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Guide to Guadalajara, Mexico
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Click to go to Flight Prices for Guadalajara
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GuadalajaraA few hundred miles from the Mexican capital, Guadalajara is a cosmopolitan hot spot for all things musical, artistic and commercial. Home to a grid with a prevalence of plazas, clubs, historic sites, and modern high-rises, Guadalajara has clearly been influenced by its regional and continental surroundings. Placed along a vast bend in the Rio Grande (with its northeastern sector in view of the split from Grande to Verde and Santiago), Guadalajara is a 3.5-million-strong jumble of Mexicana that can clearly be described as ever changing, yet deeply traditional. Cultural happenings occur here in a frequency matching the capital, and because it seems more colorful and less congested, many travelers are opting for the smaller of the two in numbers that years ago would not exist.Like any major metropolitan area, Guadalajara is the place to find any religious icons, with the highlight usually being the city cathedral. Some global destinations are fortunate to host more than a single such grand structure, but most are content with a single majestic (and steepled) entity.Add to these fantastic traits a pattern surprisingly easy to navigate, a people that could hardly seem more welcoming, arts complexes rivaling those of American and European capitals, and culinary specialties that'll have your mouth burning long after the sun has set, and, well...you've got Guadalajara. No more waiting. Book your flight today!
When to go:
Wherever you go upon Mexican land, you're more or less going to come upon a heated surface and heated atmosphere, but because locals have been accustomed to the climates availed to the region for thousands of years, visitors are the only ones likely to notice a change in environment. Not to worry. There are countless shops and vendors providing fatigued folks with juicy concoctions and clothing fit for the climate. Also, unless you're home is within the region, you'll receive a great return on your funds when purchasing, well, anything.
Getting there and around:
Though some become agitated at the thought of a 30-minute transit ride between airport and city, the experience is quite ok after arriving in Guadalajara. (Perhaps the landscape and the always-popular Rio Grande are to blame.) One aspect that downcasts the airports image is service, or, well, a lack of it. Simply put: There is no option other than a taxi for transport between terminal and hotel. In Mexico, buses and taxis are generally run on cheap fares, and Guadalajara doesn't sidestep that tradition. You can familiarize yourself with local hand signals or make your first morning stop to a bus depot or third-party vendor for passes; there's little difference. It all comes down to preference.
Attractions:
Starting off your "Guadalajaran" experience should be the city center, where all directions point to historic sites - the particularly noteworthy visual attraction is the Cathedral. If you've taken in all the pre-20th-century memorabilia you can consume, head west for a trip back to the present day. Guadalajara's newest sights are here: Museo de Arte Moderna, too many plazas, the Galeria del Calzado, and the University of Guadalajara, of course, flanked by its very own plaza.
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