Right here’s a information to the very best issues to do in Tequila, Jalisco. Expertise considered one of Mexico’s “best-kept secrets and techniques” 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. Close to the foot of Tequila Volcano, the city not solely possesses unmistakable options — from its sprawling agave fields and a colourful city sq. — but additionally gives an extremely wealthy and vibrant tradition. Tequila has just lately change into one of the sought locations for vacationers, being named considered one of Mexico’s “best-kept secrets and techniques,” and one of many finest locations to go to in 2022.
The recognition of Tequila might be largely credited to tequila, the spirit. Similar to 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 occasion environment might be encapsulating.
Nevertheless it’s not nearly consuming and partying — top-notch excursions and day adventures showcase Tequila, Mexico’s historical past and beautiful agave fields whereas sharing the tales of households who’ve been steeped within the tequila-making custom for hundreds of years.
Touring 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 technique of transportation to city.
Listed here are a couple of choices:
For a extra direct journey technique, the Tequila Plus Bus is a superb selection. Providing HD films and reclining seats, the Tequila Plus Bus permits vacationers to take a seat again and loosen up on their journey. Leaving from Colón in Guadalajara, this 55-minute bus experience gives direct entry to the city of Tequila and versatile scheduling permits vacationers to guide their journeys with ease.
Should you’re searching for a extra collaborative journey expertise — whether or not you’re a solo traveler trying to make pals or favor to be proven round by locals — BlaBlaCar service is perhaps the best choice for you! This carpooling app permits you to guide a seat in somebody’s automobile upfront — much like Uber, however on a schedule.
The place to Keep
The Resort Photo voltaic de las Ánimas, picture by @hotelsolardelasanimas
The place you keep is dependent upon the type of vacation you need — and there are many choices. Keep 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’ll be in nearer proximity to the city’s e lovely agave fields.
Whereas there aren’t any main chain accommodations 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 middle of city, Resort Photo voltaic 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 think about canceling your flight dwelling. Its open-air hallways, painted tile flooring, a number of resort-style swimming pools and rooftop bar present a surprising ambiance positive to please even essentially the most discerning vacationers.
Should you’re trying to immerse your self in Tequila and luxuriate in a singular keep, Matices Resort de Barricas is the proper place. As much as three folks can keep in a personal, indifferent constructing formed like a wood barrel, enabling you to “change into one with the spirit.” The resort additionally gives conventional Spanish structure rooms for these searching for a singular keep with out rustic traits. Tequila tasting, guided excursions, massages and native horseback using are additionally obtainable for visitors.
For a snug room with out the theatrics, look no additional than Resort Villa Tequila.
Matices Resort de Barricas, picture by @maticeshoteldebarricas
This four-star resort gives understated magnificence and a relaxing environment for a extra modest keep.
This fantastically reworked mansion is a former retirement dwelling 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, Resort Villa Tequila is the proper place for many who favor a quiet keep.
Issues to Do
Whether or not 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 – irrespective of your pursuits.
Tequila Excursions and Boutique Distilleries
Let’s face it. You’re in Tequila — they make tequila. For many, a tequila tour in Mexico is actually within the playing cards.
Those that know precisely what kind of tequila they like can guide excursions at particular person distilleries. As a result of overwhelming recognition, it’s advisable that you simply guide upfront earlier than arriving in Tequila.
Distilleries like La Fortaleza provide 4 tequilas — Blanco, Reposado, Anejo, and Blanco (nonetheless energy) spirits. Hand-crafted in small batches, these high-quality tequilas aren’t for the faint of coronary heart. La Fortaleza is thought for its embrace of household heritage and custom, together with making tequila the identical method it was made 100 years in the past by its ancestors.
Casa Sauza gives excursions from Tuesday by means of Sunday and gives a extra hands-on expertise for guests. With three sorts of excursions obtainable, you’ll be able to select precisely how adventurous you wish to be. From planting your individual agave, making ready your individual cantarito, and even having a tequila-grilled meal, Casa Sauza makes positive all guests go away with their very own story to inform.
Practice Excursions
Should you’re a fan of Harry Potter — or simply love locomotives — The Jose Cuervo Categorical is the choice for you.
As the one fully-operational, old-style practice left in all of Mexico, The Jose Cuervo Categorical 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 proper, carefree strategy to go to Tequila and change into immersed within the tradition.
Practice excursions by means of Tequila, Mexico’s agave fields
If that’s not sufficient, The Tequila Herradura Categorical immerses vacationers within the full tequila expertise. This luxurious practice experience takes guests by means of the huge agave fields earlier than reaching its ultimate vacation spot: the unique Herradura distillery constructed within the 1870s. Because the oldest tequila distillery in existence, guests can witness the place tequila originated.
This historic website is way more than tequila, although. Excursions embody visiting the unique getaway tunnels that have been constructed in the course of the Cristero Battle so staff might escape the hacienda. After exploring the land, a guided tequila tasting, lunch, and a conventional mariachi present, it’s again on the practice to Guadalajara.
Non-public Excursions
Should you’re searching for a extra intimate, native expertise and have a small group, The Agave Expertise excursions are very well-regarded. All Agave Expertise 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 life-style and tradition than different excursions do.
4 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 Grasp of Tequila Processes diploma from the Autonomous College of Guadalajara. Solely 70 folks on this planet maintain this diploma, so you already know you’re in good palms at The Agave Expertise.
For these staying in Guadalajara and trying to get a style of the city of Tequila, a non-public day journey can be an awesome addition to any trip. Guadalajara’s non-public 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 non-public day excursions permit 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.
Past the Spirit
I do know, I do know. Tequila this — tequila that. Does it ever finish?
Regardless that Tequila is thought for its spirit, not all the pieces on the town has to contain alcohol. There are numerous nice choices for many who don’t drink and/or those that merely wish to be taught extra in regards to the tradition.
For the last word tequila training, go to the Nationwide Tequila Museum within the Tequila City Corridor. Situated in one of the historic buildings in Tequila, designed as a typical manor home of the ruling class of the nineteenth century, the Nationwide Tequila Museum brings you again in time to Tequila’s origin. 5 everlasting displays 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 mountain 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 be an adventurous method for explorers to flee the Mexico warmth, because it’s all the time chilly on the prime of the volcano; wind temperatures can attain near 0 levels Celsius.
Should you’re trying to cool off however wish to keep a little bit nearer to sea stage, put in your strolling sneakers and chase waterfalls at Cascada Los Azules. This waterfall is about 70 meters tall and is energetic all 12 months spherical. For these searching for a little bit extra journey across the falls, make certain to look into the non-public canyoning and rappelling adventures obtainable.
Cascada de los Azules, Photograph by @CortesMonica
Finest Locations to Eat
Situated on the cuff of city is La Posta Restaurant — the proper place to bask in native delicacies. Serving regional dishes which can be getting tougher to come back by within the space, authenticism is the restaurant’s foremost focus. Well-known for its chilaquiles, machaca and occasional, the restaurant gives ample parts and top-tier shows.
A household favourite amongst guests, Fonda Cholula Restaurant is situated within the middle of city and views of the Principal Sq. are nearly as pleasant because the meals. This colonial affair gives a chic and charming environment that’s fashionable amongst those that desire a stress-free eating expertise.
Fonda Cholula’s menu gives a fusion of conventional delicacies with a contemporary twist. Whether or not you dine within the out of doors backyard or the primary eating room, Fonda Cholula is a superb place to get pleasure from the very best genuine, unique margaritas of Tequila and one another’s firm.
Fonda Cholula Restaurant, picture by @DorianC_13
After all, what’s Tequila with out its oldest bar — La Capilla? Not too long ago acknowledged by World’s Finest Bars, La Capilla is dwelling to the “batanga,” a signature cocktail of tequila, lime juice and cola. Actually, you’ll be able to nonetheless discover 90-year-old Don Javier behind the bar serving the drink — which he invented.
Along with many eating choices round city, there’s loads of avenue meals obtainable for these searching for a fast chunk between excursions. Tequila’s city middle boasts a sturdy environment with myriad meals stalls — an awesome choice for these in bigger teams with completely 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 or not 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-Founding father 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 era of creators to earn by means of journey. With over 10,000 accommodations obtainable globally — together with Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and 4 Seasons — Travis gives a spread of accommodations for various journey budgets, kinds and locations. With 10 years of expertise as a creator, influencer supervisor and technique advisor at Deloitte Digital, Nicole combines her business expertise with frustrations as a traveler, to pioneer a future for the $800B on-line journey business.
