Colonia Americana
Bars, cafésLeafy streets with the best nightlife.
City guide
Things to do in Guadalajara
Mexico's second city and the home of mariachi and tequila: a grand colonial centre, Orozco's murals at the Hospicio Cabañas, crafts in Tlaquepaque, lucha libre, a big bar scene, and the town of Tequila an hour away.
34
Hostels in the city
8.4
Average, from 7,545 reviews
2nd
Largest city in Mexico
3–4
Days
Mariachi, tequila and murals
Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco, is Mexico's second-largest city, at about 1,560 metres in western Mexico. Its centre has a cathedral with twin yellow spires, big plazas and the Hospicio Cabañas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with murals by José Clemente Orozco.
Mariachi music comes from Jalisco, and so does tequila, made from blue agave around the town of Tequila to the west. The city also has a young, creative side, with the bars and cafés of Colonia Americana and Chapultepec, and the craft shops of Tlaquepaque.
It is far less touristy than Mexico City, and cheaper. Give it three or four days, with trips to Tequila and Lake Chapala.
Where to base yourself
Colonia Americana for bars and cafés; the Centro for sights and budget beds; Tlaquepaque for a quieter, village feel.
Centro Histórico
Sights, budgetThe cathedral, plazas and markets.
Chapultepec
NightlifeBars and restaurants along Avenida Chapultepec.
Tlaquepaque
Crafts, quietA crafts town within the city.
Providencia
Upmarket, foodRestaurants and cafés north-west of the centre.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 8 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Guadalajara
Walk the Centro Histórico from the cathedral to the Hospicio Cabañas to see Orozco's murals, including the Man of Fire in the dome. Eat at the Mercado San Juan de Dios, one of the biggest covered markets in Latin America.
Hear mariachis at the Plaza de los Mariachis or in Tlaquepaque, and see lucha libre at the Arena Coliseo. Browse pottery and crafts in Tlaquepaque and Tonalá.
Take a day trip to Tequila for a distillery tour through the agave fields, a UNESCO landscape, and to the north shore of Lake Chapala at Chapala and Ajijic.
More on things to do in Guadalajara
Free things
And what it costs nothing to do
The Centro's plazas, the cathedral and the government palace, with another Orozco mural, are free. Walking Tlaquepaque costs nothing.
On Sunday mornings Vía RecreActiva closes main roads to cars for cycling and walking.
Free walking tours run in the Centro; tip the guide.
More on free things in Guadalajara
Food and drink
Eating and drinking
Try a torta ahogada, a pork sandwich drowned in sauce, birria (spiced goat or beef stew) and carne en su jugo. Tacos and tortas cost €1 to €4.
The Mercado San Juan de Dios has cheap food stalls upstairs.
Try tejuino, a fermented corn drink with lime and salt, and of course tequila. A 10 to 15 per cent tip is usual in sit-down restaurants; check the bill first, as some add a service charge (propina).
Nightlife
Going out
Colonia Americana and Chapultepec have the cocktail bars, mezcal bars and clubs, busiest from Thursday to Saturday. The Centro has old cantinas.
Mariachi bars and the Plaza de los Mariachis are best with a group.
A beer costs €1.50 to €3, and a tequila €2 to €5.
Getting around
Getting around
Guadalajara has light rail lines and the Mi Macro bus, both cheap. In the city, use Uber, DiDi or a taxi from an official rank (sitio) rather than hailing one in the street, especially at night.
The airport is about 30 to 40 minutes from the centre. Buses run from the Nueva Central Camionera to Mexico City (about 7 hours), Guanajuato, Puerto Vallarta and beyond.
Tours and buses go to Tequila and Chapala.
Costs
What Guadalajara costs
Hostel beds start at around €10 to €18 a night. Tortas and tacos cost €1 to €4.
The Hospicio Cabañas costs a few euros, a Tequila tour about €30 to €70, and lucha libre about €5 to €15.
Pay in pesos. Cards work widely.
Safety
Safety and scams
Most visitors have no trouble in the Centro, Colonia Americana, Chapultepec, Providencia and Tlaquepaque. In February 2026 a wave of cartel-related violence, including road blockades and burned vehicles, hit Jalisco and other states; the situation has since stabilised, but check the latest advice before you go.
The UK advises against all but essential travel to parts of Jalisco, including the area south and south-west of Lake Chapala; the north shore at Chapala and Ajijic is outside it. Use Uber at night and do not buy drugs.
Do not drink the tap water; use bottled or filtered water, which most hostels provide. In an emergency, call 911.
Worth the trip
Tequila, the lake and craft towns.
Tequila
Agave fields and distilleries.
Chapala and Ajijic
The north shore of Mexico's biggest lake.
Tlaquepaque
Crafts and mariachi.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Mariachi, books and fiestas.
Late August to early September
Encuentro Internacional del Mariachi
Guadalajara
Mariachi bands from around the world.
October
Fiestas de Octubre
Guadalajara
A month-long fair.
Late November to early December
Guadalajara International Book Fair
Expo Guadalajara
One of the biggest book fairs.
12 October
Romería de Zapopan
Zapopan
A huge pilgrimage.
June
Guadalajara Film Festival
Guadalajara
Mexican and Latin American cinema.
Hostels
Where to stay
The highest-rated hostels in Guadalajara, live from Hostelworld. Prices and availability are live on each property page.
The Roof Backpackers
Dorms from €8 a night
See dates and book
Leveli Coliving & Hostel Guadalajara
Dorms from €9 a night
See dates and book
Hostel Hospedarte Chapultepec
Dorms from €11 a night
See dates and book
Hostal Bohostel Chapultepec
Dorms from €10 a night
See dates and book
Hostel Hospedarte Guadalajara Centro
Dorms from €13 a night
See dates and book
Free Spirit Hostel Guadalajara
Dorms from €7 a night
See dates and book
Hostal Hidalgo
Dorms from €12 a night
See dates and book
Blue Pepper Backpackers
Dorms from €8 a night
See dates and book
When to go
October to May is dry and sunny; April and May are hottest. June to September brings heavy afternoon storms. Hurricane season on the Pacific runs from June to November and can bring heavy rain inland.
Jan
Dry, mild
Feb
Dry
Mar
Warm
Apr
Easter
May
Hottest
Jun
Storms
Jul
Storms
Aug
Storms
Sep
Mariachi festival
Oct
October fiestas
Nov
Book fair
Dec
Holidays
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs, rounded. Mild winters.
What your trip will cost
Per night, for one person, based on Guadalajara prices.
Treat these as a guide. Day trips cost extra.
—
- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Guadalajara questions
The ones we get asked most.
Is Guadalajara safe?
Most visitors have no trouble in the main areas; check the latest advice, as parts of Jalisco are advised against.
How do I get to Tequila?
By bus or tour, about 1 to 1.5 hours.
Is Lake Chapala safe to visit?
The north shore at Chapala and Ajijic is outside the UK's advise-against area.
What should I eat?
Torta ahogada, birria and carne en su jugo.
Where should I stay?
Colonia Americana for nightlife; the Centro for sights.
How many days do I need?
Three to four.
When is the best time to visit?
October to March.
Also trending this week
Say yes to hostels, meet the world
Compare hostels across Mexico: live prices, real reviews and free cancellation on most bookings. Then meet the people already there in the app.
Get the App.