in front of the church to show his workmen what
he envisioned.
 San
Miguel de Allende
has been declared a national monument. Virtually all the buildings you see
in the central part of the village date from the colonial era, and newer
buildings are required by
law to conform to existing
architecture. Because
so much of the city remains as it
was during the days of silver mining, many of the hotels, restaurants, and
shops along its cobbled streets are housed in beautiful mansions dating from
those years.
San Miguel is also called... 'Cuna de Sueños'
-birthplace
of dreams- and is the winter residence
of
a large community of Americans, some retired, some attending
art or language school, and some who have come here to live simply and
follow their creative muses... painting, writing and sculpting.
A great trip for shoppers and a
real treasure for architecture lovers... churches, small town squares, dreamlike alleys
and many hidden Patio (Mexican courtyard). Coffee shops,
antiques, art, paintings and many more things you may find when you wander
around the town.
Lunch included
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