Right here’s a information to the most effective issues to do in Tequila, Jalisco. Expertise certainly 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 affords an extremely wealthy and vibrant tradition. Tequila has not too long ago develop into one of the sought locations for vacationers, being named certainly one of Mexico’s “best-kept secrets and techniques,” and one of many finest locations to go to in 2022.
The recognition of Tequila may be largely credited to tequila, the spirit. Identical 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 get together environment may be encapsulating.
However 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.
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 methodology of transportation to city.
Listed here are just a few choices:
For a extra direct journey methodology, the Tequila Plus Bus is a good selection. Providing HD motion pictures and reclining seats, the Tequila Plus Bus permits vacationers to sit down again and calm down on their journey. Leaving from Colón in Guadalajara, this 55-minute bus experience offers direct entry to the city of Tequila and versatile scheduling permits vacationers to ebook their journeys with ease.
For those who’re on the lookout for a extra collaborative journey expertise — whether or not you’re a solo traveler seeking to make buddies or desire to be proven round by locals — BlaBlaCar service is perhaps the best choice for you! This carpooling app lets you ebook a seat in somebody’s automobile prematurely — much like Uber, however on a schedule.
The place to Keep
The Resort Photo voltaic de las Ánimas, photograph by @hotelsolardelasanimas
The place you keep will depend on the form 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 may be in nearer proximity to the city’s e stunning agave fields.
Whereas there aren’t any main chain motels 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, Resort Photo voltaic de las Ánimas displays previous 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 lodge is certain 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 shocking ambiance certain to please even probably the most discerning vacationers.
For those who’re seeking to immerse your self in Tequila and luxuriate in a novel keep, Matices Resort de Barricas is the right place. As much as three folks can keep in a personal, indifferent constructing formed like a wood barrel, enabling you to “develop into one with the spirit.” The lodge additionally affords conventional Spanish structure rooms for these on the lookout for a novel keep with out rustic traits. Tequila tasting, guided excursions, massages and native horseback using are additionally obtainable for company.
For a cushty room with out the theatrics, look no additional than Resort Villa Tequila.
Matices Resort de Barricas, photograph by @maticeshoteldebarricas
This four-star lodge offers 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 massive, well-kept gardens, ornamental fountains, historic ironwork, and tall home windows, Resort Villa Tequila is the right place for many who desire 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 neighborhood that embraces all walks of life, Tequila residents will deal with you as certainly 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 ebook excursions at particular person distilleries. Because of the overwhelming recognition, it’s advisable that you simply ebook prematurely 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 will not be for the faint of coronary heart. La Fortaleza is understood for its embrace of household heritage and custom, together with making tequila the identical manner it was made 100 years in the past by its ancestors.
Casa Sauza affords excursions from Tuesday via Sunday and offers 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 personal agave, making ready your personal cantarito, and even having a tequila-grilled meal, Casa Sauza makes certain all guests depart with their very own story to inform.
Practice Excursions
For those who’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 prepare 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 right, carefree strategy to go to Tequila and develop into immersed within the tradition.
Practice excursions via Tequila, Mexico’s agave fields
If that’s not sufficient, The Tequila Herradura Categorical immerses vacationers within the full tequila expertise. This luxurious prepare experience takes guests via the huge agave fields earlier than reaching its closing 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 web site is rather more than tequila, although. Excursions embody visiting the unique getaway tunnels that have been constructed throughout the Cristero Warfare so employees may escape the hacienda. After exploring the land, a guided tequila tasting, lunch, and a conventional mariachi present, it’s again on the prepare to Guadalajara.
Non-public Excursions
For those who’re on the lookout 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 crew 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 the earth maintain this diploma, so you realize you’re in good fingers at The Agave Expertise.
For these staying in Guadalajara and seeking to get a style of the city of Tequila, a personal day journey can be an ideal addition to any trip. Guadalajara’s personal excursions provide individualized itineraries for excursions which are custom-made to your pursuits. With choices for tequila tasting experiences at unbiased, native distilleries, dine within the Tequila Village Market or discover the Tequila city sq..
These personal day excursions help you expertise extra than simply the spirit that put Tequila on the map and are excellent 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?
Though Tequila is understood for its spirit, not every part on the town has to contain alcohol. There are a lot of nice choices for many who don’t drink and/or those that merely wish to be taught extra concerning the tradition.
For the last word tequila training, go to the Nationwide Tequila Museum within the Tequila City Corridor. Positioned 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 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 good journey for many who take pleasure in climbing, tenting, mountain biking, and mountain climbing. Open year-round, trails on the volcano enable guests to discover nature and uncover native species. The Tequila Volcano can also be an adventurous manner 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.
For those who’re seeking to cool off however wish to keep somewhat nearer to sea stage, 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 on the lookout for somewhat extra journey across the falls, ensure that to look into the personal canyoning and rappelling adventures obtainable.
Cascada de los Azules, Photograph by @CortesMonica
Finest Locations to Eat
Positioned on the cuff of city is La Posta Restaurant — the right place to bask in native delicacies. Serving regional dishes which are getting more durable to come back by within the space, authenticism is the restaurant’s fundamental focus. Well-known for its chilaquiles, machaca and low, the restaurant affords enough parts and top-tier shows.
A household favourite amongst guests, Fonda Cholula Restaurant is positioned within the heart of city and views of the Most important Sq. are nearly as pleasant because the meals. This colonial affair offers a chic and charming environment that’s well-liked amongst those that desire a stress-free eating expertise.
Fonda Cholula’s menu affords a fusion of conventional delicacies with a contemporary twist. Whether or not you dine within the out of doors backyard or the principle eating room, Fonda Cholula is a good place to take pleasure in the most effective genuine, authentic margaritas of Tequila and one another’s firm.
Fonda Cholula Restaurant, photograph by @DorianC_13
In fact, what’s Tequila with out its oldest bar — La Capilla? Lately acknowledged by World’s Finest Bars, La Capilla is house to the “batanga,” a signature cocktail of tequila, lime juice and cola. In reality, 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 on the lookout for a fast chunk between excursions. Tequila’s city heart boasts a sturdy environment with myriad meals stalls — an ideal possibility 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 seeking 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 via journey. With over 10,000 motels obtainable globally — together with Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and 4 Seasons — Travis affords a variety of motels for various journey budgets, types and locations. With 10 years of expertise as a creator, influencer supervisor and technique guide at Deloitte Digital, Nicole combines her trade expertise with frustrations as a traveler, to pioneer a future for the $800B on-line journey trade.