Higher ground: San Miguel de Allende’s most scenic spots (that aren’t rooftop bars)

“Nature does not hurry,” wrote the Taoist philosopher Lao Tzu. “Yet everything is accomplished.”

And truthful it is with San Miguel de Allende’s xeric flora, generously offering america a peek astatine its brushed amethyst jacaranda blossoms, sighing unfastened for 30 to 40 breathtaking days each twelvemonth astir Semana Santa. As for the remainder of the year, everyplace you look, explosive fuchsia bougainvillea vines are making their skyward ascent up the façades of ochre and terracotta blush Spanish assemblage buildings.

Ocher colored facades are a specialty successful San Miguel de Allende. (Unsplash/Jezael Mengoza)

Keep looking up. Each November, implicit 200 blistery aerial balloons soar implicit the Parque Metropolitano successful Léon – conscionable 2 hours distant by car – arsenic portion of the International Hot Air Balloon Festival. On astir immoderate different time of the week, aboriginal risers tin bask a much humble spectacle of a fistful of striped orbs rising implicit San Miguel de Allende (or, amended yet, hop into one) earlier dawn.

Even amended than rooftop bars

In a metropolis that enjoys a singular dose of sunshine (300-330 days annually), mean precocious temperatures successful the 70s Fahrenheit astir year-round, an altitude of implicit 6,000 feet and a reliable mélange of lukewarm days and chill nights, its rooftop bars are magnets for some socialites and mixology enthusiasts. But arsenic mocktail mania and the number of Gen Z’ers eschewing alcohol proceed to grow, truthful bash San Miguel’s opportunities to get a breathtaking presumption from the apical — without a barroom tab.

Roaming the streets of San Miguel de Allende connected ft oregon by car presents a plethora of iconic photograph opportunities, rife with escaped (or astatine slightest cheap) glimpses into the city’s affluent creator practice and endemic godforsaken botany, with architectural triumphs astatine astir each turn.

Bored of gathering up astatine bars? Have a budget-conscious thirst for adventure? Eager to spot the bosom of Mexico from higher ground? These often overlooked views are decidedly worthy the climb.

First stop: Punk Pizza and beef lingua tacos

Bong Pizza is 1 of San Miguel de Allende’s astir Instagrammable spots. (Instagram)

As the Salida a Celaya portion heats up San Miguel’s gastronomical landscape, a caller nutrient motortruck plaza softly hung up its drawstring lights a fewer months back, with section nomads Bong Pizza announcing via Instagram past week that they’re permanently parked and unfastened for concern Wednesday and Thursday, 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. 

Before you marque your mode down the road successful hunt of caller sights, halt astatine Celaya 47 (next to Boom Fitness) to indulge successful Chef Mauricio Garza’s unbeatable sourdough pies. Or marque it a panoramic picnic by adding tender beef lingua tacos and crispy fries to your bid from the neighboring trucks. From this elevated vantage point, you’ll person a premier presumption of the Parroquía de San Miguel Arcángel, a reasonably ample portion of the city’s pastel feast for the eyes. Nature’s gentle giants, the Picacho mountains, are astir adjacent capable to touch, with the full panorama sprawling retired into arsenic stunning illuminated tiers astatine night. Spark up a delicious dialog betwixt the casual comida corrida and a metropolis beckoning you closer.

Serene hilltop sanctuary: Casa Shala

Casa Shala offers some a cafeteria, yoga studio, and adjacent climbing. (Facebook)

If 1 were of the gatekeeping mind, this mindfulness lover’s retreat distant from the all-hours fireworks successful El Centro would stay disconnected the list. Casa Shala’s owners, Diana and Martín, picture their regenerative integrated cafeteria (Zen Cafe), ineffable abstraction and yoga workplace arsenic a spot to “explore the enlargement of consciousness together,” a tranquil sanctuary wherever everyone is welcome. Their mind-body-spirit haven is tucked distant successful La Palmita, an overwhelmingly tourist-free vicinity wherever active, outdoorsy types volition besides find an emerging climbing community and their grooming gym, positive walking entree to respective escaped lookout points, including the Mirador Cruz del Pueblo.

However, the best-kept concealed is hiding connected the 2nd floor. Even my toddler twins were stunned into soundlessness erstwhile taking successful the rolling hills tucked down the muted maroon rooftops stretched crossed the horizon. This postcard-come-alive is possibly the champion vantage constituent successful the full town. Signing up for a euphony store oregon a cacao ceremonial volition springiness you plentifulness of clip to bask the scenery successful soundlessness earlier oregon aft your activity.

Worth the thrust (and the champion clip to go)

The botanical gardens of El Charco del Ingenio supply views of a antithetic sort. (El Charco del Ingenio)

After a renovation, El Charco del Ingenio botanical gardens are much stunning and welcoming than ever. With a humble 100 pesos introduction interest (50 pesos for students, teachers, and seniors with a valid ID; escaped for children nether 10), visitors tin bask an full time of wonder, locally-sourced nourishment astatine the cafeteria, determination just commercialized tinctures and trinkets successful the sustainable acquisition store astatine the entranceway and an unmatched presumption of San Miguel de Allende aft a brisk, self-guided locomotion to the borderline of the property.

Last year, the Dalai Lama himself consecrated El Charco del Ingenio arsenic a “Zone of Peace,” 1 of lone 5 declared arsenic specified successful each of Mexico. Along the determination works trails, moments of quiescent contemplation are abundant, with ample ft paths guiding your mode to the occidental viewpoints wherever the Obraje Dam, the Laja River Valley, the Sierra de Guanajuato, and the metropolis of San Miguel de Allende are each visible, framed by centuries-old mossy boulders and sculptures amidst the staggering diverseness of Mexican wildlife. Through a “dam curtain,” the Northern Reserve Trails unveil an arsenic awe-inspiring presumption from astir the ravine’s verdant edges.

If you’re not readying your travel astir a guided circuit (recommended for first-time visitors to get a existent consciousness of the garden’s immense offerings) oregon 1 of their bimonthly birdwatching excursions, it’s omniscient to debar the midday heat, particularly during the hotter months. Cell work is spotty oregon nonexistent astatine El Charco, truthful reserve your proscription successful advance. You tin besides petition a instrumentality thrust astatine the invited reception desk, though taxis complaint a higher fare erstwhile booked on-site.

Lovers’ lanes: Callejón del Chorro, “El Nigromante,” and Calle Alda

“El Nigromante” Centro Cultural successful San Miguel de Allende is 1 of the city’s galore scenic stops. (Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura)

Views aside, the erstwhile convent turned fashionable creation museum, El Centro Cultural Ignacio Ramírez “El Nigromante,” is an creation lover’s paradise, filled with the floor-to-ceiling folkloric frescos of David Alfaro Siqueiros, Pedro Martínez and Eleanor Cohen. Even from the passageway of trees giving mode to the fountain-dotted courtyard astatine Bellas Artes (one of its different section nicknames), the vibrantly citrus-toned dome of the adjacent Iglesia de la Concepción hovers successful the periphery. On the 2nd level, much peek-a-boo cityscapes look similar tiny polaroids acceptable to frame.

After strolling the corridors of “El Nigromante,” instrumentality a languid stroll 5 minutes southbound to Calle Aldama, ranked fig 12 successful the satellite for “most beauteous streets” successful 2024 by Architectural Digest Mexico and Latin America. Though the cobblestoned locomotion is simply a comparatively abbreviated and casual 1 – astir 7 kilometers – it is highly prized for being San Miguel’s most Instagrammable alleyway by a agelong shot. At the street’s culmination constituent is an incomparable presumption of the Parroquía, a way exploding with protective palms and the flowering histories of revolution, Mexican sage and Texas upland laurel. The thoroughfare gets its sanction from the Mexican rebel worker and nationalist hero, Juan Aldama, and provides an idyllic backdrop for the astir praiseworthy shots of the town’s aesthetic essence.

A intermission for ‘fuel’

Paseo del Chorro is 1 of San Miguel de Allende’s prettiest walks. (Visit San Miguel de Allende)

If you haven’t already paused to substance up astatine 1 of the dozens of cafés on your way by now, instrumentality a sip oregon a wound earlier heading downtown to marque your mode up the Paseo del Chorro y Lavaderos (Callejón del Chorro). Here, cascading terraces sphere section lore astir the city’s founding place, carrying the echoes of its robust societal and creator gatherings. Nearly 20 exquisitely designed nationalist washing stations dating backmost to the 18th century, painted with burgundy stains reminiscent of monks’ robes, pave your travel up to a tiny chapel astatine the apical of the stairway.

Saunter astatine the gait of ‘ahorita’

Just steps from each the most-visited tourer landmarks adjacent the municipality quadrate successful the Jardín Allende, “El Chorro” is besides a level 10-minute locomotion from Parque Benito Juárez. It provides shade, snacks and a recently revamped playground with fun-filled challenges for small explorers of each ages. If you’re lucky, you mightiness drawback a spirited pickup hoops game. Or an elegantly dressed wedding enactment clustered successful a celebratory parade.

If lone for this scenic saunter, determination astatine the Mexican gait of “ahorita,” which could mean you’ll get astatine your last destination soon, aboriginal oregon astatine an unspecified clip acold into the future, depending connected who you ask. Lovers of unhurried wandering volition find this creation is not lost. Nor shall they beryllium if consenting to propulsion plans to the upwind for the accidental astatine reclaiming childlike wonder. Few places connected Earth are amended erstwhile it comes to those seeking momentary rapture.

Simone Jacobson is simply a Burmese American taste connector, toddler duplicate mama and writer based successful San Miguel de Allende. By day, she is the Content Director for Well Spirit Collective. In each different moments, she strives to rise compassionate children who ne'er suffer their curiosity, tenderness and radiant light. Read much by Simone here.