Things to do · Guadalajara · Mexico
18 best things to do in Guadalajara
18 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: ProtoplasmaKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Guadalajara are Guadalajara Cathedral, Hospicio Cabañas and Plaza de los Mariachis. Of the 18 picks below, 9 are free, 5 work on a rainy day and 6 suit children. Allow about 4 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Guadalajara Cathedral
- Free sights
- 9
- Good on a rainy day
- Hospicio Cabañas
- Time to see the highlights
- 4 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guadalajara Cathedral | Centro Histórico | 45 minutes | Free |
| Hospicio Cabañas | Centro Histórico | 1.5–2 hours | Low cost |
| Plaza de los Mariachis | Centro Histórico | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Lucha libre at Arena Coliseo | Centro Histórico | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Palacio de Gobierno | Centro Histórico | 30–45 minutes | Free |
| Teatro Degollado | Centro Histórico | 1–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Plaza Tapatía | Centro Histórico | 30–45 minutes | Free |
| Museo Regional de Guadalajara | Centro Histórico | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Mercado San Juan de Dios | Centro Histórico | 1–2 hours | Low cost |
| Tlaquepaque and El Parián | Tlaquepaque | Half a day | Free |
| Tonalá street market | Tonalá | Half a day | Free |
| Avenida Chapultepec | Colonia Americana and Lafayette | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Templo Expiatorio | Colonia Americana and Lafayette | 30–45 minutes | Free |
| MUSA – Museo de las Artes | Centro Histórico | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Barranca de Huentitán | Huentitán | 3–4 hours | Free |
| Guadalajara Zoo | Huentitán | Half a day | Mid-priced |
| Bosque Los Colomos | Providencia | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Basílica de Zapopan | Zapopan and Andares | 1 hour | Free |
The 18 best things to do
Religious site · Centro Histórico
1.Guadalajara Cathedral
The cathedral was begun in the 16th century, and its pair of yellow-tiled spires, rebuilt in the 19th century after earthquakes, are the emblem of the city. Inside are many side altars and a much-venerated figure of the Virgin. Four plazas surround it, including the Plaza de Armas with its French-made bandstand and the Rotonda of illustrious Jaliscans.
Walk around all four sides of the cathedral; each plaza frames the spires differently, and the Rotonda side is quietest.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Free
Museum · Centro Histórico
2.Hospicio Cabañas
Founded in the early 19th century as an orphanage and almshouse, this neoclassical complex of more than 20 courtyards is now a museum and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its chapel is covered with José Clemente Orozco's murals of the conquest and modern Mexico, culminating in the Man of Fire in the dome.
Lie back on the benches provided in the chapel to look up at the dome; it is the intended way to see the Man of Fire.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Art
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Landmark · Centro Histórico
3.Plaza de los Mariachis
A small square beside the church of San Juan de Dios, where mariachi bands in charro suits wait to be hired for songs at the restaurant tables. It is a historic gathering place for musicians rather than a polished venue.
Agree the price per song before the band plays, and visit in the early evening rather than late at night.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- After dark
- History
- Iconic
Experience · Centro Histórico
4.Lucha libre at Arena Coliseo
Masked wrestlers fly from the ropes at weekly shows in the historic Arena Coliseo, a short walk from the cathedral. The crowd's chanting and the vendors selling masks are as much a part of the show as the bouts.
Buy a cheap mask from the sellers outside and sit in the middle sections, where the atmosphere is loud but family-friendly.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- After dark
- Kids
- Iconic
Palace · Centro Histórico
5.Palacio de Gobierno
The baroque state government palace on the Plaza de Armas is where Miguel Hidalgo decreed the abolition of slavery in 1810. Orozco's mural of Hidalgo, torch raised over a scene of struggle, fills the main staircase, and a second Orozco mural decorates the former congress chamber upstairs.
Climb to the top of the staircase and look back down; the mural is designed to be seen from below and above.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- History
- Free
- Rainy day
Architecture · Centro Histórico
6.Teatro Degollado
This neoclassical theatre, opened in the 1860s, has a portico of Corinthian columns and a horseshoe auditorium whose ceiling is painted with a scene from Dante's Divine Comedy. It is home to the Jalisco Philharmonic and hosts opera, ballet and folkloric dance.
Seeing a performance is the best way inside; check the programme and buy tickets at the box office for folkloric dance or the philharmonic.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- History
- After dark
- Couples
Landmark · Centro Histórico
7.Plaza Tapatía
A long pedestrian plaza runs east from behind the Teatro Degollado to the Hospicio Cabañas, lined with fountains, shops and modern bronze sculptures, including the Inmolación de Quetzalcóatl. It links the centre's main monuments into a single walk.
Walk it from the cathedral end towards Cabañas in the late afternoon, when families and street performers fill the plaza.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
Museum · Centro Histórico
8.Museo Regional de Guadalajara
In an 18th-century seminary beside the cathedral, the regional museum covers Jalisco from prehistory onwards, with a mammoth skeleton, shaft-tomb ceramics from western Mexico, colonial paintings and ethnographic rooms on the Wixárika (Huichol) people, all arranged around a cloistered courtyard.
Start with the ground-floor palaeontology and shaft-tomb figures, the museum's most distinctive rooms.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Market · Centro Histórico
1.Mercado San Juan de Dios
Officially the Mercado Libertad, this 1950s concrete market is one of the largest covered markets in Latin America, with three floors of produce, leather, electronics, crafts and sweets. The upper floor is a maze of fondas serving birria, pozole and seafood at low prices.
Head straight to the top-floor food court for lunch, then try a cup of tejuino from the vendors around the ground floor.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Neighbourhood · Tlaquepaque
2.Tlaquepaque and El Parián
The old town of San Pedro Tlaquepaque has a pedestrian main street of colonial houses converted into galleries, ceramics and glass shops and restaurants. Its heart is El Parián, a large arcaded square of bars where mariachis perform, especially in the evenings and at weekends.
Visit on a weekend afternoon to browse the galleries, then stay for drinks and mariachi at El Parián as the evening begins.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Art
- Couples
- After dark
- Free
Market · Tonalá
3.Tonalá street market
Tonalá, a pottery town about 12 km east of the centre, holds a huge street market twice a week where workshops sell ceramics, glass, papier-mâché, furniture and home goods, often at wholesale prices. On other days its many workshops and showrooms are open.
Go on Thursday or Sunday for the street market, and bring cash and space in your luggage for ceramics.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Art
- Free
Street · Colonia Americana and Lafayette
4.Avenida Chapultepec
This avenue with a wide central promenade runs through the Americana and Lafayette, lined with cafés, mezcal bars, taquerías and galleries. On weekend evenings the walkway fills with stalls, street musicians and people going out.
Explore the side streets, such as Calle Libertad and Calle Morelos, where many of the best small bars and coffee shops are.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- After dark
- Food
- Free
- Couples
Religious site · Colonia Americana and Lafayette
5.Templo Expiatorio
Guadalajara's neo-Gothic Expiatory Temple took most of the 20th century to complete, with tall stained-glass windows and a carved stone façade. Its clock tower has mechanical figures of the twelve apostles that emerge and parade at set times of day.
Ask locally or check the times posted at the church for the apostles' procession, and stay for the food stalls on the plaza in the evening.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- Free
- Kids
- Photo spot
Gallery · Centro Histórico
6.MUSA – Museo de las Artes
The University of Guadalajara's art museum occupies a grand early 20th-century building on Avenida Juárez, with changing exhibitions of Mexican and international art. Its main hall, the former university assembly room, has a dome and wall murals by José Clemente Orozco.
Combine it with the Templo Expiatorio, about ten minutes' walk away, to see more Orozco without the Cabañas crowds.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Nature · Huentitán
7.Barranca de Huentitán
On the city's northern edge, a deep canyon falls away to the Río Santiago, and a steep cobbled trail drops roughly 600 metres from the Mirador Independencia viewpoint to the river. Locals hike it for exercise; the climb back up is demanding.
Start early in the morning, carry plenty of water and go with company; even the viewpoint at the top is worth the trip if you skip the hike.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Active
- Views
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Free
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Zoo · Huentitán
8.Guadalajara Zoo
One of Mexico's largest zoos stands on the lip of the Barranca de Huentitán, with big cats, primates, a herpetarium and an aviary, plus a safari area of African grassland animals. Paths give views over the canyon.
Use the Mi Macro Calzada bus up Calzada Independencia to get there, and arrive in the morning before the midday heat.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Park · Providencia
9.Bosque Los Colomos
A large urban forest of eucalyptus and pine on the border of Guadalajara and Zapopan, with running trails, a Japanese garden, a cultural centre and the turreted El Castillo, a former waterworks building. It is the city's favourite weekend park.
Visit the Japanese garden first, then follow the trails towards El Castillo; weekday mornings are calmest.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Nature
Religious site · Zapopan and Andares
10.Basílica de Zapopan
The 17th-century basilica in Zapopan's old centre houses the small, much-loved figure of the Virgin of Zapopan, the focus of one of Mexico's largest pilgrimages each October. Beside it, a small museum displays Wixárika (Huichol) beadwork and yarn paintings.
Walk the pedestrian street in front of the basilica for snacks and cafés, and visit the Wixárika museum next door.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Architecture
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Hospicio Cabañas, Palacio de Gobierno, Museo Regional de Guadalajara and Tlaquepaque and El Parián |
| History | Guadalajara Cathedral, Hospicio Cabañas, Palacio de Gobierno and Teatro Degollado |
| Views | Barranca de Huentitán |
| Outdoors and nature | Plaza Tapatía, Barranca de Huentitán, Guadalajara Zoo and Bosque Los Colomos |
| Food and markets | Mercado San Juan de Dios, Tonalá street market and Avenida Chapultepec |
| After dark | Teatro Degollado, Plaza de los Mariachis, Tlaquepaque and El Parián and Avenida Chapultepec |
| With children | Plaza Tapatía, Museo Regional de Guadalajara, Templo Expiatorio and Guadalajara Zoo |
| On a rainy day | Hospicio Cabañas, Palacio de Gobierno, Museo Regional de Guadalajara and Mercado San Juan de Dios |
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Guadalajara?
Guadalajara Cathedral. The cathedral was begun in the 16th century, and its pair of yellow-tiled spires, rebuilt in the 19th century after earthquakes, are the emblem of the city.
+What can you do for free in Guadalajara?
Guadalajara Cathedral, Palacio de Gobierno, Plaza Tapatía, Tlaquepaque and El Parián and Tonalá street market. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Guadalajara when it rains?
Head indoors to Hospicio Cabañas, Palacio de Gobierno, Museo Regional de Guadalajara and Mercado San Juan de Dios.
+What is there to do in Guadalajara at night?
Teatro Degollado, Plaza de los Mariachis, Tlaquepaque and El Parián and Avenida Chapultepec are best after dark.