Travel + Leisure 2018 World’s Best Awards has chosen San Miguel de Allende as the Best City in the World for the second year in a row. Mexico is certainly a country that you should keep an eye on. Oaxaca City – one of our favourite destinations – is ranked second and even Mexico City is among the top 15!
Condé Nast has also named “San Mike” as their number one Readers’ Choice Awards for the best small city. To be fair, this is no surprise. Mexico is such a big country and every city has its own identity offering jaw-dropping landscapes and colourful traditions.
San Miguel, with its cobblestoned streets and a neogothic church, has a feel of a village that has grown. This is thanks to its cosmopolitan population. Locals have enriched the town with beautiful accommodation, stores, bars and restaurants that match well with the city’s colourful vibe.
Why is San Miguel the traveller’s choice:
- Colour, colour and more colour. Every cobbled-stone street is full of it. Instagram loves San Miguel, and you will too!
- The city is full of arts and craft stores where you will find authentic Mexican souvenirs.
- Not only full of colours but also full of flowers. For those staying a bit longer, it is worth paying a visit to the Botanical Garden El Charco del Ingenio. The place was consecrated as a Peace Zone by the Dalai Lama during his visit to México. The area instils peace and harmony, it is free of violence and weapons and is dedicated to nature conservation and community development.
- Architecture and Heritage: UNESCO named the Sanctuary of Jesus de Atotonilco a World Heritage Site in 2008. But the main landmark is San Miguel Arcangel Parish, the iconic neogothic temple dated from the end of the 19th Century.
- Not only will you enjoy its colonial heritage but also its pre-Hispanic legacy at the Pyramids of la Canada de la Virgen. This is an important social centre for the Toltec who were constantly in war against another regional tribe; the Chichimec. Discover the many functions the site served, such as a calendar, a funerary and a centre for rituals and sacrifices.
- You will find delicious food, great bars and many places to go for live music and dancing!
- San Miguel is conveniently located between Queretaro, Guanajuato, and Dolores in the central highlands. Its privileged location will enable you to experience the best of these colonial cities located to the north of Mexico City.
Check out some of our sample itineraries which we can easily adjust to include a visit to San Miguel de Allende, the world’s best city!
