1) Climb up the ancient pyramid at the newly opened  Cañada de la Virgen archeological site.

While you can cab to this fascinating pre-Hispanic pyramid about 30 min southwest of town to explore on your own for less cost, the absolutely best way to visit the site is to join a guided tour with archeologist Albert Coffee.  Albert’s tour, lasting about 4 hours including transportation to/from the site, costs $40 USD per person.  Now a San Miguel resident, Albert was the only U.S. archeologist who was invited to participate in the official government excavation and restoration of the pyramid, and he offers an entertaining and insightful treasure trove of historical/geographical/anthropological facts about the ruin.  You can contact Albert directly to ask about tour times.  His local phone in San Miguel is:  415-102-5583.  You also can send him an e-mail at: acoffee@live.com.mx.   NOTE:  To preserve the natural landscape, cars are not allowed near the archeological zone.  Visitors must hike about 3 km up a gradual slope to reach the pyramid, so this tour is for able walkers wearing comfortable shoes!  Be sure to bring a hat and some water, too.

2) Shop for local organic produce at the Saturday organic farmer’s market.

Since the spring of 2011, local farmers have displayed their organic lettuces, tomatoes, squash and herbs in booths set up in the southwest corner of the Rosewood/Artesana complex during a Saturday morning outdoor market.  A couple of booths also sell artisanal cheeses and wild honey.  In addition, you can sample freshly made gorditas and other Mexican snacks served at simple food stalls.  It’s good to show up early, around 9:30 am, for the best selection.  Enter the Rosewood/Artesana property from Ancha de San Antonio, near the intersection with Codo.

3) Take in the incredible city view from the rooftop Luna Bar at the Rosewood Hotel.

No doubt about it, the expansive panorama from the Luna Bar is now the best view in town.  The town appears to embrace you from this vantage point, which also is our top choice for your sunset cocktail hour.  From the hotel’s main entrance on Calle Nemesio Diaz (formerly also known as Calle Nueva and Paseo del Parque), take the elevator to the roof terrace on the third floor.  Drinks and tasty tapas are understandably pricey in this elegant locale, which opened to the public in February 2011.

4) Visit the “Museo la Esquina”, San Miguel’s unique Mexican toy museum.

This fanciful collection of Mexican folkart and toys represents the personal private collection of Angelica Tijerina, gathered over the past 30 years from her travels throughout Mexico.  Housed in a renovated old “casona” at the corner of Nunez and San Francisco, the toy museum is open Wed – Sat from 10 am to 6 pm and on Sun from 10 am to 3 pm.  General admission is 30 pesos.  You also can check out the museum’s website at: http://www.museolaesquina.org.mx/

5) Sample fresh artisanal local breads at the gourmet bakeries in town.

Call it part of the Mexican slow-food movement or a new appreciation for fine baking, but there seems to be a bevy of new bakers in San Miguel.  While the best place for pastries is still Chef Paco Cardenas’ Petit-Four bakery on Mesones, you’ll find crusty sourdough and multi-grain loaves, plus some sweet breakfast breads, fresh out of the oven at these other shops:

-Maple, located on Ancha de San Antonio across from the Telmex office;

-La Mesa Grande, located at the corner of Zacateros and Pila Seca; and

-Cumpanio, next door to the restaurant of the same name on Correo at Recreo.

You also can buy fine local breads at San Miguel’s favorite delis, including Queso de Luna, La Cava, Via Organica and Bové.

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http://www.vogue.com/vogue-daily/article/destination-of-the-month-san-miguel-de-allende/

http://www.themarthablog.com/2010/11/a-visit-to-san-miguel-de-allende-mexico.html/comment-page-1#comment-57124

 You can access the article online at:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/Under-the-Spell-of-San-Miguel-de-Allende.html?c=y&page=1

What a magical place this town is! For simple starters, the light here is exquisite. The October skies are full of enormous cumulus clouds and moments of intense sunshine, the earth tones of the homes and buildings glow richly as you walk down the stone streets. No wonder painters still come to work here. The old facades with their worn cantera features transport me back to the 18^th century in just a block or so, where else can one walk down streets laid out 500 years ago and still be just over nine hours from Texas by car? Or four hours by bus to Mexico City?

Besides the enchantment of light there is the delight of living in a vibrant small city full of places to eat; from the 20 peso taco to the 400 peso dining experience. And of course there are all the things to do; walk to an art opening, shop for all sorts of treasures, visit a museum, see a movie, hear a lecture, listen to music, take a class or just hang out and listen to Mariachis in the jardin. San Miguel has perhaps too many distractions for the serious among us. 

I often take buses all over town to do a variety of mundane chores, with some walking in-between, the whole adventure will cost 15 pesos and I can cover the town. Hilly San Miguel means enchanting vistas and picturesque streets, and I marvel that it only costs 25 pesos to arrive at nearly any destination by taxi should the climb to wherever I am off to prove daunting. Drivers are polite too! Everyone will wait for someone to cross a street, even taxi drivers. Where else do drivers politely go one by one across intersections with out policing? I get spoiled by this courtesy when I travel anywhere else. 

Where else can you live in a foreign country and get your mail delivered from the states with no problem, even Amazon books? Where else can you get wonderful organic food locally grown for reasonable – not Whole Foods – prices? And artisanal cheese? How about shopping at great delis or tasting the goodies at one of the many wonderful bakeries, all within walking distance of any neighborhood you visit. How about the pleasure of visiting a variety of hot springs just out side of town or getting a great massage for 250 pesos? We have a botanical garden that is delightful and a library full of books to read. You can join Audubon or hike on the weekends. There are horses to ride and dogs and cats to rescue. You can take yoga or mediate with a group. You can study Spanish or even French. There are endless opportunities to get involved and make a difference in someone’s life, and surely your own. Not all small towns in the US can boast of these amenities, but San Miguel has them in abundance. This is really living in a small town and it is wonderful.

Yes, there are tourists here and I, for one, am glad, as they contribute to the vibrancy of local restaurants and hotels. Many of our long term visitors add a lot to the community and the mix of friends. I feel safe here in town and walk everywhere any time of day or night. I enjoy a book club, a woman’s group and classes that keep me interested and learning too.

Best of all, San Miguel is full of interesting, warm and friendly people. Where else can you move and find people so ready to make friends? San Miguel is unique this way especially as there are so many of us “ex-pats”. I have head complaining that there are far too many “gringos” here and you don’t have to even learn to speak Spanish…well, if you want to learn there are lots of schools and tutors and I for one, find having a wide variety of friends a very healthy part of life in San Miguel, be they gringos or Mexicans. My Spanish is a lot better than when I came and getting better all the time.

So don’t miss out on this magical town where the energy is good, the eating an adventure, new friends will entertain you and fun is a daily part of life.

 ( NOTE:  This commentary was submitted to our blog by homeowner Barbara Erickson, whose lovely Casa de la Vista is one of the houses represented for vacation rental by San Miguel House Rentals.  Thanks for your words capturing the spirit of San Miguel, Barbara!)

http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2010/cities/top-10-cities/6

Join the Audubon Society, San Miguel Chapter, on a very special birdwalk this coming Sunday, Feb 21, when Bob Graham, Signe Hammer and Norman Besman (3 local birding experts) take all “aficionados de aves” on a walk at the Charco del Ingenio botanical garden, where many interesting birds are now present, especially in the early morning. Recent sightings have included white-faced ibises, groove-billed anis and crested caracaras, plus Monarch butterflies.

Meet at the entrance to Instituto Allende on the Ancha de San Antonio at 7:45 am on Sunday morning. Be sure to bring a hat and water. Cars will be available, but if you drive one that can be shared, it will be very much welcomed.

The leaders will have the Audubon bird guides with them for purchase. (Also, the new Audubon butterfly guides, spectacular in themselves.) The walk is free for Audubon members and 100 pesos for others. You’ll be back by about noon. People with questions may call Linda Whynman at San Miguel local number 152-2139. ]]> http://san-miguel-house-rentals.com/blog/feb-21st-bird-walk-in-sn-miguel/feed 0