Central Highlands
Why go?
In the mountainous high desert known as the Bajio several hours
northeast of Mexico City, the state of Guanajuato tells
Mexico’s story better than any other.
During the 1500s, mule trains followed the 360km-long Antigua
Camino Real from the Spanish gold and silver mines in Zacatecas to
Mexico City. At San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato and other way
stations, wealthy mining barons constructed European-style cities
around magnificent domed churches. Their walled homes with columned
arches, flower-filled patios and wrought-iron balconies reminiscent
of Moorish Spain have changed little in more than 400 years.
Centuries later, Mexico’s War of Independence was staged
here. Cities like San Miguel de Allende and Dolores Hidalgo - named
after their national heroes - have been named national
monuments.
Despite an influx of gringos (10,000 strong in San Miguel),
these colonial gems retain their Mexican character. And thanks to
the altitude (about 2,000m above sea level), the spring-like
temperatures and low humidity are hard to beat.
Close to natural hot springs, San Miguel de Allende is better-known
for its superb shopping and abundance of fine restaurants (about
250!). A mecca for artists and craftsmen, it’s a great place
to try your hand at anything from sculpting to making the perfect
Mexican mole.
Often overlooked by Americans keen to shop in San Miguel, the
capital city of Guanajuato (an hour away) has a youthful energy and
sophisticated cultural scene - capped by the October Cervantino
Festival drawing world-class performers, dance companies and
symphony orchestras for a 3-week celebration of the works of
Spanish author Miguel Cervantes. Many regard the city - named a
UNESCO World Heritage Zone in 1988 - to be one of Mexico’s
best kept secrets. Dolores Hidalgo, renowned for its colourful
Talavera ceramics, and Mineral de Pozos, an abandoned mining town
already tagged “the next San Miguel”, are also great
places to explore.