“Guanajuato quite literally changed my life. I am not afraid of over hyping it because it is literally impossible to do so. I can’t wait for it to change your life too.”
“Ok,” I responded, rolling my eyes and chuckling to myself as my friend recounted his high school high school trip to Guanajuato for the millionth time.
While I was beyond excited to spend a week of spring break in Guanajuato, Guanajuato, I could not imagine it would be life changing – at least not any more so than any other colonial town I visited in Mexico. Oh how wrong I was. 24 hours in and I resignedly sent a text to my friend who had already visited the town: “You were right – this place is ridiculously incredible. Wow.”
An old mining town west of Mexico City known for its colorful buildings, gorgeous views and winding cobblestone streets packed with cute cafes and an abundance of silver vendors, Guanajuato amazed me, just as it had my friend. My two best friends and I spent hours wondering through the markets full of silver jewelry mined in the region, admiring Semana Santa celebrations and drinking our weight in Beso Negros (a heavenly hot chocolate drink that is akin to drinking melted dark chocolate ganache).
Isabel (left) and Madi (right) at a cafe right next to our AirBnB.
We visited during Semana Santa, the week preceding Easter that is filled with catholic festivals and celebrations remembering Jesus’ last days on earth. We arrived on Friday, Viernes de Dolores (translated to Friday of Sorrows) the first day of Semana Santa. El centro de Guanajuato (an easy 2 minute walk from our AirBnB) was overflowing with people young and old covered in rainbow confetti and flower crowns. Nearly everyone carried incredibly elaborate Easter baskets and stunning bouquets of crepe paper flowers. Madi, Isabel and I pushed our way through the crowds, mouths agape, in awe of the sheer amount of colors, sounds and smells overwhelming our senses. It was an incredible welcome to Guanajuato and a telling preface to what the week ahead would hold.
Easter egg baskets and their vendors were piled around el Centro.
That Sunday, we traveled to the neighboring town of San Miguel de Allende for Domingo de los Ramos (Palm Sunday) celebrations. San Miguel de Allende is home to an abundance of beautifully colorful churches including la Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, a breathtaking Neo-Gothic church whose soaring pink spires are visible from nearly anywhere in the city. By the time we had trudged up the never-ending hill atop which the cathedral and main plaza are located, we were greeted by a marching band and following procession reenacting the arrival of Jesus to Jerusalem. Behind the ornately decorated band were six men carrying a large statue of Jesus rising in on a donkey followed by hundreds of people waving palm fronds and welcoming the messiah to their town. The colossal church bells were ringing high up on the spires and as the procession approached, fireworks shot up from behind the colonial building. I have never seen anything like it.
Palm Sunday Procession
(from left to right): Madi, me and Isabel in front of the grand Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel.
Not only did we enjoy Semana Santa celebrations, but we admired the abundance of murals and art pieces in San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato, emptied our wallets at the mercados de arte and enjoyed a fabulous array of pastries, coffee and sandwiches. Guanajuato is a big university town, so we were surrounded by peers who inspired us to up our street-wear style and created an environment that catered perfectly to 20-year-olds. After seven glorious days, I was (still am?) just about ready to move there.
Madi and me in front of one of the many street murals San Miguel de Allende is known for.
I am not only grateful to have experienced Guanajuato in all of its breathtaking glory, but to have had the opportunity to plan and execute this trip independently. My best friends and I worked together to coordinate the perfect vacation to a place we had never been and hardly knew anything about. It couldn’t have gone smoother. The city stole my heart and maybe it could yours as well. Who knows, maybe some of you all will be visiting me in Guanajuato in a few years.