San Miguel de Allende
With my little Spanish and his little English, we made our journey from Queretaro to San Miguel de Allende. My driver took the care to use Google translate to go over the different landmarks we were passing. Pointing out the modern homes on the hilltop that he said were occupied by Americans. Pointing out the Queretaro hospital. Showcasing the valleys as we ascended upon San Miguel de Allende and being proud to talk about the old historical buildings.
I was equally in awe and felt like all the videos I had watched did this small city no justice! San Miguel reminded me of a mixture between Oaxaca and the walled city of Cartagena. Cobble streets; while beautiful, need to be walked with caution especially during the rainy season. The beautiful old buildings and their weathered colors. The noe-Gothic church that is La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel. I was only in this city for approximately two days, a long travel day having taken all of my valuable time to explore. But, I knew I would be fine since the last leg of my Mexico adventure was meant for carelessly wandering about.
I checked into Casa Hoyos, a boutique hotel with great attention to design detail. The contemporary furnishings not clashing with the old world charm of San Miguel. And while I was impressed by the hotel design as well as the comfort of the room, I was disappointed by the music echoing from the lobby. The ambience the hotel tried to create left for an uncomfortable nights rest.
Casa Hoyos
The next day I woke up, ready to take on this city! Breakfast was had at Rustica about 2 miles outside of Centro. The restaurant was…rustic and the food matched with fresh local ingredients. Once back in Centro, a quick hotel switch was completed to one I should’ve stayed at from the start…Meson Hidalgo. This hotel epitomize the richness of San Miguel with muted color tones and furnishings that take its cue from all Mexican elements. I was impressed by this cozy three bedroom hotel and knew that upon my returned to San Miguel, this would be the place to stay.
I wander about, turning right and left on cobbled streets. Avoiding the steep hills that reminded me of San Francisco. Popping in and out of boutiques and one too many coffee shops. Asking myself if I was going to take the time to rest until my early dinner or keep going. I decided to rest. I sat outside on my private rooftop balcony until the rain forced me back inside.
The weather had been overcast all day so, by the time my dinner at Luna Rooftop came, there was not much of an iconic sunset view I was going to witness but, it was enjoyed nonetheless. After an evening stroll, I returned back to Meson Hidalgo feeling antsy as the streets of San Miguel were very much still alive and while I didn’t feel an immediate need to call it a night, my day had to end.
The next morning, I awoke to my alarm going off at 6AM. I wanted to head out and see all that I could see before the streets became bustling with locals going about their day and tourist taking in the sights. The streets were active with people going about their day to day getting to work and dropping their kids off to school. It was nice to see a different energy of the city not normally expected. I did accomplish the many hills of San Miguel and took in some breathtaking views. On my last day, the sky was clear after yesterdays mild rainfall. I continued to marvel at the colors of the architecture. I was impressed by the street signs, written in beautiful cursive on even more beautiful tile. I had a latte at Ki’Bok and took in the most breathtaking view of La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel.
Walking around, it’s hard to feel anything but contentment in such a beautiful city. And while I was sad that my trip was soon coming to a close, I was excited about my future return to San Miguel de Allende. As I made my way back to the airport, my driver asked me how I enjoyed my time and I let him know that this city is special and I could not wait to return. San Miguel truly was the star of my Mexico Adventure and it has stolen my heart!