Tips for travel to Guadalajara

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Introduction

Dining & Entertainment

Entry Requirements

Money & Emergency

Weather

Map

Fun Things To Do

Health & Safety Links

Flight Overview

Introduction

Traditions are preserved and customs perpetuated in Guadalajara. Still, the nation's second-largest city and the capital of the state of Jalisco is engaged in a struggle to retain its provincial ambience and colonial charm as its population surpasses 7 million. Émigrés who left Mexico City after the devastating 1985 earthquake and staggering numbers of the rural poor seeking employment created a population explosion that continues to strain public services and increase pollution. Despite these problems, you can still enjoy stately churrigueresque architecture and tree-lined boulevards, parks, and plazas

Guadalajara has always been one of Mexico's most socially traditional and politically conservative cities. It has also been a seat of Christian fundamentalism and was one of the strategic areas of the cristeros, a movement of Catholic zealots in western Mexico in the 1920s. Tapatíos, as the city's residents are called, even seem to take pride in their straight and narrow outlook.

What To Do

Downtown Guadalajara--The most easily recognized building in the city is the cathedral, around which four open plazas make the shape of a Latin cross. Later, a long swath of land was cleared to extend the open area from the cathedral east to the Instituto Cultural Cabañas, creating Plaza Tapatía.

Construction on the cathedral started in 1561 and continued into the 18th century. Over such a long time, it was inevitable that remodeling would take place before the building was ever completed. The result is an unusual facade that is an amalgam of several architectural styles, including baroque, neoclassical, and Gothic. An 1818 earthquake destroyed the original large towers; their replacements were built in the 1850s, inspired by designs on the bishop's dinner china. Blue and yellow are Guadalajara's colors. The nave is open, airy, and majestic. Items of interest include a painting in the sacristy ascribed to the 17th-century Spanish artist Bartolomé Estaban Murillo (1617-82).

To the cathedral's left is the Plaza de Armas, the oldest and loveliest of the plazas. A cast-iron Art Nouveau bandstand is its dominant feature. Made in France, it was a gift to the city from the dictator Porfirio Díaz in the 1890s. The female figures on the bandstand exhibited too little clothing for conservative Guadalajarans, who clothed them. The dictator, recognizing when it's best to let the people have their way, said nothing.
Facing the plaza is the Palacio del Gobierno, a broad palace two stories high, built in 1774. The facade blends Spanish and Moorish elements and holds several details that catch the eye. Inside the central courtyard, above the staircase to the right, is a spectacular mural of Hidalgo by the modern Mexican master José Clemente Orozco. The Father of Independence appears high overhead, bearing directly down on the viewer and looking as implacable as a force of nature. On one of the adjacent walls Orozco painted The Carnival of Ideologies, a dark satire on the prevailing fanaticisms of his day. Another of his murals is inside the second-floor chamber of representatives, depicting Hidalgo again, this time in a more conventional posture, writing the proclamation to end slavery in Mexico.
In the plaza on the opposite side of the cathedral from the Plaza de Armas is the Rotonda de los Hombres Ilustres. Sixteen white columns, each supporting a bronze statue, stand as monuments to Guadalajara's and Jalisco's distinguished sons.

Dining

Guadalajara has many excellent restaurants for fine dining and for typical local fare. Most of the fine-dining spots are on the west side. Popular eateries serving good local fare are abundant, especially in the Centro Histórico. Local dishes include birria (goat, lamb, or pork covered in maguey leaves and roasted). It comes in a tomato-based broth or with the broth on the side. To get it properly prepared, go to one of the many birrierías. There are about a half-dozen in Las Nueve Esquinas neighborhood, downtown; in Tlaquepaque, try Birriería El Sope. Another local favorite is torta ahogada, a sandwich with a pork filling bathed in a tomato sauce. Jalisco-style pozole is chicken-and-hominy soup to which you add lime juice, onion, Mexican oregano, and chiles.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

Entertainment

Mariachis--You can't go far in Guadalajara without coming across some mariachis. Try Casa Bariachi. In Tlaquepaque, go to El Parián, the building on the town square where mariachis serenade diners under the archways.

The Club & Music Scene--Guadalajara, as you might expect, has a lot of variety in entertainment. For the most extensive listing of clubs and performances, get your hands on a copy of Ocio, the weekly insert of Público. You'll find listings in the back, categorized by type of music.

Money

Banks & ATMs
Banks in Mexico are rapidly expanding and improving services. They tend to be open weekdays from 9am until 5pm, and often for at least a half day on Saturday. In larger resorts and cities, they can generally accommodate the exchange of dollars (which used to stop at noon) anytime during business hours. During times when the currency is in flux, a particular bank may not exchange dollars, so check before standing in line. Some, but not all, banks charge a service fee of about 1% to exchange traveler's checks. However, you can pay for most purchases directly with traveler's checks at the establishment's stated exchange rate. Don't even bother with personal checks drawn on a U.S. bank -- the bank will wait for your check to clear, which can take weeks, before giving you your money.

Travelers to Mexico can easily withdraw money from ATMs (automated teller machine) in most major cities and resort areas. In most resorts in Mexico, the use of ATMs is perfectly safe -- just use the same precautions you would at any ATM. Universal bank cards (such as the Cirrus and PLUS systems) can be used. This is a convenient way to withdraw money and avoid carrying too much with you at any time. The exchange rate is generally more favorable than that at a casas de cambio. Most machines offer Spanish/English menus and dispense pesos, but some offer the option of withdrawing dollars. The Cirrus (tel. 800/424-7787) and PLUS (tel. 800/843-7587) networks span the globe; look at the back of your bank card to see which network you're on, then call or check online for ATM locations at your destination. Be sure you know your personal identification number (PIN) before you leave home and be sure to find out your daily withdrawal limit before you depart. Also keep in mind that many banks impose a fee every time a card is used at a different bank's ATM, and that fee can be higher for international transactions (up to $5 or more) than for domestic ones (where they're rarely more than $1.50). On top of this, the bank from which you withdraw cash may charge its own fee.

Traveler's Checks
Traveler's checks are something of an anachronism from the days before the ATM made cash accessible at any time. Traveler's checks used to be the only sound alternative to traveling with dangerously large amounts of cash. They were as reliable as currency, but, unlike cash, could be replaced if lost or stolen.

You can get traveler's checks at almost any bank. You can also get American Express traveler's checks over the phone by calling tel. 800/221-7282.

Visa offers traveler's checks at Citibank locations nationwide, as well as at several other banks. Call tel. 800/732-1322 for information. AAA members can obtain Visa checks without a fee at most AAA offices or by calling tel. 866/339-3378. MasterCard also offers traveler's checks. Call tel. 800/223-9920 for a location near you.

If you choose to carry traveler's checks, be sure to keep a record of their serial numbers separate from your checks in the event that they are stolen or lost. You'll get a refund faster if you know the numbers.

Credit Cards
Credit cards are a safe way to carry money: They also provide a convenient record of all your expenses, and they generally offer relatively good exchange rates. You can also withdraw cash advances from your credit cards at banks or ATMs, provided you know your PIN. If you've forgotten yours, or didn't even know you had one, call the number on the back of your credit card and ask the bank to send it to you. It usually takes 5 to 7 business days, though some banks will provide the number over the phone if you tell them your mother's maiden name or some other personal information.

Charges will be made in pesos, then converted into dollars by the bank issuing the credit card. Generally you receive the favorable bank rate when paying by credit card. However, be aware that some establishments in Mexico add a 5% to 7% surcharge when you pay with a credit card. This is especially true when using American Express. Many times, advertised discounts will not apply if you pay with a credit card.

Dear Visa: I'm Off to Guadalajara! -- Some credit card companies recommend that you notify them of any impending trip abroad so that they don't become suspicious and block your charges when the card is used numerous times in a foreign destination. Even if you don't call your credit card company in advance, you can always call the toll-free emergency number if a charge is refused -- a good reason to carry the phone number with you. But perhaps the most important lesson is to carry more than one card on your trip; if one card doesn't work for any number of reasons, you'll have a backup.

Emergency

Hospital Mexico Americano
Address: Colomos 2110, Sector Hidalgo, Guadalajara, Mexico, 44670
Phone: 52.3.641.3141

Hospital San Javier
Address: Avenida Pablo Casals 640, Colonia Prados Providencia, Guadalajara, Mexico,
Phone: 52.3.669.0222

Hospital del Carmen
Address: Tarascos #3435, Fraccionamiento Monraz, Guadalajara, Mexico, 44670
Phone: 52.3.813.0042

Emergency Contacts

The emergency phone number is tel. 080.

Ambulance: 3.613.5389 or 3.613.1293
Police: 060 or 3.617.6060
Fire: 3.619.0794 or 3.619.5241

Fun Things To Do in Guadalajara

Attractions & Activities

Guadalajara Attractions

The Basilica of the Virgin Zapopan - A wide promenade several blocks long leads to a large, open plaza and the basilica. This is the religious center of Guadalajara. On the Virgin's feast day the plaza fills with thousands of tapatíos. The 18th-century church is a lovely combination of baroque and plateresque styles. The cult of the Virgin of Zapopan practically began with the foundation of Guadalajara itself. She is much revered and the object of many pilgrimages.

Museo Regional de Guadalajara, originally a convent, it was built in 1701 in the churrigueresque (Mexican baroque) style and contains some of the region's important archaeological finds, fossils, historic objects, and art. Among the highlights are a giant reconstructed mammoth's skeleton and a meteorite weighing 1,715 pounds, discovered in Zacatecas in 1792. On the first floor, there's a fascinating exhibit of pre-Hispanic pottery, and some exquisite pottery and clay figures recently unearthed near Tequila during the construction of the toll road. On the second floor is a small ethnography exhibit of the contemporary dress of the state's indigenous peoples, including the Coras, Huicholes, Mexicaneros, Nahuas, and Tepehuanes. It's open

Behind the Cathedral is the Plaza de la Liberación, with the Teatro Degollado (deh-goh-yah-doh) on the opposite side. This neoclassical 19th-century opera house was named for Santos Degollado, a local patriot who fought with Juárez against Maximilian and the French. Apollo and the nine muses decorate the theater's pediment, and the interior is famous for both the acoustics and the rich decoration.

To the right of the theater, across the street, is the sweet little church of Santa María de Gracia, built in 1573 as part of a convent for Dominican nuns. On the opposite side of the Teatro Degollado is the church of San Agustín. The former convent is now the University of Guadalajara School of Music.

Just south of the Hospicio Cabañas (to the left as you exit) is the Mercado Libertad, Guadalajara's gigantic covered central market, the largest in Latin America. This site has been a market plaza since the 1500s; the present buildings date from the early 1950s.

Guadalajara Activities

There's always something going on from September to December in Guadalajara. In September, when Mexicans celebrate independence from Spain, Guadalajara goes all out, with a full month of festivities. The celebrations kick off with the Encuentro Internacional del Mariachi, in which mariachi bands from around the world play before knowledgeable audiences and hold sessions with other mariachis. Bands come from as far as Japan and Russia. There are concerts in several venues. In the Degollado Theater, you can hear orchestral arrangements of classic mariachi songs with solos by famous mariachis. You might be acquainted with many of the classics without even knowing it. The culmination is a parade of thousands of mariachis and charros (Mexican cowboys) through downtown.

On September 15, a massive crowd assembles in front of the Governor's Palace to await the traditional grito (shout for independence) at 11pm. The grito commemorates Father Miguel Hidalgo de Costilla's cry for independence in 1810. The celebration features live music on a street stage, spontaneous dancing, fireworks, and shouts of "¡Viva México!" and "¡Viva Hidalgo!" The next day is the official Independence Day, with a traditional parade; the plazas downtown resemble a country fair and market, with booths, games of chance, stuffed-animal prizes, cotton candy, and candied apples. Live entertainment stretches well into the night.

On October 12, a procession honoring Our Lady of Zapopan celebrates the feast day of the Virgin of Zapopan. Around dawn, her small, dark figure begins the 5-hour ride from the Cathedral of Guadalajara to the suburban Basilica of Zapopan. The original icon dates from the mid-1500s; the procession began 200 years later. Today, crowds spend the night along the route and vie for position as the Virgin approaches. She travels in a gleaming new car, which her caretakers pull through the streets. During the previous months, the figure visits churches all over the city. You will likely see neighborhoods decorated with paper streamers and banners honoring the Virgin's visit to the local church.

The celebration has grown into a month-long event, Fiestas de Octubre, which kicks off with an enormous parade, usually on the first Sunday or Saturday of the month. Festivities include performing arts, charreadas, bullfights, art exhibits, regional dancing, a food fair, and a Day of Nations incorporating all the consulates in Guadalajara. By the time this is over, you enter the holiday season of November and December, with Revolution Day (Nov 20), the Virgin of Guadalupe's feast day (Dec 12), and several other celebrations.