SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, MEXICO
San Miguel de Allende may just be the most charming small town in Mexico. It’s no pueblito, though, but a colorful, colonial-style city with a vibrant wine scene, markets and artisans galore, and one of the most impressive gastronomic scenes in Mexico.
From the second you drop into downtown, you’ll see the iconic, pink Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel towering above the lower, Spanish-style buildings sprawled out around the square. Walk around the square, people watch, or duck into the nearby artisan market to pick up handmade goodies.
Museums abound in San Miguel, as do shopping offerings in the city; local boutiques here make everything from silk-screen tees to hammered silver jewelry. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, you’ll have your pick from shrimp tempura on a crunchy tostada, slow-cooked barbacoa from a modest street stand, or Sri Lankan-Swiss-Mexican fusion food all within a few blocks from el centro.
Despite being a small town, San Miguel de Allende is filled with things to do, whether you’re in town for a day or a week. It’s a cultural hub, with plenty of art exhibition spaces and live music performances around town in the evenings. And if you can’t fit everything into one trip, you’ll just have to come back; you wouldn’t be the first foreigner to land in San Miguel permanently. – Travel & Leisure, 2023
Culture, history and religion play a major role in San Miguel de Allende’s lifestyle. The city is considered a great location for artists and San Miguel de Allende celebrates its art with writers’ conferences and film festivals. Many foreign artists have sought the inspiration of San Miguel de Allende.
You’ll find the Fábrica La Aurora which is home to many art galleries and design studios and the Mercado de ArtesanÃas which is an arts and crafts market in San Miguel de Allende.
San Miguel de Allende is situated around the Sierra Central Mountains and is considered to have a temperate and slightlyarid climate. March, April and May are the hottest months with high temperatures averaging in the mid-80s. The coolest months are December and January when lows at night can dip into the low-40s. The rainiest months are June through September. During these four months, the area receives 70% of its average annual rainfall.
Real estate and rentals are less expensive here than in other parts of Mexico but the amenities tend to cost a little more. There are homes, condos and apartments available to suit all budgets and preferences with newer construction available the further away from the historic Centro that one goes.
Foreigners and those looking to escape from Mexico City flock to San Miguel de Allende. In fact, one estimate puts the foreign population near 22,000. While many expect Mexico to be cheap and affordable, San Miguel de Allende has received considerable investments and has become a desirable place to live.
