This beautiful city in Mexico feels like Europe and is growing in popularity

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If you typically plan your travels around immersive cultural experiences, and you’re a history buff, chances are you’re already making plans to cross the pond (again) this winter, no matter how gray and terribly cold Europe may be right now.

Hold your horses.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to embark on a transatlantic journey to hit the jackpot. Sometimes all that Old World charm you’re looking for is a much shorter 2-3 hour flight away.

It is known for its timeless colonial architecture and unmistakable European atmosphere city ​​of Guanajuato Mexico has seen a sharp increase in visitors this year, and let’s just say people aren’t exactly coming here for all-inclusives and beaches:

A beautiful historic center

Guanajuato, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed city in central Mexico that revolves around a picture-perfect colonial center, is currently one of the trendiest destinations south of the border.

Although it is best known for its mining history and provided the Spanish Empire with vast wealth, today it charms visitors with a timeless skyline. still perfectly preserved from the colonial eraand a wealth of architectural monuments.

In 2025 alone, León/Bajio International Airport, which serves Guanajuato and other cities in the area, registered more than 2.7 million passengers, an increase of 2.5% compared to 2024.

These aren’t just people passing through either: Guanajuato has already done that positioned itself as one of the top 10 most popular tourist destinations in Mexico, and if we limit it to city trips, we are up there with Mexico City, Guadalajara, Oaxaca and the like.

Beautiful architecture all around

As beautiful as other Mexican colonial cities may be, they don’t quite capture that warm, Iberian essence the way Guanajuato does. We mean, have you seen how actually enormous the local historic center is?

We’re not talking about one beautiful square with a lonely cathedral and a handful of characteristic mansions scattered here and there: the entire city center looks as if it has been frozen in the Golden Age of navigation.

A good place to start is Plaza de la Paz, the local ‘zocalo‘, home to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato: Dating from the late 17th century, this striking Baroque church has a bright yellow facade and opulent interior that would make the medieval cathedrals of Spain blush.

If you are looking for one It looks like a European castleLook no further than the Alhóndiga de Granaditas: it’s not exactly a fortress, but it largely looks like one, and it hosted a decisive battle during the Mexican War of Independence.

Reach out and kiss

Guanajuato is full of them Delicious buildings, and while we could dedicate an entire article to that alone, let’s cut it short and say that, if you have the time An more church visits during your trip, make sure it’s La Valenciana.

Built in the 18th century in the typical Churrigueresque style of Mexico, with a opulent interior attributed to the gemstones extracted from the mine of the same name, it is considered one of the ‘richest’ churches in colonial Mexico.

Of course, no visit to Guanajuato is complete without a photo spot on the grand staircase leading to the main building of the University of Guanajuato, which is among the oldest and most prestigious in the country, and let’s not forget Callejon del Beso:

An Instagram-worthy alley full of pastel-colored townhouses, where narrow lovers can stand on opposite balconies reach out and kissit’s that one tourist cliché that’s actually worth checking off the list.

Affordable and cheap to visit

It may seem like it belongs somewhere in Spain, and not in the skyscraper-dominated New World, but Guanajuato isn’t nearly as expensive as its parent country, Spain:

According to Numbeo According to estimates, meals in simple canteens frequented by locals average $11.67, or the equivalent in Mexican pesos, and according to Budget your tripthe average cost of a three-night stay in the city is an acceptable $184.

In addition to affordability, Guanajuato has that too safety levels comparable to those of major European cities.

The historic center is particularly well guarded and places like the Basilica and its adjacent square, the Alhóndiga and the Alley of the Kiss are well lit and safe to visit even at night. That said, pickpocketing can This still happens, so make sure you keep an eye on your belongings in busy locations.

As a rule of thumb, stick to well-lit streets near the main squares at night and avoid non-touristy suburban areas and you will be fine.

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior head writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60 countries to his name (and is currently weaving stories from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.