I believe a parroquia is considered less than a cathedral in the pecking order of the Catholic…read morechurch, but what do I know? It's still a cool landmark, especially at sunset when the pastel pink hue of the building takes on a seductive glow. It's probably sacrilege to refer to a parish church as seductive, but hey, my knowledge of Catholicism is limited to watching "Conclave" on Amazon Prime. Good flick. Originally built in the 17th century, the church was redesigned in the 1800's to its current more ornate state by architect Zeferino Gutiérrez Muñoz. He took inspiration from European cathedrals, and its fanciful silhouette brings to mind a cross between Sagrada Família and the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland with a little bit of Petra's pink sandstone thrown in for good measure. It's free to enter the church where you're expected to keep quiet while parishioners pray. Right across the courtyard is the Iglesia de San Rafael, another Catholic church with an equally resplendent interior. It's no wonder the parroquia is the vantage point for notable vista points like El Mirador and popular rooftop restaurants like Quince and Luna Rooftop. It's definitely the city's essential stop. RELATED - Exploring San Miguel de Allende? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/he7dP2ebOv

Extraordinary cathedral with historic architecture. They still hold services and weddings. They do…read moreprefer you to be quiet, and no pets or food is allowed inside.

Another beautiful church in dowtown San Miguel de Allende. I didn't have a lot of time to do my…read morehomework before visiting so I discovered Oratorio de San Felipe Neri just by walking around town, exploring. It is a perfect way to sightsee this charming town anyways! Saint Felipe Neri is the patron of this church, and the patron of joy and laughter in general. The church was built in 1712 in baroque style and is a jewel of the area. Breathtaking, a challenge to photograph it in its entire shape, the church is a must visit place while in town. It has a different style than other churches in town and you get to learn more about the history of this cool place! The interior has many wonderful oil paintings, if you have the time, it is worth to look around for ten minutes or so (at least). Beautiful church that I am glad I stumble into while walking around. Its beautiful tower will show the way to it!

Great location for Templo de San Francisco, near the Jardin…read more The Church of San Francisco is a jewel of San Miguel de Allende, beautiful inside and out! Nice architecture, in baroque style, this is a church dedicated to Sf. Francis of Asisi (his portrait can be seen at the top). Definetely a place to visit if you are in the area. It is not always opened, the hours vary, can't say I figured it out well, but if you walk downtown a few times, give it a shot! It has nice sculptures inside and it very peaceful! Lots of history and beauty here!

Like the others here, I'll give the nod to Albert Coffee, an archeologist whose tour of Cañada de…read morela Virgen I booked through TripAdvisor (about $60US per person). For reasons explained but not retained, one cannot just take themselves on a self-guided tour of this pyramid and the structures that surround it. Albert Coffee is one of the people authorized to guide you and he does so knowledgeably and efficiently. Any tour of this pyramid will have you coming to the site via shuttle then taking another shuttle to the nearest possible point. From there, it's about a 1 mile walk, moderately uphill, to the entrance to the site. You'll leave by walking the same 1 mile portion of road in reverse. Alfred Coffee arms you with a bottle of water, most appreciated. You can bring nothing else with you as those who run the site want no trace left behind. So travel light, as all bags, fanny packs, and day packs must be left in the shuttle you arrived in. The whole experience, start to finish, ran 5 hours, and was interesting. I've been to both Teotihuacan and Pompeii though, and there's a reason you have heard of those and not this. Relatively, this pyramid was only recently discovered, is evidence of a much smaller civilization having lived here, and there's presumably a whole lot left to be revealed. The location - seemingly the middle of nowhere - will leave you wondering what else is out there still unknown. There's likely a lot more even at this site but visible excavation appears to have ceased for now. Still, if you enjoy visiting the structures of ancient civilizations and harbor an appreciation for Mexico's willingness to allow you to climb all over these structures, Cañada de la Virgen should be on your checklist. The tour departs from San Miguel de Allende.

Recommend Albert Coffee tours--he helped process this site and engaged in specialized studies in…read moreMeso American archeology from LSU. He's also super funny. His assistant Eric is very attentive as well, which came in handy as we had two young children with us (discounted rate for the littles). Kids enjoyed it. Ask to see the comic book on your way back. No matter who you tour with--check this out. It's incredible to get an up close lesson on Meso American culture at this northernmost MA pyramid. They are, in effect, still discovering and unlocking it's treasures and significance.

While visiting I had to check out this huge goose sculpture. It's a hotel, and although we rung the…read morebell, it wasn't possible to get inside the gate. You probably need to be a hotel guest, or have a private invitation.