Tlaquepaque is a cute village that makes a great day trip from Guadalajara. It takes 15 minutes to get there by car so it’s suitable even if you only have a few hours to spend. Despite being so close to Mexicos second biggest city, Tlaquepaque managed to keep its small-town-charme. The historic center portrays colourful houses, artistic cafés and boutique shops. Especially art lovers will enjoy Tlaquepaque as there are various galleries and craft shops. The architecture combined with the colourful walls are lovely and make the town definitely worth visiting.
My recommendation is to go to Tlaquepaque rather early in the morning as the town can get pretty crowded later on during the day. Also, it would be better to visit during the week to avoid the crowds on weekends.
In the middle of the historic center there’s an impressive church with a square in front of it. If you’re lucky you can see locals doing traditional dances on the square.
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Have lunch at 1910
The restaurant 1910 is located right in the heart of Tlaquepaque. On their rooftop you have a beautiful view of the town. They offer a vast menu of Mexican dishes and signature cocktails. As a starter they serve nachos with three different delicious salsas free of charge. We really enjoyed the atmosphere paired with great food and drinks.
While we were at the restaurant we enjoyed listening to a live band of Mariachi. Mariachi are a traditional Mexican music genre which is composed of several violins, trumpets and guitars combined with singing and back up voices. They originated in Guadalajara and it’s common to see them perform in bars and restaurants. Sometimes the Mariachi are paid by the restaurant and other times they expect tips.
But be careful: If you request a song from a Mariachi band they will charge you and you might have to pay around € 10 per song. That is not the case in 1910 as the restaurant pays for the Mariachi. They didn’t even expect tips.
Drink a cazuela at El Abajeño
El Abajeño is a typical Mexican bar and restaurant which should be part of everyone’s visit in Tlaquepaque. They offer a broad range of Mexican food at a rather low price.
Besides, they have lots of different drinks and a huge choice of tequilas. A must try in this bar is the traditional cazuela which is an alcoholic drink that originates from the Mexican state Jalisco. It consists of tequila, citrus fruits and grapefruit soda. The cazuela is served in a bowl with tequila on the side to be poured in by the guests. I loved the cazuela and it was the best alcoholic drink I’ve had so far in Mexico.
Try the Churros Rellenos de Tlaquepaque
After having had lunch and a drink we were craving for dessert. The churros Rellenos de Tlaquepaque were some of my favourite churros ever. They are different from the classical ones as you only get one piece but a bigger one. You can choose the size of your churro and they have several toppings such as cinnamon, strawberry jam, Nutella and cajeta. Cajeta is a sweet that is similar to dulce de leche or caramel and comes from Central America. I highly recommend trying this one as it’s typical for Mexico.
Tlaquepaque is the perfect place for a day trip to get out of the big city Guadalajara. It’s a charming town with lots of cute places to explore. I definitely recommend checking it out during your stay in Guadalajara.
More amazing things to do in Mexico:
4 must do’s on Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Balandra Beach – Mexico’s most beautiful beach
Top 3 breakfast places in Guadalajara
Cabo, Mexico – The best all inclusive vacation
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