Wrapping Up Two Months in San Miguel de Allende
San Migule de Allende from the rooftop of the Rosewood Hotel
Our San Miguel de Allende Trip: Two Months of Travel, Culture & Easter Celebrations
We’ve been back for a little over two weeks now, slowly settling back into life at home. Reality didn’t waste any time—between a water main leak, a yard that needed attention, revamping a garden bed, and all the day-to-day chores we didn’t even think about while we were in Mexico, we were right back into it.
When we left the Pacific Northwest in February, it was all leafless trees and gray, wet skies. Coming back in late April felt like stepping into a completely different season—tulips in full bloom, that fresh light green on the trees, and, surprisingly, a stretch of very un-PNW weather… mostly sunny skies and no rain.
We’ll probably pay for that later this summer, but for now, it’s been a pretty nice welcome home.
And now, on to the final post from our trip to Mexico.
They say, “the third time’s a charm,” and for us, our third trip to San Miguel de Allende was definitely that.
Arrival in San Miguel de Allende
We arrived at Guanajuato International Airport (IATA: BJX, ICAO: MMLO), located near León, on February 19th. With the late arrival—pretty typical when flying from the Pacific Northwest—we stayed our first night at Fiesta Inn and Suites. The next morning, we were picked up by BajioGo for the door-to-door transfer into San Miguel.
Our Airbnb , which we had rented months earlier, was ready and waiting. Even though we had seen photos ahead of time, we were happily surprised by what we found behind the two massive courtyard doors. It’s one of those places that just feels right the moment you walk in. For a more in-depth review of the Airbnb, check out our previous blog post.
We settled in, unpacked, and headed out to Baja Fish Taquito for an early dinner, followed by a walk around the Jardín before heading back to the house for a good night’s sleep.
Grocery Shopping in Centro: Bonanza, City Market & La Comer
On our first full day in San Miguel, we started with a quick walk to Super Bonanza. It’s the “main” grocery store in Centro—nothing fancy, but it has just about everything you need, except for fresh meat and produce. It quickly became our go-to spot for so many things.
Day two took us to the more upscale City Market, followed by its sister store, La Comer, just a block away. Both are part of Grupo La Comer, a Mexican retail group known for its range and quality. City Market feels more like a high-end shopping experience—beautifully organized and a bit over the top—but fun to wander.
La Comer attracts more of a local crowd and doesn’t have quite the same “excess” as City Market, but it still offers a selection that rivals any major grocery store in the U.S. And yes—you can buy a fresh live lobster and take it home on your motorcycle.
Day Trip to Querétaro
Since we had plenty of time in San Miguel and had never been to Querétaro, we booked an Airbnb, grabbed bus tickets ont ETN Turistar, and spent two days exploring. It’s much larger than either San Miguel or Guanajuato, with modern high-rise buildings and a very different feel. We focused on the historic center, but it was clear there’s much more to see.
Easter Week in San Miguel de Allende
Then came Easter week. We didn’t fully realize what that meant in Mexico. Here, Easter isn’t just a weekend—it’s a two-week period built around Semana Santa, with schools out and people traveling throughout the country. The city fills up, and the energy shifts. In San Miguel de Allende, the tradition of decorating the fountains during the Easter season is part of the Viernes de Dolores (Friday of Sorrows) observance, which takes place the Friday before Palm Sunday.
Company Arrives
A couple of weeks into our stay, our first visitors arrived from Taos, New Mexico and Whidbey Island, Washington. Susan and Michael, along with their friend Deborah from Texas, joined us, and the exploring began. Susan had been with us before, Michael had visited years ago, and Deborah was already familiar with San Miguel, so it didn’t take long for everyone to settle in and enjoy both old favorites and new discoveries.
Deborah headed home after a week, while Susan and Michael stayed on a bit longer. During that time, we took a quick two-night trip to Guanajuato—always a fun city to explore, with a completely different vibe than San Miguel.
We booked rooms at Mesón del Rosario, grabbed bus tickets on Primera Plus, and about 90 minutes later we were in Guanajuato.
A quick side note about the medium- and long-haul buses in Mexico—they’re nice… really nice. The buses features comfortable 2x2 seating, seatback video screens, complimentary Wi-Fi (which usually doesn’t work, but it’s the thought that counts), and they’re generally on time. Honestly, bus travel in central Mexico is easier and far more comfortable than many people might expect.
Visiting Guanajuato During Semana Santa
Next up were Alan’s sister and her husband from Albuquerque. It was their first trip to San Miguel—and to central Mexico—so we decided to meet them in Guanajuato for a couple of days. We book rooms at Hotel Santa Regina, grab buss tickets again, but this trip is on Premera Plus .Even though we had just been there a few weeks earlier, it felt like a completely different experience. It was Easter week, and the city was packed.
Exploring Guanajuato’s Underground Tunnels
While exploring, we decided to check out the underground tunnels. Originally designed to combat flooding, these tunnels now serve as a reminder of Guanajuato’s engineering and history. While the streets above are full of life, the tunnels offer a completely different perspective—one that most visitors don’t get to see.
Since it was Easter week, the city was packed. Vendors lined the streets selling everything from fresh-off-the-grill tacos to jewelry, candy, toys, and just about anything else you could imagine.
It felt completely different than when we had been there just a couple of weeks earlier. The quieter streets and relaxed pace had been replaced with crowds, music, families, and the nonstop energy that comes with Semana Santa in central Mexico.
We returned to San Miguel just in time for Easter Sunday.
Easter Sunday & the Burning of the Judas
And Easter here? It’s something else.
It’s not quite the traditional religious experience you might expect, and it’s definitely not the egg hunts and chocolate bunnies we’re used to back home.
Instead, one of the standout events is the “Burning of the Judas” (Quema de Judas). Large, colorful papier-mâché figures—often representing political figures or symbolic “bad actors”—are hung and then, one by one, blown up to the cheers of the crowd. It’s loud, chaotic, and surprisingly fun.
It’s one of those moments where you realize you’re experiencing something completely different—something local, something rooted in tradition, and something you’ll remember long after you’ve left.
As Easter celebrations came to an end, our company headed back home, the kids returned to school, and life in San Miguel de Allende slowly settled back into its normal rhythm.
The evenings in the Jardín grew a little quieter, the mariachi bands became fewer, and the city seemed to take a deep breath and slow down again.
Sunset Over San Miguel de Allande
We used those final days to revisit a few favorite spots and discover a couple of places we had somehow passed by before. We spent an evening enjoying music at Johnny’s Piano Bar, another listening to Lady Zen in concert, and more than a little time trying to figure out how all the local art we had purchased was somehow going to fit into our luggage.
Before long, it was time.
The bags were packed, the treasures safely tucked away, and we were doing that final walk-through of the house—the one where you pause in every room just a little longer than usual.
We chatted with Lucia, who had taken such great care of both us and the house during our stay, and then waited for the knock on the door that meant our driver had arrived for the trip to the airport.
Last Sunset Over San Miguel de Allande
Just like that, two months, 261 miles walked, countless tacos, evening concerts, and unforgettable sunsets became memories, the kind that stays with you for a very long time.
Our flight home was smooth, and going through immigration and customs in Dallas was surprisingly easy. We even landed in Seattle a little early.
After picking up the car our friends had so graciously left for us at an off-airport lot, we made our way home and finally fell into bed—about 15 hours after leaving San Miguel de Allende.
Now it’s time for a little break from travel. Home is calling, the yard needs attention, and real life has a way of reminding you it’s still here waiting.
But travel has a funny way of never really leaving you. Even while unpacking, we’re already talking about where to go next.
For now, we’ll settle back into Pacific Northwest life, enjoy being home, and let the memories of San Miguel carry us for a while longer.
But don’t worry—we’ll be out discovering new places again before you know it.
Stay tuned…Portland Oregon just might be next?
