Things to do in Guanajuato in one day
A local guide's plan for one day in Guanajuato: the historic center, underground streets, Callejón del Beso, the Pípila viewpoint, museums and the night.
Updated October 22, 2026
Morning: Jardín de la Unión and Teatro Juárez
Start where the city meets: the Jardín de la Unión, a small triangular plaza shaded by laurel trees and lined with cafés. In the morning it is calm, and it is the easiest place to get your bearings.
Right in front stands the Teatro Juárez, one of Mexico's most beautiful theaters, with its columns and bronze muses on the roof. Its steps are a classic meeting point, and the Cervantino festival fills it every October.
The underground streets
Guanajuato has streets underground. The tunnels follow the old bed of the Guanajuato River, which was diverted after centuries of floods, and today most car traffic runs through them, which is why the center feels so walkable.
Walking a stretch of them with someone who knows the history is the best way to understand how a mining town in a narrow canyon grew into the city you see today.
Do it with a local guide
Historical Walking Tour
A 2.5 to 3-hour guided walk through Guanajuato's historic center: underground streets, colonial churches and Independence monuments, starting by Teatro Cervantes.
- 2.5–3 hours
- Daily at 10:00
- Plaza Allende
$550 MXNper person
Group discounts available (5+ people: $470 MXN)
The basilica, the university and the Alhóndiga
A few steps away, the ochre Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato presides over the Plaza de la Paz. Behind it, the white stairway of the University of Guanajuato is one of the city's most photographed spots.
Continue to the Alhóndiga de Granaditas, the granary where one of the first battles of Mexico's War of Independence was fought in 1810. Today it is a museum of the region's history.
Lunch at the Mercado Hidalgo
Next to the Alhóndiga, the Mercado Hidalgo is housed in a grand iron-and-glass building. Downstairs you will find food stalls and fresh juices; upstairs, crafts and sweets to take home.
If you want to try the city's flavors with a local, the street food tour stops at markets and stalls that most visitors walk past.
Do it with a local guide
Guanajuato Street Food Tour
The original Guanajuato food tour, since 2014: freshly baked pastries, fresh juices, gorditas, tacos al vapor, carnitas and street ice cream, on a 3-hour walk with a local guide.
- 3 hours
- Daily at 9:30
- Parque Embajadoras
$800 MXNper person
Group discounts available (5+ people: $700 MXN)
Afternoon: Callejón del Beso and museums
The Callejón del Beso is so narrow that the balconies on either side almost touch. Legend says two lovers kissed across them, and couples still kiss on the third step for luck. Go early or late to avoid the lines.
Guanajuato is also a museum city: the Museo de las Momias, Diego Rivera's birthplace and the Don Quixote Iconographic Museum are the best known. The premium tour includes entrance to two museums of your choice.
Do it with a local guide
Premium City and Museum Tour
A premium guided walking tour of Guanajuato's city center with entrance to 2 museums of your choice and a refreshing drink at the end. In English or Spanish.
- 4.5 hours
- Daily at 10:00
- Plaza Allende
$900 MXNper person
Group discounts available (5+ people: $720 MXN)
Sunset at the Pípila
The Monumento al Pípila looks over the whole canyon. Take the funicular from behind the Teatro Juárez, or walk up the alleys if you have the legs for it, and stay for the sunset, when the colorful houses light up.
At night: callejoneadas, bars and tacos
At night, student musical groups (estudiantinas) lead callejoneadas, singing walks through the alleys that usually start near the Teatro Juárez.
To end the day with tacos and local drinks, the bars and tacos night tour visits the bars and after-dark stalls where locals go.
Do it with a local guide
Bars and Tacos Night Tour
Tacos and traditional drinks from the region: a 3–4 hour night walk through Guanajuato's bars and after-dark street food stalls with a local bilingual host.
- 3–4 hours
- Daily at 19:00
- Jardín de la Unión
$1,000 MXNper person
Group discounts available (5+ people: $900 MXN)
Tips for your visit
Wear comfortable shoes: Guanajuato is all hills, cobblestones and stairs. The city sits at about 2,000 meters, so take it easy the first day, drink water and bring a layer for the evening, when it cools down quickly.