San Miguel de Allende: A Mexican Heritage Jewel
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Mojigangas (giant puppets) celebrating a wedding in front of the Parroquia (Photo by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard)
The Spanish conquest of Mexico began in 1519, while in the Philippines the Spanish conquest began in 1565 with the Salcedo Expedition. Both countries were linked by the Manila Galleon trade route from 1565 to 1815; both are predominantly Roman Catholic. The churches, the layout of the towns, the Spanish names of the people add to the sense of kinship that make me feel at home in Mexico.
My husband and I last visited San Miguel last May 2023. We took the three-hour Volaris flight from Los Angeles, California to Leon/Guanajuato. A driver from Viajes San Miguel met us and drove us to San Miguel de Allende, an approximately two-hour drive, past the big city of Guanajuato, on through stretches of fields over rolling hills.
San Miguel de Allende is nestled in the Bajio Mountains, central Mexico, where silver mining during colonial days brought wealth to the area. Guanajuato reportedly provided one-third of the world’s silver supply during colonial times. Since San Miguel de Allende was a stop along the silver road between Mexico City and Guanajuato and Zacatecas (another silver mining city), San Miguel also became prosperous. In the early 1900s when the price of silver dropped and silver production virtually stopped in Guanajuato, San Miguel nearly became a ghost town. Fortunately in 1926, the Mexican government declared it a “historic and protected town.” Because of this designation, all San Miguel buildings have to conform to the colonial architecture of the town.
Many San Miguel houses have thick stone walls and wooden doors fronting narrow winding cobblestoned streets. Within those walls are courtyards with gurgling fountains and colorful vines and plants. Many houses have rooftop patios which allow views of the city.
Front door of a house in San Miguel (Photo by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard)
San Miguel is picturesque, with an artistic and cultured ambiance. The city has two art schools, the Belle Artes and the Instituto Allende, which were established before the Second World War. These art schools attracted World War II US veterans who studied under the G.I. Bill. Many of these veterans settled there, and ever since San Miguel has attracted Americans and Canadians. Around 10-12 percent of the current city population of 66,000 are expat Norte Americanos. You will run into them at festivals, at Bingo Gringo (held at a local bar), at the Public Library, parks, cafes, and restaurants, everywhere. The Norte Americanos even have their own plots at the local cemeteries.
Instituto Allende, a visual arts school (Photo by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard)
When I was last there, San Miguel was pleasantly uncrowded, and the weather was around 70 degrees in the daytime, and a bit cooler at night. It was perfect walking weather, which is a good thing because generally you walk in San Miguel. You can take a cab, but the place is compact and some roads in the heart of the city don’t allow traffic. Besides, walking allows you to appreciate the lovely details of the city: the 18th century fountain at the corner of Zacateca and Pila Seca for instance, or the intricate carvings of wooden doors.
The heart of San Miguel is the central square, El Jardin. It’s a small garden park with shade trees and a kiosk where you will find children racing about. During colonial days, El Jardin was surrounded by government buildings, but now these buildings are used for cafes, shops, and banks. People like to sit in the Jardin to catch the breeze, people-watch, or observe the shifting shadows of the Parroquia that faces the park.
Kiosk at the city’s heart and center El Jardin (Photo by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard)
The Parroquia is San Miguel’s beloved and very photogenic Parish Church of San Miguel Arcangel, which dates from the late 17th century. This church was reportedly inspired by a postcard of a Gothic European church. It reminds me of a wedding cake with pink frosting. To add to this magical setting, mojigangas or giant puppets (introduced to Mexico in the 1600s from Spain) can sometimes be seen strolling about.
This is the Parroquia, which was reportedly based on a postcard of a European Gothic church (Photo by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard).
For a small place, San Miguel has many attractions. For first-time visitors, a walking tour gives a good overview of the central part of the city. You will see the other churches: San Francisco, Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Oratorio de San Felipe Neri, Inmaculada Concepcion, among others. You can also visit the Allende House, Library, Ignacio Ramirez Market, and Mercado Artesania.
Food vendor near the entrance of the Mercado Artesania (Photo by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard)
After your tour, do some shopping at the Mercado, which offers local art and wares at reasonable prices. You can even haggle there. I’ve picked up glass ornaments, wood carvings, pewter crafts, and other decorative items. After shopping, you can stop and rest in one of San Miguel’s numerous restaurants and cafes. The Café San Agustin is a favorite for lunch and for churros and hot chocolate.
Templo de San Francisco de Asus, built from 1778-1798 with a churrigueresque (highly ornate) facade (Photo by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard)
On Tuesday and Thursday, a trolley tour with an English-speaking guide takes you further away from the city center, including a stop at El Mirador which is perched on a cliff side gives a great view of the city.
The first two times we visited San Miguel, we tried to see other tourist attractions in the outlying areas of Atotonilco and Guanajuato City. These are also nice places, but we discovered that those field trips shortened our time in San Miguel, and we missed some of the festivals, processions, concerts, and fairs in the city.
We gave up those excursions and have focused on San Miguel entirely. We have surrendered to a more laidback time in San Miguel. We don’t rush; we take our time exploring little streets; we visit the local art fairs. We try different restaurants and cafés; we have cocktails on our rooftop patio and watch the almost-nightly fireworks. San Miguel, I have realized, is more than just visiting attractions, it’s about lifestyle, which is probably why many expats live there. It is not a bargain, but it’s cheaper to live there than in the US.
Cocktails with friends on our rooftop patio (Photo courtesy of Cecilia Manguerra Brainard).
People in San Miguel are generally friendly and straightforward. They smile and greet you in the streets. Vendors are generally honest. We feel safe walking around at night. And speaking of safety, to protect against Covid, we mask in airplanes and confined spaces. We continue to use our common sense and remain cautious; you should too.
Mojigangas walking in San Miguel’s Centro (Photo by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard)
Cecilia Manguerra Brainard is the author and editor of over 20 books, including her Selected Short Stories, which was awarded the 40th National Book Award for Best Book Short Fiction in English. She also released a book she edited, Growing Up Filipino 3: New Stories for Young Adults. Her official website is ceciliabrainard.com.
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