Right here’s a information to one of the best issues to do in Tequila, Jalisco. Expertise one in every 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 just lately turn into one of the crucial sought locations for vacationers, being named one in every of Mexico’s “best-kept secrets and techniques,” and one of many greatest locations to go to in 2022.
The recognition of Tequila may 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 possibly can drink within the streets, the get together environment may be encapsulating.
Nevertheless it’s not nearly ingesting 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 greatest 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 alternative. Providing HD motion pictures and reclining seats, the Tequila Plus Bus permits vacationers to sit down again and chill out on their journey. Leaving from Colón in Guadalajara, this 55-minute bus experience supplies direct entry to the city of Tequila and versatile scheduling permits vacationers to guide their journeys with ease.
If you happen to’re searching for a extra collaborative journey expertise — whether or not you’re a solo traveler trying to make buddies or desire to be proven round by locals — BlaBlaCar service could be 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 Lodge Photo voltaic de las Ánimas, picture by @hotelsolardelasanimas
The place you keep depends 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 may be in nearer proximity to the city’s e lovely agave fields.
Whereas there are not 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 middle of city, Lodge 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 take into account canceling your flight residence. 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 essentially the most discerning vacationers.
If you happen to’re trying to immerse your self in Tequila and revel in a singular keep, Matices Lodge de Barricas is the proper place. As much as three folks can keep in a non-public, indifferent constructing formed like a wood barrel, enabling you to “turn into one with the spirit.” The resort additionally affords 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 Lodge Villa Tequila.
Matices Lodge de Barricas, picture by @maticeshoteldebarricas
This four-star resort supplies understated class and a relaxing environment for a extra modest keep.
This superbly reworked mansion is a former retirement residence 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, Lodge Villa Tequila is the proper 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 group that embraces all walks of life, Tequila residents will deal with you as one in every 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 definitely within the playing cards.
Those that know precisely what kind of tequila they like can guide excursions at particular person distilleries. Because of the overwhelming reputation, it’s beneficial that you just guide upfront earlier than arriving in Tequila.
Distilleries like La Fortaleza supply 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 manner it was made 100 years in the past by its ancestors.
Casa Sauza affords excursions from Tuesday by way of Sunday and supplies a extra hands-on expertise for guests. With three forms of excursions obtainable, you possibly can 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
If you happen to’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 technique to go to Tequila and turn into immersed within the tradition.
Practice excursions by way 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 way of 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 far more than tequila, although. Excursions embrace visiting the unique getaway tunnels that have been constructed through the Cristero Struggle so staff may 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.
Personal Excursions
If you happen to’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 workforce 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 already know you’re in good arms at The Agave Expertise.
For these staying in Guadalajara and trying 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 supply individualized itineraries for excursions which are 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 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?
Regardless that Tequila is thought for its spirit, not every part on the town has to contain alcohol. There are various nice choices for many who don’t drink and/or those that merely wish to study extra in regards to the tradition.
For the final word tequila schooling, go to the Nationwide Tequila Museum within the Tequila City Corridor. Positioned in one of the crucial 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 turned a staple in Mexican tradition.
The Tequila Volcano is a good journey for many who get pleasure from 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 be an adventurous manner for explorers to flee the Mexico warmth, because it’s all the time chilly on the high of the volcano; wind temperatures can attain near 0 levels Celsius.
If you happen to’re trying 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 yr spherical. For these searching for somewhat extra journey across the falls, ensure to look into the personal canyoning and rappelling adventures obtainable.
Cascada de los Azules, Photograph by @CortesMonica
Greatest Locations to Eat
Positioned on the cuff of city is La Posta Restaurant — the proper place to take pleasure in native delicacies. Serving regional dishes which are getting more durable to come back by within the space, authenticism is the restaurant’s most important focus. Well-known for its chilaquiles, machaca and occasional, the restaurant affords ample parts and top-tier displays.
A household favourite amongst guests, Fonda Cholula Restaurant is situated within the middle of city and views of the Principal Sq. are virtually as pleasant because the meals. This colonial affair supplies a sublime and charming environment that’s standard amongst those that need 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 outside backyard or the primary eating room, Fonda Cholula is a good place to get pleasure from one of the best genuine, unique margaritas of Tequila and one another’s firm.
Fonda Cholula Restaurant, picture by @DorianC_13
In fact, what’s Tequila with out its oldest bar — La Capilla? Not too long ago acknowledged by World’s Greatest Bars, La Capilla is residence to the “batanga,” a signature cocktail of tequila, lime juice and cola. Actually, you possibly can 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 chew between excursions. Tequila’s city middle boasts a strong environment with myriad meals stalls — an ideal choice 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 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 way of journey. With over 10,000 motels obtainable globally — together with Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and 4 Seasons — Travis affords a spread of motels for various journey budgets, kinds and locations. With 10 years of expertise as a creator, influencer supervisor and technique guide at Deloitte Digital, Nicole combines her business expertise with frustrations as a traveler, to pioneer a future for the $800B on-line journey business.