Here’s a information to the most effective issues to do in Tequila, Jalisco. Experience considered one of Mexico’s “best-kept secrets” and the staple spirit of Mexican tradition.
Tequila, Mexico is a small city oasis nestled within the coronary heart of Mexico’s western state of Jalisco. Near the foot of Tequila Volcano, the city not solely possesses unmistakable options — from its sprawling agave fields and a colourful city sq. — but additionally presents an extremely wealthy and vibrant tradition. Tequila has lately grow to be one of the crucial sought locations for vacationers, being named considered one of Mexico’s “best-kept secrets,” and one of many finest locations to go to in 2022.
The recognition of Tequila will be largely credited to tequila, the spirit. Just like champagne from the Champagne area of France, true tequila comes from Tequila, Mexico. As one of many solely locations in Mexico the place you’ll be able to drink within the streets, the get together environment will be encapsulating.
But it’s not nearly consuming and partying — top-notch excursions and day adventures showcase Tequila, Mexico’s historical past and gorgeous agave fields whereas sharing the tales of households who’ve been steeped within the tequila-making custom for hundreds of years.
Traveling to Tequila
Tequila, Mexico is 37 miles outdoors of Guadalajara, one of many largest main cities in Jalisco. For accessibility, it’s finest to fly into the Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Guadalajara Airport and take a secondary methodology of transportation to city.
Here are just a few choices:
For a extra direct journey methodology, the Tequila Plus Bus is a superb alternative. Offering HD motion pictures and reclining seats, the Tequila Plus Bus permits vacationers to take a seat again and chill out on their journey. Leaving from Colón in Guadalajara, this 55-minute bus trip gives direct entry to the city of Tequila and versatile scheduling permits vacationers to guide their journeys with ease.
If you’re in search of a extra collaborative journey expertise — whether or not you’re a solo traveler trying to make buddies or want to be proven round by locals — BlaBlaCar service could be the best choice for you! This carpooling app means that you can guide a seat in somebody’s automotive upfront — much like Uber, however on a schedule.
Where to Stay
The Hotel Solar de las Ánimas, photograph by @hotelsolardelasanimas
Where you keep relies on the type of vacation you need — and there are many choices. Stay nearer to the middle of city to be within the coronary heart of the motion, cup of cantaritos in hand, swaying to the mariachi. On the outskirts, drinks and souvenirs are a bit cheaper and you can be in nearer proximity to the city’s e lovely agave fields.
While there are not any main chain resorts in Tequila (sorry – no journey factors right here), the city embraces its family-centric tradition with many boutique stays as alternate options.
For a luxurious expertise within the heart of city, Hotel Solar de las Ánimas displays outdated colonial Spanish structure of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. With balcony views out of {a magazine} that overlooks the city and sprawling Tequila Volcano, this resort is bound to make you contemplate canceling your flight house. Its open-air hallways, painted tile flooring, a number of resort-style swimming pools and rooftop bar present a surprising ambiance certain to please even probably the most discerning vacationers.
If you’re trying to immerse your self in Tequila and luxuriate in a singular keep, Matices Hotel de Barricas is the right place. Up to a few individuals can keep in a personal, indifferent constructing formed like a picket barrel, enabling you to “become one with the spirit.” The resort additionally presents conventional Spanish structure rooms for these in search of a singular keep with out rustic traits. Tequila tasting, guided excursions, massages and native horseback using are additionally obtainable for friends.
For a snug room with out the theatrics, look no additional than Hotel Villa Tequila.
Matices Hotel de Barricas, photograph by @maticeshoteldebarricas
This four-star resort gives understated magnificence and a chilled environment for a extra modest keep.
This superbly reworked mansion is a former retirement house for Tequila’s residents and embraces the historical past of retired Jose Cuervo Tequila farmers who used to remain right here.
Featuring giant, well-kept gardens, ornamental fountains, historic ironwork, and tall home windows, Hotel Villa Tequila is the right place for many who want a quiet keep.
Things to Do
Whether you’re new to Tequila (the city or the spirit) or a seasoned fanatic, there are many actions to maintain you busy. As a welcoming group that embraces all walks of life, Tequila residents will deal with you as considered one of their very own – regardless of your pursuits.
Tequila Tours and Boutique Distilleries
Let’s face it. You’re in Tequila — they make tequila. For most, a tequila tour in Mexico is definitely within the playing cards.
Those who know precisely what sort of tequila they like can guide excursions at particular person distilleries. Due to the overwhelming recognition, it’s really useful that you just guide upfront earlier than arriving in Tequila.
Distilleries like La Fortaleza provide 4 tequilas — Blanco, Reposado, Anejo, and Blanco (nonetheless power) spirits. Hand-crafted in small batches, these high-quality tequilas will not be for the faint of coronary heart. La Fortaleza is thought for its embrace of household heritage and custom, together with making tequila the identical means it was made 100 years in the past by its ancestors.
Casa Sauza presents excursions from Tuesday by means of Sunday and gives a extra hands-on expertise for guests. With three kinds of excursions obtainable, you’ll be able to select precisely how adventurous you wish to be. From planting your individual agave, getting ready your individual cantarito, and even having a tequila-grilled meal, Casa Sauza makes certain all guests go away with their very own story to inform.
Train Tours
If you’re a fan of Harry Potter — or simply love locomotives — The Jose Cuervo Express is the choice for you.
As the one fully-operational, old-style prepare left in all of Mexico, The Jose Cuervo Express departs from Guadalajara every Saturday and features a tour of Jose Cuervo’s La Rojeña distillery, free entry to Centro Cultural Juan Beckman Gallardo and a go to to the agave fields for an agave harvesting demonstration.
This 11-hour round-trip expertise is the right, carefree approach to go to Tequila and grow to be immersed within the tradition.
Train excursions by means of Tequila, Mexico’s agave fields
If that’s not sufficient, The Tequila Herradura Express immerses vacationers within the full tequila expertise. This luxurious prepare trip takes guests by means of the large agave fields earlier than reaching its closing vacation spot: the unique Herradura distillery constructed within the 1870s. As the oldest tequila distillery in existence, guests can witness the place tequila originated.
This historic website is way more than tequila, although. Tours embody visiting the unique getaway tunnels that have been constructed throughout the Cristero War so staff might escape the hacienda. After exploring the land, a guided tequila tasting, lunch, and a standard mariachi present, it’s again on the prepare to Guadalajara.
Private Tours
If you’re in search of a extra intimate, native expertise and have a small group, The Agave Experience excursions are very well-regarded. All Agave Experience tour guides are native to Tequila, Mexico. This tour prides itself on taking guests to native, non-commercial spots, exposing you extra to the native way of life and tradition than different excursions do.
Four tour guides make up a small but mighty group that has deep tequila experience; they’ve every studied for greater than 500 hours to earn their Master of Tequila Processes diploma from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara. Only 70 individuals on the planet maintain this diploma, so you realize you’re in good arms at The Agave Experience.
For these staying in Guadalajara and trying to get a style of the city of Tequila, a personal day journey can be a fantastic addition to any trip. Guadalajara’s personal excursions provide individualized itineraries for excursions which can be personalized to your pursuits. With choices for tequila tasting experiences at impartial, native distilleries, dine within the Tequila Village Market or discover the Tequila city sq..
These personal day excursions assist you to expertise extra than simply the spirit that put Tequila on the map and are good for many who need only a style of tequila.
Beyond the Spirit
I do know, I do know. Tequila this — tequila that. Does it ever finish?
Even although Tequila is thought for its spirit, not all the things on the town has to contain alcohol. There are many nice choices for many who don’t drink and/or those that merely wish to study extra in regards to the tradition.
For the last word tequila training, go to the National Tequila Museum within the Tequila Town Hall. Located in one of the crucial historic buildings in Tequila, designed as a typical manor home of the ruling class of the nineteenth century, the National Tequila Museum brings you again in time to Tequila’s origin. Five everlasting reveals clarify the historical past of Tequila, together with cultivation and farming, industrial processes, and the way tequila grew to become a staple in Mexican tradition.
The Tequila Volcano is a superb journey for many who get pleasure from climbing, tenting, mountain biking, and mountaineering. Open year-round, trails on the volcano enable guests to discover nature and uncover native species. The Tequila Volcano can also be an adventurous means for explorers to flee the Mexico warmth, because it’s at all times chilly on the high of the volcano; wind temperatures can attain near 0 levels Celsius.
If you’re trying to cool off however wish to keep a bit nearer to sea degree, put in your strolling footwear and chase waterfalls at Cascada Los Azules. This waterfall is about 70 meters tall and is lively all 12 months spherical. For these in search of a bit extra journey across the falls, be sure to look into the personal canyoning and rappelling adventures obtainable.
Cascada de los Azules, Photo by @CortesMonica
Best Places to Eat
Located on the cuff of city is La Posta Restaurant — the right place to take pleasure in native delicacies. Serving regional dishes which can be getting more durable to return by within the space, authenticism is the restaurant’s major focus. Famous for its chilaquiles, machaca and occasional, the restaurant presents sufficient parts and top-tier shows.
A household favourite amongst guests, Fonda Cholula Restaurant is positioned within the heart of city and views of the Main Square are virtually as pleasant because the meals. This colonial affair gives a sublime and charming environment that’s well-liked amongst those that need a stress-free eating expertise.
Fonda Cholula’s menu presents a fusion of conventional delicacies with a contemporary twist. Whether you dine within the out of doors backyard or the principle eating room, Fonda Cholula is a superb place to get pleasure from the most effective genuine, authentic margaritas of Tequila and one another’s firm.
Fonda Cholula Restaurant, photograph by @DorianC_13
Of course, what’s Tequila with out its oldest bar — La Capilla? Recently acknowledged by World’s Best Bars, La Capilla is house to the “batanga,” a signature cocktail of tequila, lime juice and cola. In truth, you’ll be able to nonetheless discover 90-year-old Don Javier behind the bar serving the drink — which he invented.
In addition to many eating choices round city, there’s loads of avenue meals obtainable for these in search of a fast chunk between excursions. Tequila’s city heart boasts a sturdy environment with myriad meals stalls — a fantastic possibility for these in bigger teams with totally different tastes.
From the city’s deeply-rooted historical past to its fashionable aptitude, Tequila is a must-visit vacation spot for these trying to immerse themselves in Mexican tradition. Whether you come for the spirits, the delicacies or the city’s pure wonders — there’s something for each traveler in Tequila, Mexico. Salud!
Nicole Tj is CEO and Co-Founder of Travis — an influencer-led journey commerce platform. Spearheading a brand new period of creator-led commerce, Travis is a journey startup with a mission to empower a brand new technology of creators to earn by means of journey. With over 10,000 resorts obtainable globally — together with Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and Four Seasons — Travis presents a variety of resorts for various journey budgets, types and locations. With 10 years of expertise as a creator, influencer supervisor and technique marketing consultant at Deloitte Digital, Nicole combines her business expertise with frustrations as a traveler, to pioneer a future for the $800B on-line journey business.