36 hours in Guadalajara: pedestrian neighborhoods, gastronomy, art, and cultural heritage

Mexico 's second largest city, Guadalajara , is a vibrant metropolis that often feels like a village.

With around 5 million inhabitants, located northwest of Mexico City in the central highlands, the city is a technology center , a capital of art and design and, together with the surrounding countryside, the birthplace of much of the country's cultural heritage , from mariachi music to charrería (Mexico's national sport, an equestrian tradition recognized by UNESCO).

The inhabitants of Guadalajara, called tapatíos, live among works by master architects and famous muralists , and enjoy an enviably temperate climate year-round.

The city has experienced a boom in recent years, with new infrastructure projects and large-scale entertainment venues , such as a new toll highway linking it to Puerto Vallarta and a stadium with a capacity of more than 20,000 people that will soon open.

However, Guadalajara's main attractions lie in its cultural richness , its pedestrian neighborhoods and its exciting gastronomic scene .

3:30 PM. Meet Mexico's artistic masters

Start in the city's historic center with a visit to the Cabañas Museum (admission 80 pesos, about $4.15).

Much of the cavernous interior of this UNESCO World Heritage-listed 19th-century former nursing home was painted in the 1930s by the celebrated Mexican muralist José Clemente Orozco , whose brutal yet poignant frescoes evoke the Spanish conquest.

The complex's former chapel has soaring vaulted ceilings and flat pews, where visitors lean back and gaze at the murals , absorbing their rich history.

In the plaza are two groups of bronze chairs by the artist Alejandro Colunga that resemble strange, otherworldly animals with webbed feet, long necks, or beak-like noses.

Stroll past the fountains on Paseo Hospicio , a pedestrian-only esplanade, to the bustling Mercado de San Juan de Dios , said to be the largest covered market in Latin America.

This 10,000-square-meter labyrinth of aisles and shops offers an immersion therapy-style introduction to Mexican market culture , with sections dedicated to everything from soccer jerseys to caged birds. There's also an entire floor of food stalls serving typical Guadalajara dishes (usually between 60 and 100 pesos (US$3 to US$5) for a substantial meal).

For a sit-down dinner, head to La Chata de Guadalajara , a nearby restaurant where there's almost always a line (which moves quickly) for regional dishes, such as pozole blanco (corn soup with pork or chicken, 122 pesos, US$6.30), which has been drawing devotees since 1942.

7:00 PM: Soak up the city center

Stroll through the streets and squares of downtown, where this nearly 500-year-old metropolis rewards those without an agenda with history and imposing architecture at every turn .

The Rotunda of Illustrious Jaliscienses pays tribute to the most celebrated citizens of Guadalajara's home state of Jalisco in a circle of bronze statues; the neoclassical Octavio Paz Ibero-American Library , a former Jesuit college built in 1591, is now a public library dedicated to Latin American literature; and the Degollado Theater houses the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra.

For an eclectic selection of live music, from blues and jazz to Santana covers, the Centro Cultural Bretón is a small, unpretentious venue (admission typically ranges from 50 to 200 pesos, US$2.6 to US$10.4) that has a following among local musicians and music lovers.

9:00. Let's eat chilaquiles

Located next to the University of Guadalajara's urban campus, Colonia Americana is the city's most modern, artistic, and gastronomic neighborhood .

Arrive at Piggy Back when it opens to avoid the crowds; every pastel-accented corner of this busy breakfast spot is a unique dining room. Try its unconventional chilaquiles (fried tortilla chips, usually with red or green salsa), including one inspired by birria, a beef adobo with consommé (140 pesos, $7.30) popular in Guadalajara; choice of fruit smoothies (60 pesos, $3.10); and "birthday rolls" covered in frosting and sprinkles (62 pesos, $3.20).

Afterward, stroll through the neighborhood and visit galleries and boutiques. At Amor Apache , a small, three-room shop above La Cafetería restaurant, there are brightly colored handmade leather wallets and passport covers, ornate beaded earrings, and mantillas adorned with peacock feathers from the state of Michoacán.

11:00. Immerse yourself in art

A few blocks further east, in the shadow of the neo-Gothic Templo Expiatorio del Santísimo Sacramento , is the free-to-enter Museo de las Artes Universidad de Guadalajara (MUSA), a 1917 French Renaissance building with a vaulted auditorium painted by Orozco.

But the museum's cutting-edge exhibitions are its real draw. Don't miss whichever one is currently on.

Next, visit Casa Galeana Colectivo ’s ceramics showroom to feel like you’ve stepped into an impossibly Guadalajara-style home , where potted cacti dominate the courtyard and traditionally inspired cobalt-blue terracotta pottery by Al Centro Cerámica adorns the tables.

13:00. Lunch with local delicacies

For Guadalajara's quintessential dish , the spectacularly messy torta ahogada , head to Profe Jiménez's Tortas Ahogadas , a cart located on the corner of the Santa Teresita and Villaseñor neighborhoods, north of Americana.

Watch as tender and flavorful pork carnitas are minced and stuffed into a fresh and crispy birote (a sourdough roll characteristic of the region); drizzled with a thin and flavorful tomato-based sauce and, if desired, peppered with chile and topped with raw red onion and cilantro (65 pesos, US$3.40).

Or join the long, communal wooden table at Yunaites , a glorified stall in the Mercado IV Centenario , a typical neighborhood market in Santa Tere , as the neighborhood is known. It's the project of Fabián Delgado, the chef behind some of Guadalajara's most beloved restaurants.

Try the blue corn gordita, topped with tender pork and smothered in a sweet and savory mole (95 pesos, US$4.95) with a comforting cup of café de olla.

Without chef pretensions, the food here is as Michelin-worthy as at the nearby Xokol , a fine-dining restaurant with a multi-hour tasting menu.

2:00 PM. Catch your breath

Drive 15 minutes northwest to grab lunch at Bosque los Colomos , which underwent extensive revitalization in 2018 and became Guadalajara’s first public park , an effort to transform Guadalajara’s previously atomized park system into a network of thriving urban spaces.

The fragrant 93-hectare forest of cedars, pines, and eucalyptus trees offers birdwatching , horseback riding , miles of trails , a Japanese garden , picnic areas, and public art. Exit the park via the north entrance on Avenida Patria and walk about 20 minutes uphill to Zapopan's historic center .

3:30 PM Time Travel

Feel small in the shadow of the 17th-century Franciscan Basilica of Our Lady of Zapopan , in a plaza surrounded by vendors selling rosaries, churros, and pink nougat.

Next, stroll down Andador 20 de Noviembre , named after the anniversary of the 1910 Mexican Revolution, to MAZ (Museo de Arte Zapopan), Zapopan's contemporary art museum.

Visit Estación MAZ , the museum's new home, which opened last fall. Although it's an architectural eyesore (it looks like a suburban office building placed next to the area's iconic limestone arch, Arcos de Zapopan), the exhibition space is an interesting addition to the area.

Next, stop by Binaural Cafe , a year-old vinyl-playing coffee shop, for a Col-Bru (cold brew mixed with vanilla soda, 80 pesos, $4.15) and a perusal of their eclectic music menu.

Return to the Colonia Americana neighborhood to appreciate the work of Mexican modernist master Luis Barragán , with a stroll through some of his hometown designs, including Casa Franco, a former home now operated as an Airbnb; the Casa ITESO Clavigero cultural center; and the Travesía Cuatro art gallery (the architecture and history website Revisiones de Guadalajara offers a self-guided walking tour map).

Next, stop at Mis Negras Intenciones , a small shop that exudes the sweet, rich aroma of chocolate —all made in Mexico and among the country's finest and rarest. The shop sells bars, bonbons, mole (which often includes chocolate along with chili and spices), bars, and granulated chocolate—more than 100 types, including distinctive flavors like hibiscus, sal de gusano, and even salted birote.

For a landlocked city in the Mexican highlands, Guadalajara has a passionate relationship with seafood . For dinner, visit Americana's El Habanero Negro , where the atmosphere is that of a vintage Yucatecan cantina mixed with psychedelic cumbia.

Green avocados, neon sunbeams, and tattooed waiters. Don't miss the jicama ceviche (95 pesos, US$4.95), a refreshing mango, cucumber, and lime drink, or the plantain flautas (95 pesos), crispy tortillas filled with mashed plantains and topped with queso fresco.

If you're looking for complex seafood dishes, Leche de Tigre Cocina Urbana , a few blocks north, is a lively beach fiesta where every dish tastes like fresh Pacific Coast seafood, layered with tropical fruit, cilantro, and chile. Try the passion fruit aguachile with tuna or shrimp on tostada (79 pesos, $4.10) or the Peruvian ceviche (65 pesos, $3.40) with tiger's milk.

22:00. Shake your body

El Gallo Altanero doesn't call itself a speakeasy, but it feels hidden. Tucked away next to a construction site, it's easy to miss (despite appearing on some "best of" lists), but climbing the stairs to the courtyard terrace, following the sound of music (mariachis one night, a DJ the next), is like walking into a fun party .

The bar's name alludes to El Gallo Altanero's blend of informality (classic and accessible snacks, for example) and a sophistication reflected in its small list of drinks, which exclusively use Mexican-made spirits. The bar is known for its selection of lesser-known, small-batch agave spirits —tequila, mezcal, raicilla—and you won't find a mass-produced brand in the monthly rotation of exceptional Jalisco agave.

8:00. Gorge, Guadalajara style

Santo Coyote (360 pesos - US$18.75 adults, 180 pesos children) is the theme park of brunch buffets . On weekends, families celebrate milestone birthdays, children pose with concrete sea turtles in front of artificial waterfalls, and grandparents gather in their finery under a thatched palapa roof. Despite its daunting size, the restaurant has so many distinct dining areas that each space feels intimate.

At its numerous, bustling stations, chefs iron fresh tortillas, stir-fry tortas, and prepare tortitas , all to order. There's something for everyone here, with a mix of Mexican and international options, desserts, piles of fresh fruit, and, upstairs, a floor-to-ceiling tequila vault where you can buy bottles to take home. While the food is tasty, Santo Coyote's joy lies in its festive atmosphere and daring performances .

10:00 a.m. Celebrate Guadalajara's craftsmanship

Take a drive to Tlaquepaque , the so-called " magic town" of greater Guadalajara , about 25 minutes southeast of downtown. The community is known for its crafts, such as the internationally prized pottery from nearby Tonalá, and the galleries of notable Mexican sculptors like Sergio Bustamante and Rodo Padilla, whose ceramic "gorditos" ride bicycles or straddle the moon.

Visit the Pantaléon Panduro Museum , which displays the winning entries from Mexico's annual national ceramics competition and showcases mind-blowing new creations every year. For a midday refresher, queue up at Chapalita de Nieves in Garrafa for a Jalisco-style "nieve"—a hand-churned ice cream made from water or milk, but typically lighter, fluffier, and less sweet than gelato—in uniquely Mexican flavors, such as elote (prepared street corn), chile-laced watermelon, and tequila.

● In a city brimming with art, the University of Guadalajara's MUSA is a prominent institution exhibiting everything from Mexican religious iconography to pop art.

● For a Yucatecan-inspired dinner with a touch of psychedelic cumbia, El Habanero Negro is as fun as it is delicious.

● The Pantaléon Panduro Museum in Tlaquepaque exhibits the winners of Mexico's annual national ceramics competition.

● La Chata de Guadalajara is an old-school spot with a local following that serves classic regional dishes.

● Piggy Back serves a popular breakfast featuring homemade baked goods and unconventional chilaquiles.

● The street cart Tortas Ahogadas el Profe Jiménez serves an excellent version of tortas ahogadas, one of Guadalajara's quintessential foods.

Yunaites offers typical market food in a neighborhood market atmosphere with a chef's touch , but without pretension.

● Binaural Cafe is a vinyl listening lounge and coffee shop with a serious, artistic atmosphere.

● Leche de Tigre Cocina Urbana , with its ceviches and aguachiles, is a family-run seafood restaurant with soul.

● El Gallo Altanero offers drinks, artisanal tequila, and a festive atmosphere.

● Santo Coyote has an impressive brunch buffet with spectacular decor and a festive, family-friendly atmosphere.

● Nieves de Garrafa Chapalita produces "snows" in a remarkable range of flavors.

● Opened in 2021, Casa Bosque Eduviges is a historic mansion in the Americana neighborhood (though technically located in neighboring Lafayette) with a wing of contemporary rooms that comfortably blends past and present. Rooms cost around 1,500 pesos ($78) per night.

● Hotel Demetria is a contemporary brutalist-style tower with 43 rooms and apartments (starting at 3,900 pesos, US$203), a rooftop pool, and artwork throughout. It also has a 22-suite sister property, Demetria Bungalows , around the corner and built around a historic house.

● The elegant Villa Ganz resembles a Spanish-style estate in Colonia Americana, Guadalajara's most stylish neighborhood. Each of its 10 rooms, starting at around 4,125 pesos (US$215), is unique, and the lush courtyard, tiled patio, and deep blue private lounge bar are a great place to relax after a day of exploring.

● There are attractive vacation rental options throughout the city center, including Barrio México, which features seven beautifully restored historic homes in Americana and Santa Tere neighborhoods available on Airbnb at affordable prices. Casa Kali in Barrio México, for example, costs around 1,100 pesos (US$57.3).

Freda Moon / The New York Times