Featured image: Looking up at the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico./ Photo by twenty20photos

10 tips to help you find your way to and from San Miguel de Allende

By Carolyn Ray, Publisher, JourneyWoman

 My trip to San Miguel de Allende wasn’t my first international trip this year, but it was the first within North America. With its colonial history, temperate climate and thriving cultural scene, it is one of those cities that is small enough to know quickly, yet large enough to satisfy a broad range of tastes and experiences.

Located in Guanajuato, about three to three and a half hours northwest of Mexico City, San Miguel is only a 10-hour drive from the US border, and fairly easy to get to from Canada and other central locations.  As a first-time visitor, I uncovered a few tips to help make your first trip to this lively, engaging city easy and fun. 

1. Getting to San Miguel de Allende

To get to SMA from the Mexico City Airport, you can take an airport shuttle or a bus. Renting a car was not recommended by anyone I spoke to. I took the Bajigogo shuttle direct from the airport to my Airbnb. This costs $150 USD per person one way or $75 USD per person if there are more than two people. I used it twice and found it safe and easy. The website is a bit hard to use, so try calling the toll-free number if you need clarification on anything. You can also fly into Queretaro Airport and take a 90-minute taxi or shuttle from there. 

Mexico’s bus system is also very good. When I returned to Mexico City, I used ETN; another option is Primera Plus. ETN is 535 pesos per person (or $45 USD) one-way from the Esctacion de L’Autobus in San Miguel to Mexico City Norte. You can choose your seat on the bus and it has large, reclining seats, TVs and wifi. Masks are required on the bus. You can also take a bus right from the Mexico City Airport, which I will definitely do next time as the station is right inside the terminal.

2. COVID Testing: To be a good traveller, take a covid test before and after you travel, even if it’s not officially required. This helps ensure you are not bringing the virus along with you to vulnerable people. 

In San Miguel, there are several options to get tested. The Rosewood Hotel offers onsite mobile testing by MedexLab. A PCR test is approximately $2000 pesos for a (C$X/US$) with results in under two days. An Antigen test is $550 pesos C$X/US) and results take about two hours.

TIP: Canadians, confirm that you are getting a PCR test as the staff can confuse them, as happened to me. In my case, my daughter was visiting from Canada and needed a PCR test to return home. Two hours after taking the test, she received antigen results, much to our surprise. Since we were at the bus station at the time, we had to return to the Rosewood, where we were assured a new test was not required and that we would have test results in 24 hours. Forty hours later, we were still waiting, and she was unable to check into to her flight. I am forever grateful to the Rosewood Hotel staff for helping me obtain her correct test results, as there was no response at the San Miguel MedexLab testing number.  You can also get both rapid tests and COVID tests at the Mexico City airport. For example, Volaris in the Garden Hilton offers 24-hour PCR testing and rapid tests. 

3. Shoes: To avoid injury, wear flat, comfortable shoes, no high heels or open-toed shoes as the streets are not paved – they are cobblestoned and rocky. The sidewalks are narrow and you’ll need to navigate walking both on roads and sidewalks.  Most people wear flat sandals (not flip flops), low-heeled boots or sneakers. You don’t want to twist an ankle in the name of fashion! 

TIP: “Stop by San Miguel Shoes (Reloj and Mesones) for sandals” – Christine

8. Accommodations: I generally like to stay slightly outside of the core so that I get a feel for the community. In San Miguel there are some beautiful small boutique hotels that I would love to try, such as Casa de la Cuesta, owned by Bill and Heidi LaVasseur, who also run the Mask Museum. The Rosewood Hotel is the centre of many activities and plays an important role in the community. 

9. What to pack: San Miguel is in the mountains, so it’s cool in the evenings and warmer in the daytime. Most people dress casually and wear pants or skirts. I would only wear shorts or lululemon athletic attire if you are doing an active tour of the Botanical Gardens or running in the park.  (Also refer to our What to Wear in Mexico article here). 

10. Local Transportation: San Miguel is a very walkable city, but there are times you might want to get a taxi or the local bus (There is no subway). If you take a taxi, negotiate the rate in advance. Anywhere within SMA is about 60-70 pesos, but drivers may charge extra outside of Centro. Taxis have numbers painted on the doors, and if you’d like to use that taxi as your own while you’re in town, the driver will be very accommodating if you exchange WhatsApp numbers. The city bus is 8 pesos as well and can be a fun way to experience the city. The main bus station is near the Mercado de San Juan de Dios.  I found San Miguel very safe, for walking, even at 5:00 am in the morning when I walked to the Rosewood Hotel my hot air balloon tour!)

FINAL TIP: English is well-spoken but try to use some of your Spanish vocabulary to get around, it will go a long way! I use apps like Spanish Dictionary, Duolingo and Google Translate.

Plan Your Trip to San Miguel de Allende

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Book Your Flights

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Find Somewhere to Stay

Find a hotel on Expedia and earn points towards free stays. Hotels.com offers a free night stay for every 10 nights booked.

Looking for an apartment or something more long-term? Check out VRBO.

Insure Your Trip

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Traveling for an extended amount of time? SafetyWing offers ongoing coverage on a month-to-month basis, and World Nomads offers coverage for extended trips.

Looking for a Tour?

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Travel Extras

Why not brush up on your Spanish before your trip with Babbel.

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