Mexican Independence Day in Guanajuato

Guanajuato is my favorite Mexican city. There is no city that can match how colorful it is. I first went there on a school trip and then decided we wanted to spend Mexican Independence Day in Guanajuato. I rented a beautiful AirBnb with a group of friends and explored the city some more. Is there anything better than celebrating everything Mexican?

You can easily get around the city on foot. The traffic goes through a network of tunnels beneath the city that was built to prevent damage from flooding of the nearby river. This makes Guanajuato a pleasure to explore by walking through the colorful streets. Aside from getting lost in the picturesque city and exploring beautiful plazas, there are more highlights you should see.

Must-see spots

You can take the funicular up to the Mirador, the look-out point. I decided to take the stairs which are beautifully decorated with street art, although a one-way ticket only costs 30 pesos. At the top is a statue of Pipila, a local hero. You can’t miss the yellow Basilica de Guanajuato and the white University building with its steps.

The Templo de la Compañía has an impressive interior. Other sights to see in the city are the Theatro Juarez an the Callejon del Beso or The Alley of The Kiss. This alley is so narrow that the Mexican version of Romeo and Juliette could kiss from one balcony to the other.

Casa Diego Rivera

Casa Diego Rivera is the house where the infamous husband of Frida Kahlo was born. It is worth a visit which costs only 25 pesos. It contains some of Rivera’s early works and the house itself is cool to see. Be aware that it is closed Mondays.

Mummy Museum

For some unknown reason, perhaps to make room for new bodies or maybe because an added tax on the burial sites, human remains were dug up from a cemetery. However, they encountered more than just bones. They discovered that the large amounts of clay and limestone in the ground had mummified the bodies. You can visit the Mummy Museum to see more than 100 mummies in all their glory. The museum is open daily and entry costs 50 pesos. 

Mercado Hidalgo

This huge indoor market is something you can’t miss! It is full of stalls selling fresh products, like meat, fruit and vegetables. Other than that you can find clothes, spices, piñatas and so much more! If you want to lunch with the locals, you can try one of the many meals on offer.

The Alhondiga de Granaditas

It was built to serve as a grain storehouse but later became a fortress for the Spaniards. After that, it was used as an armory, a school, a prison and you can now visit the museum. The beautiful murals above the staircase will definitely catch your eye.

Inside the Silver Mines

We visited the El Nopal mine, which is the mine closest to the center. The one further away, La Valenciana, is bigger. We put on our helmet and descended into the mine. It was definitely interesting to see.

Mexican Independence Day

Celebrating Mexican Independence in Guanajuato is unforgettable! So many people gathered in the city to attend the ceremony and watch the fireworks. Everywhere in the city you could hear music playing and there was a food vendor at every corner.

I hope you liked this article about celebrating Mexican Independence Day in Guanajuato. In THIS VIDEO you can catch a glimpse of the city.

I wrote the following articles about my time of Mexico:

• Trips North of Mexico City – Trips from Querétaro
• Studying in Mexico – Going local in Querétaro
• Celebrate Día de Muertos in Mexico
• Mexico City and Mayan Pyramids
• Waterfalls and Mayan ruins in Oaxaca