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Our home is a large, bright, 3600 square foot (360 sq. meter), house with a spectacular view of the historic center of one of Mexico’s most fascinating colonial cities. We completely remodeled the house in 2007-2008 in traditional Mexican style using high quality ceramic tiles and stone throughout. The house features several beautifully crafted vaulted ceilings—the traditional brick bovedas for which Guanajuato’s stone masons are famous. The spacious and well-equipped kitchen is a gourmet cook’s dream, both functional and beautifully decorated with colorful mayolica tile, copper pots hanging above a central island, elegant hardwood cabinets, and a grand brick arch opening into the dining room. The rooftop terrace with sundeck, wet bar, large charcoal grill, fireplace, wraparound benches, comfortable wood furniture, abundant flowers, and pergola, is an irresistible setting for enjoying morning coffee or watching the sun set over the mountains.
The living and dining rooms are spacious and beautifully decorated with traditional Mexican crafts. The dining room features a large table with eight chairs and carved wood Mexican furnishings and opens out onto a lovely, spacious stone terrace that wraps around two sides of the house. Another first floor room with its own bath can serve as either an office or a bedroom. The second floor holds three bedrooms, two with private bathrooms and one that shares a bathroom with a study that is equipped with a two person futon and can be a fourth bedroom. These rooms open onto a pretty sitting area offering a fabulous view of the city through floor to ceiling glass French patio doors that also open onto a second floor balcony. The master suite features a panoramic view through large windows, a fireplace, and a luxury bathroom with double sinks and a tub that comfortably fits two. One of the additional bedrooms is decorated with a Mexican cactus theme, has two twin beds and a private terrace. Another offers a double bed. Water is heated by solar panels; a rooftop catchment system and two cisterns in the rear both allow for efficient water use and guard against water shortages. Filtered water is available in the house for drinking. Wireless/wired internet is available.
The house is on a large 2100 square meter (about ½ acre) lot, which is planted in orange, lemon, lime, and olive trees, brightly colored bougainvillea, and a variety of cacti.
Downtown Guanajuato, a U.N. World Heritage Site, has long been one of the most popular destinations for Mexican tourists. While increasingly becoming discovered by international travelers and expatriates, it is not a destination for package foreign tourism and, thus, remains one of the country’s most purely “Mexican” cities. National Geographic Traveler ranked Guanajuato fifth among 94 World Heritage sites surveyed in 2006, calling it a “charming, peaceful, welcoming city.” Founded in the early 16th century, Guanajuato is rich in history and culture and, because of its large student population, is known throughout Mexico as having one of the liveliest downtowns in the country. City planners developed a unique system of underground streets and tunnels which enable to traffic to flow under the central city while leaving much of the area aboveground to pedestrians. Every night of the year, crowds gather in the main “jardin”, the city’s central plaza to enjoy the sounds of the strolling musicians, to eat and drink at the lively outdoor cafes, or just to go for a walk.
Guanajuato is home to the annual “International Cervantino Festival”, a three week long cultural celebration held in October each year, featuring prominent performers in dance, theater, and music from around the world.
Our home is located just above the center, a steep, but quick, 7 minute walk to the main plaza, enabling you to enjoy the delightful atmosphere of downtown but to escape to a refuge above the fray at the end of the evening. From our terrace, one can enjoy a bird’s eye view of all of the major monuments of the city, including the 16th century basilica, the University, the Teatro Juarez, the 19th century market, and the Alhondiga, site of the first major battle of the Mexican War of Independence.
Guanajuato is at approximately 6,600 feet (a bit over 2,000 meters) and, therefore, has a temperate climate, with warm days and cool nights year round. The dry season goes from October to roughly June. During the summer, rains come on many days, but usually don’t last long.
Within 1-2 hours’ drive are San Miguel de Allende, famous for its high quality arts and crafts, the ceramics producing center of Dolores Hidalgo, and the lovely colonial city of Queretaro. |
