Instituto Allende Tours

Mexico City
Sat–Sun, July 18–19, departing at 7am
US$235

Dolores Hidalgo and Guanajuato 
Trip preview
Wed, Jul 22, 4pm
Free

Sat, Jul 25, departing at 9am
Instituto Allende, 152-0226
Ancha de San Antonio 20
US$65



Visit Dolores Hidalgo and Guanajuato
By Jaime Fernández 

Mexico City An overnight, two-day field trip to Mexico City and the nearby pyramids provides a historic tour of downtown, Bellas Artes, el Caballito Monument, the Zócalo, the Cathedral and the National Palace.


The tour visits the site of the great temple, once the heart of the Aztec ceremonial world. An adjacent museum houses a magnificent collection of Aztec art, altars, statuary and weapons. That night is a tour of Mexico City’s nightlife.

The highlight on Sunday is a trip to the Teotihuacán pyramids. The tour returns to San Miguel late afternoon, Sunday, July 19. 

Dolores Hidalgo and Guanajuato

On July 25, Instituto Allende Tours leads a day-long field trip to Dolores Hidalgo and the city of Guanajuato. Dolores Hidalgo, a center for Talavera ceramics, is where Miguel Hidalgo uttered El Grito, his famous and historical cry for freedom. The quest for independence began on September 15, 1810. The tour visits the center of Dolores, including the town’s square that offers unique flavored ice creams such as avocado, shrimp and tequila, along with traditional types. Later the tour heads to Guanajuato, a charming capital city with great cultural tradition and home of the University of Guanajuato. Famed painter Diego Rivera’s home is on the bill along with an easy-going walking tour of other sites of interest like the Plazas de la Paz and the main Jardín.

Guanajuato’s narrow streets wend their way between flower-bedecked plazas, and give way to unexpected balconies, bridges and red-tiled roofs that lie level with the street above. Few places appear more exotic. Guanajuato both eludes and inspires description. Travelers are reminded of the hill towns of Italy and jewels of villages in southern Spain. The flamboyant city is a maze of plazas, byways, dramatic tunnels and picturesque streets. 

Instituto Allende tours are all-inclusive, including transportation, museum fees and restaurant-served meals. Bilingual guides lead all tours and offer further insight within a secure environment. Reservations are a must and fees must be paid in advance.

A free lecture at Instituto each Wednesday at 4pm previews upcoming trips.



_________________________________________________



Mineral de Pozos Tour
Sat, July 25, 10:30am
100 pesos
Roundtrip bus
Liverpool, La Luciérnaga
Leaves 9:30am; returns 5:30pm
150 pesos

It’s time to visit Pozos

Whether you are a longtime San Miguel resident or a visitor with a copy of Archie Dean’s Insider’s Guide, you know visiting Mineral de Pozos is one of the things you need to do. The questions are how and when.

Here are the answers to both. Two of the major “to-do’s” in Pozos are visiting the mining complexes and hearing the pre-Hispanic musical instruments being played. For 100 pesos, on July 25, you can have a guided tour of two of the major mining complexes from the 1890s and a pre-Hispanic musical concert. Tickets will be sold in advance at La Pérgola Gallery at Instituto Allende, Dewayne Youts’s shop at Fábrica La Aurora, the Biblioteca Pública and in Pozos at Plaza Zaragoza (the upper plaza) on the day of the tour, 9:30–10:30am.

You say that transportation is a problem? Not at all! A roundtrip bus leaves Liverpool (Plaza La Luciérnaga) at 9:30am and returns to San Miguel at 5:30pm, for at a cost of 150 pesos.

You also will have plenty of time in Pozos after the tour and concert to look for those instruments you just heard, explore artesanias shops, visit an art gallery, enjoy comida at a fine Pozos restaurant, or just wander.

Now there should be no excuses not to visit! Remember, wear good walking shoes, bring a hat and camera, wear layered clothing and book your bus tickets in advance to ensure a seat.