Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
a timeless spot in mexico has appeal for all ages
San Miguel de Allende is easy to navigate, safe and rich in activities – an ideal family holiday destination bursting with colour and sweet delights
“People lose their capacity to walk, run, travel, think, and experience life. I realise how important it is to use the time I have.” – VIGGO MORTENSEN
“THIS is the best dessert ever!” my 6-year-old son gushed enthusiastically as he dunked a churro into a cup brimming with Mexican hot chocolate.
He might have wanted to say more but decided to concentrate on downing the cinnamon-sugared wand of fried dough instead.
I didn’t blame him; I was practically hoovering up my order. He, my wife and I were sitting in
Café San Agustin, a go-to sweet spot in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The brightly lit, busy churreria’s walls are covered with photos and media clippings of its owner, telenovela star Margarita Gralia.
San Miguel de Allende is its own singular slice of Mexican life. Located in Guanajuato state, 270km north of Mexico City, it boasts cobblestone streets and colonial architecture, giving visitors the impression they’ve stepped out of time.
It’s helpful to know traveller’s Spanish when making deals at the market or figuring out your lunch order, but there’s a large community of retired Americans, so the locals are used to English speakers. San Miguel de Allende is easy to navigate, safe and rich in activities – an ideal family holiday destination.
Walking around is rewarding. Colour is everywhere. Violet jacaranda trees and bougainvillea flowers of radiant pink and royal purple are in bloom. Street vendors hawk a rainbow of chewing gums, flamboyant handicrafts and a wild kingdom of balloons.
Vibrant hues are present in the most pedestrian elements of everyday life – walls are painted in rich reds and pulsing blues; plants line rooftops with their blooms hanging down; kaleidoscopic bunches of ribbons are tied on window bars to flutter in the breeze.
A memorable jaunt was up the steep hill to the east of the town’s centre, just behind Parque Benito Juárez. After ascending narrow blocks we came out on a wider street running perpendicular. There the walls of the homes stop for a terraced stretch called El Mirador, where visitors can revel in the city’s clay tile rooftops interspersed with church spires and purple puffs of jacarandas below.
El Charco del Ingenio, a short taxi ride outside town, is a fun place for parents to stroll while kids run around. The 69 hectare botanical garden’s pathways wend their way between cactus and succulent varieties, and around a reservoir.
During the peak heat of the day, Museo La Esquina offers a rewarding respite for children and adults alike. The carefully curated museum features three floors – and a rooftop with great views – packed with more than 1 000 handmade Mexican toys – from dollhouses and Lucha Libre wrestling figures to papier-mâché
Day of the Dead characters.
We spent hours browsing in the sprawling arts market (Mercado de Artesanias), its stalls packed with traditional crafts of many mediums including intricate Huichol beadwork, brilliantly coloured handcarved alebrijes (folk art creatures) and embroidered linens.
Restaurants are child-friendly by default. We had a delightful experience at Don Taco Tequila. Though vegan, the toothsome tacos are satiating and satisfying – and practically electrified by the fiery housemade salsa.
Good coffee was in steady supply. Near the arts market, Inside Café offers intense cold brew and a perfectly proportioned flat white, as well as an exceptional brunch.
After shopping at La Fabrica la Aurora, a former fabric mill just outside town that houses art galleries and boutique shops, we discovered Geek & Coffee tucked away behind the sprawling complex. The excellent brews were complemented by sandwiches, salads, and marvellous desserts, such as a mango tart cradled in buttery crust and tender chocolate layer cake.
I was quickly won over by Lavanda Café. There’s always a line by the time it opens, so go early and be prepared to wait across the street from its cobalt-blue door (or get a to-go cup from the takeaway window). Once you’re seated, order one of the daily pastry selections to enjoy while you browse the menu, which offers traditional Mexican breakfast options alongside more Western selections.
On the last day of our trip, we stopped there for our final meal. When the server stopped by with the pastry offerings, my son ordered one of the restaurant’s signature lemon-glazed cinnamon rolls. He took one bite and smiled, a sugary glaze lingering on his lips.