Guanajuato Thanksgiving Wine Festival Weekend

Guanajuato City was one of the richest cities in Mexico from the 16th-18th centuries due to its mining industry. Gold was first discovered in the 1540s, but it grew to become the largest silver supplier in the world in the 18th century. Beautiful Baroque architecture and colorful buildings line the streets of Guanajuato. It’s a very walkable city with traffic diverted to tunnels under the city. These tunnels were first created to help alleviate flooding.

Today Guanajuato City is a large university town with strong ties to the arts and music. Muralist Diego Rivera was born in Guanajuato and his former home is now a museum. Many festivals and concerts take place throughout the year, the largest being Festival Cervantino in October. One of the main venues of the festival, Teatro Juarez, holds many productions and concerts and is considered one of the most beautiful theaters in Mexico.

Join us for a 4-day getaway, walking the streets and alleys of Guanajuato and Leon, drinking in local bars and tasting Mexican wines at Catando Mexico, a world class wine festival in the heart of the city. Come see why everyone falls in love with Colonial Mexico and explore the history and products of Mexican life.

Sample Itinerary:

Wednesday November 22

Arrive at the Leon (BJX) airport by 4 pm. The taxi ride to Guanajuato City will take you past green pastures before entering the tunnels below the city. If you arrive early, you can walk around the town admiring the Baroque architecture and plazas. After we get you checked in to your hotel, we will meet that night with a special street-food tour. GTO Walking Tours has partnered with us to show you the best local bars off the tourist path. We will sample pulque, mezcal, and local beer and stop for a few snacks along the way. Afterwards you have free time to enjoy the city or stay at one of the bars and socialize.

Thursday November 23

After breakfast, we will head to the largest city in the state of Guanajuato, Leon. Known as the “Shoe Capital of the World” for its passion for leather, Leon has had a turbulent history that incorporates Spanish and French rule. We will do a walking tour of the historical center and have lunch at one of the most famous taco stands. You’ll have time to shop for leather goods such as belts, bags, shoes and other things in the Leather Zone (Zona Piel). Hopefully you brought an extra suitcase!

We’ll return to Guanajuato City in the afternoon and have a cooking class with Tom. He’ll do a Mexican twist on the American Thanksgiving feast with turkey in mole (traditional dish) and many different sides. Participate in the process or just enjoy the end result!

Friday November 24

We will visit the highest elevation winery in Guanajuato for a wine tasting and lunch. The winery is very involved with organic farming and sustainability. They produce lavender, honey, organic vegetables, olive oil and of course, wine. We will return to Guanajuato to give you time to relax before sipping your way through delicious Mexican wines at the Catando Mexico Wine Festival.

Saturday November 25

Free day for you to do what you want in Guanajuato.

• Visit the Mummy Museum or Diego Rivera’s House Museum.
• Ride the teleferico to the top of the mountain to see the statue of El Pipila and a spectacular view over the city.
• Walk around Guanajuato and see how many places you recognize from the movie Once Upon a Time in Mexico.
• Wander the alleys like Callejón del Beso (Alley of the Kiss) and hear the story of the young lovers.
• Explore the mines and tunnels around Guanajuato.

This is your day to really enjoy the city your way.  In the evening, you’ll have second opportunity to enjoy the Catando Mexico Wine Festival. Try a few new wines or go back and sample your favorites again.

Sunday November 26

Sunday is an optional day. We are planning a tour of Dolores Hidalgo and two wineries. The pueblo magico of Dolores Hidalgo is where Father Hidalgo shouted the cry for independence from the Spanish and began the Mexican War of Independence. If you would like to join us, there will be an additional charge. Some may plan to fly home this day or continue on to San Miguel de Allende or another part of Mexico. If you would like an extra night in Guanajuato, we can arrange that for you.

What’s included?

• Hotel for 4 nights with breakfast
• Street food/Bar tour with a local of GTO Walking Tours
• Transportation, walking tour and lunch in Leon
• Cooking class and Mexican Thanksgiving dinner (BYOB)
• Transportation, wine tasting and lunch at a winery
• Two days of wine tasting at Catando Mexico Wine Festival

What’s not included?

• Airfare
• Taxi ride to and from Guanajuato
• Additional meals not mentioned

Optional: (Additional charges will apply)

• Extra night at hotel
• Tour of Dolores Hidalgo and two wineries

We are pretty flexible but we think this general schedule showcases the best of what Guanajuato City has to offer in four nights!

We require a non-refundable $300 USD deposit when making your reservation. You can pay in installments. The remainder will be due by November 1, 2023.

FIRST DEPOSIT REQUIRED BY

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

CONTACT FORM