San Miguel de Allende is a historical town, founded in 1542, that has become an attractive tourist destination for wealthy Mexico City residents. It also has a large American and Canadian expatriate community comprised primarily of retired people. San Miguel is, first and foremost, a city built for relaxing. In spite of the increased number of foreigners over the past twenty years, it is still charming enough that many Mexicans visit for special holidays, and there are more than a few visitors who buy a house within a few days of their first arrival. The climate has the lazy, quiet air and temperance of Palm Springs, encouraging long hours of swimming and pool-side tanning, reading and napping, or just laying in a hammock and forgetting the world exists.

Tourist Offices
There is a tourist information office on the Plaza Principal.

Around and closeby
Travel outside of San Miguel to the thermal pools for an afternoon of relaxation. Hail a taxi or grab a bus for just a few dollars to these pools, but be sure to arrange return transportation or know when the last bus leaves. The only hotel near the pools is said to be expensive and generally booked. Also try visiting Guanajuato, the capital of the state. It is known for its network of tunnels under the city and for its "Museo de las Momias" (mummy museum), and you can also see Cristo Rey atop the Cerro de Cubilete. If you have time Dolores Hidalgo is 40 km away and is worth a visit as it is the birthplace of Mexican independence - and a great place to sample odd ice cream flavours like pork rind and avocado.

Sightseeing
When you're ready to absorb the city itself, San Miguel has plenty to see. You can spend a day just exploring the buildings, walking randomly along its streets and exploring some of the façades and architecture that have made San Miguel famous. Painters and cameramen have captured sites like La Parroquia and El Mirador countless times, and whole books have captured the beauty of the doorways along the street. Even Hollywood has taken notice of San Miguel, films like "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" and "And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself" were filmed almost entirely here. The marvellous pink granite parish, Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel, looks like an ornate candy sculpture at the zócalo. The main square, El Jardin, is also known as zócalo. Jardin Botanical is a unique Charco del Ingenio park above the town with an enormous collection of cacti.

Getting there
One of the most difficult aspects of visiting San Miguel de Allende is actually getting there. Its remoteness is definitely part of the charm of the city - your afternoon nap will never be disturbed by the sound of an overhead plane or a train pulling in - but reaching San Miguel, and eventually escaping, are tribulations in themselves. If you're an experienced driver in Mexico, you'll have few problems reaching San Miguel. It's only a few hours from Léon and Querétaro, and maybe a half-day's drive from Mexico City. Your best bet is a combination of a flight (if you are coming from outside central Mexico) and a taxi or bus ride. The closest airports to San Miguel are in Léon and Querétaro. Travelling to either of these ports will make your final journey a relatively inexpensive hour-long cab ride or an even cheaper bus ride of about 2 hours.