Many of us only know Guadalajara as a place to make a connecting flight en route to our final destination - but these days Mexico's second city is booming. So here's how to spend a European-style weekend on the cheap in the birthplace of Mariachi and Tequila.
Getting there: Only 2.5 hours from LA, major airlines like American and Delta offer round trip tix as low as $300. In Mexico, hop on and off red double-decker buses along major tourist routes, or pay $70 for a daylong cab driver/chauffeur.
Sleep: Leave the luxury trimmings to the big business hotels and check out Clarum 101 while it's still a bit of a secret. This nine-room boutique hotel in an unmarked building is filled with sleek white minimalist spaces warmed with art by local Tapatío artists, and the rooftop terrace gets guests out and mingling under the night sky. Or try Villa Ganz, a former mansion near the town's historic heart which has been turned into a simple, elegant boutique hotel with only ten guest rooms.
Eat: Find a daily menu of market-fresh French dishes written on a chalkboard at Chez Nené (Juan Polomar y Arias 426, 33.3673.4564), run by an ingredient-obsessed expat. The patio at Casa Fuerte (Independencia 224, Tlaquepaque, 33.3639.6481) will make you feel like you're in an upscale Mexican place at home (sit by the palm-shaded fountain). La Fonda de la Noche (Jesús 251, 33.3827.0917) has a comfortable, retro feel with a small, traditional menu of classics. But brush up on your Spanish - there's no English spoken.
Play: The incredible Catedral Metropolitana (Avenida 16 de Septiembre esq. Hidalgo 44), rebuilt over the years to include Gothic, Baroque, and Moorish styles, was consecrated before the US was even a country. We recommend the tour (it's in English) at the Instituto Cultural Cabañas (Calle Cabanas 8, San Juan de Dios, 33.3668.1647), Mexico's Sistine Chapel with murals by the legendary Jose Clemente Orozco. End your day at the José Cuervo distillery (Calle Jose Cuervo 73, Tequila, 37.4742.2442), where you'll get a shot of 55 proof tequila, samples of Mexican moonshine, and a lot of bottles to bring home.
Outside of town: The charming town of Ajijic is right out of a movie, with ex-pat hippies and art and furniture shops situated on the shore on Lake Chipala, the largest freshwater body of water in Mexico. Spend a day in Tlaquepaque or the Colonial town of Lagos de Moreno, where antique stores abound, plus $35 locally made riding boots. For the authentic cowboy experience, Hacienda Sepulveda offers a six-day horse riding tour through the countryside in the hills north of Guadalajara.
The Rundown contributed to this report.
