Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards has recognized San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, as Mexico’s best tourist destination, according to media reports on the awards that took place during the Tianguis Turístico 2024 in Acapulco.
The Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best title recognizes the highest level of excellence in travel. “Out of our 8 million listings, fewer than 1% achieve this milestone,” Tripadvisor says on its website, which has yet to show the new award information.
The accolade is awarded to “those who receive a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the Tripadvisor community over a 12-month period,” the platform says. Previously, such recognition belonged to Cancún.
Tripadvisor’s award adds to praise heaped on San Miguel de Allende throughout the years — it is a five-time winner of the world’s “Best Small City” award by Condé Nast Traveler, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Travel + Leisure magazine’s Best City in the World.
“It’s the type of place that our readers come back to, year in and year out, and a destination where many travelers want to put down roots,” T+L said of San Miguel de Allende, which surpassed cities on the ranking like Florence (No. 6), Tokyo (No. 19) or Rome (No. 14).
Located in the far eastern part of Guanajuato in the Bajío region, San Miguel de Allende stands out for it’s cultural and culinary offerings and is a popular destination for wellness tourism. Moreover, it is a historical city that combines Spanish heritage with Indigenous traditions.
Because of its location in central Mexico, San Miguel de Allende acted as a “melting pot” where Spanish immigrants, Mexicans of Spanish heritage and the Indigenous communities “exchanged cultural influences” and “human values,” UNESCO says.
Moreover, the city is a perfect example of buildings in the style of the Mexican Baroque. “Some of these buildings are masterpieces of the style that evolved in the transition from Baroque to neoclassical,” according to the UNESCO website.
As one of Mexico’s most visited cities, San Miguel de Allende saw over 2 million visitors in 2023, surpassing the numbers from 2022 — when it received 1.8 million tourists — and setting a new record for the small city.
“This consolidates San Miguel de Allende as a world-class tourist destination and without a doubt one of the most important destinations in the country,” San Miguel de Allende’s Mayor, Mauricio Trejo, said at the time.
With reports from Milenio
Somehow, topping Cancun seems to be a dubious distinction.
I don’t know that I would fully agree that San Miguel tops Cancun. Sure the architecture is probably very interesting and never ending, and if there people and culture are also more traditional and representative of their history and culture, yes it could topple Cancun. But how do you even compare the beaches and ocean life of Cancun to almost anywhere even without the rich history that San Miguel offers? I think it’s like comparing an apple to an orange, both have such unique opportunity for appreciation and criticism if one chooses. It could well be a tie!!
I agree that there is usually no best and it depends on what one is looking for. Ties are always a good option. I lived on the beach in Maui for over 20 years and now I am 75 and now the beach is good only once in a while. I have loved the mountains in Panama and Colombia and in Mexico the diversity of mountains and beaches.
Although Cancún is a bit too touristy for me, I’m personally quite glad that not everyone prefers traveling to the beach…more space for my beach chair. 😀
A theme park: Mexico’s Disneyland. Two million visitor says it all.
I have been in San Miguel de Allende, the last 6 years. I am leaving in July. It has become an American enclave.
I’ve always thoughts San Miguel de Allende was an American enclave, even 50 years ago when I lived in Cholula.
They talk about the tourism, & I’ll bet you most of those were Mexican day trippers from Mexico City.
Luckily, I’m not a beach person. It’s just too hot and humor for me.
Exactly it’s Gringo Central and when I fly home to where I live in San Juan del Rio, Queretaro I would say that over 90% of going there and not even going to see sights like La Pena de Bernal, the route of wine and cheese, the 5 Missions of Juniper Serra here in Queretaro or the Edward James architecture in Xilitla. Why go hang out with other Americans??, If I wanted to live that way, I’d have stayed in the USA. Also, even venturing into Guanajuato right now is a chance at getting whacked in the cross fire of the cartels. I’ll stick to our little piece of paradise here and over south of Zihuatanejo.
Was tired of going to shops where ownets were re Yorkers
I love San Miguel but Guanajuato, the city, is the real jewel and much more interesting.
Funny how American expats don’t want to see other Americans……like I got here 1st, why are you here? If you weren’t born and raised here, you are a guest like all of us. And being a permanent resident or a legal citizen doesn’t count, now it’s your adopted home. You are still no better than those who also want to make it their home.
Please remember when calling San Miguel a “theme park”, that this city is home to nationals. We should respect that. There is much more to it than weddings, events and fiestas. Like everything else, it is what you make of it.