Guadalajara is the capital of the state of Jalisco in Mexico and certainly an interesting stop on a tour.
Here is a mini guide to the major sites of interest.
Guadalajara districts
The city of Guadalajara is divided into several neighborhoods and depending on what you want to do is advisable to know at least the main areas so as not to get lost among the buildings and the streets around the old town. The main areas are:
Sector Juárez
The shopping district, hundreds of shops and two large shopping centers - Centro Magno and Galerias - where the locals are found at all hours of the day going shopping and eating something in one of the many restaurants of the place.
Hidalgo Sector
Residential area, located northwest of the city, where there is also the financial center of Guadalajara.
Sector Libertad
It is mainly an industrial area, although the south-western part is very close to the old town. There you will able to find a very popular market (Mercado San Juan de Dios) and Plaza de los Mariachis, where you can listen to Mexican traditional music.
Sector Reforma
Each Saturday in this area you can find a street market called Tianguis Cultural, where you can buy vintage and alternative clothes, used books, postcards and other similar items at very low prices.
Centro Historico
The old town is the place where you will probably spend most of your time, walking among the colonial buildings and admiring the murals made by José Clemente Orozco, one of the most important Mexican artists born in the state of Jalisco.
Zapopan
In this area you will able to find some shopping centers and the famous Mercado del Mar,where you can taste delicious fish dishes at very low prices. The district is also famous for its lively nightlife thanks to pubs, bars, wineries and nightclubs.
Tlaquepaque and Tonala
Tlaquepaque is a small and ancient village of Guadalajara. There you can walk through the streets of a typical Mexican village and buy handicrafts such as pottery and handmade items. In Tonalá you will able to walk in one of the largest parks of the city called Parque Solidaridad.
What to see
Guadalajara is definitely one of the most interesting cities of Mexico. There are many activities to be carried out as well as monuments to see, squares and parks where you can walk around and get lost in order to discover this beautiful city.
You can definitely begin your personal tour of the city starting from the Gothic and neo-classical Cathedral and from the nearby Cruz de Plazas, a huge square where four roads intersect leaving the Cathedral in the middle of the intersection. Facing the Cathedral there is Plaza Guadalajara, where you can admire a beautiful fountain and shop in the small shopping center. In addition, there are two other squares which are very impressive and important for the city: the first, Plaza de Armas offers one of the best views of the Cathedral and of the Palace of Government, while the second, called Plaza de la Liberación, boasts a giant statue of Miguel Hidalgo who signed the Declaration of Independence of Mexico right to the building next to the Palace of Government.
If you love to walk through the local open air markets you must not miss a visit to the Mercado Libertad, popular as Mercado San Juan de Dios, where you can taste local specialties as well as buy souvenirs. Close to this market you also have to visit Plaza de los Mariachis, where you can breathe the true Mexican atmosphere thanks to some groups of mariachi who play their most famous songs for a small tip. Sit at one of the many bars and restaurants to eat or drink something, listening to these characteristic buskers.
Among the things not to be missed there is the zoo of Guadalajara, a modern zoological park worth visiting both to admire many animal species and to take part in a safari and other performances, such as the reptile house.
If you are in Guadalajara during the month of November you have to visit the International Book Fair, where writers and companies from all over the world come here to present their works and meet other artists. It is one of the most important events in all of Mexico therefore, if you're interested in the culture of the place, remember not to miss this event.
