Where to stay

The main areas

Guadalajara really has three bases worth considering, and they suit different trips.

Colonia Americana and Chapultepec

The best pick for most people. This leafy west-side neighborhood has the strongest run of restaurants, cafes, cocktail bars and boutique hotels, and it walks well by day and night. It suits food-focused travelers, couples and anyone who wants nightlife within stumbling distance. It’s residential and cool rather than sights-heavy, so you’ll take a short ride to the center.

The historic center

Base here if you want to wake up next to the cathedral, the plazas and the big market and do the sightseeing on foot. It suits first-timers and short stays who want everything within walking distance. The trade-off is that the center empties and quiets at night, and some blocks feel rundown after dark, so you’ll head west for dinner and drinks.

Tlaquepaque

A calmer, prettier base in the crafts quarter, full of courtyards, galleries and small hotels. It suits travelers who want a quieter, village feel and don’t mind being a longer ride from downtown nightlife. Good for a relaxed couple or anyone shopping for pottery and art.

Quick steer

Undecided? Pick Colonia Americana. It balances comfort, food and easy rides to everything else, and it’s where we’d stay ourselves.