Arriving and Departing

Airport Name:
Miguel hidalgo International Airport; code GDL.

Location:
14 km southwest of the city.

Facilities:
This two-story terminal has a nice shopping area, a good restaurant/bar, and a revolving exhibition of art and historic artifacts. The new $5 million domed domestic departure lounge is ultra-modern. Numerous car rental agencies have counters in both the domestic and international arrival areas.

Getting Around

From the airport, vans known as combis whisk visitors from the terminal to any location. Rates to most hotels range from $10-13 US per person.

To get around Guadalajara, cabs are plentiful and have set, published rates (some have meters.) There is also very efficient and economical bus and tram service that crisscrosses the city. Once you are in the downtown corridor, the best way to explore is on foot. There are also romantic horse-drawn carriages (calandrias) that operate downtown. You’ll pay about $15 US for an hour tour. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Another option is to hop one of the deluxe linea dorada buses that operates between the Plaza Tapatia and several prominent points of interest around the city. Cost is $3-4.5 pesos (drivers will make change); buses run every 15 minutes.

EXCURSIONS

Pace yourself! Guadalajara has plenty to see and do, and its high altitude may require some acclimation. Guadalajara is an excellent base from which to venture into Jalisco or other Mexican states. Most of the area’s attractions can be seen during day trips from the city.

There are two useful English-language publications that list events and news items: Guadalajara Weekly and Guadalajara Reporter. Another helpful publication is Ver y Oir, Spanish directory of events (published monthly).

City Tours

There’s plenty to see and do within the city limits. For colonial sightseeing, most visitors start at the Centro Histórico in downtown (a 30-square-block core area of restored religious and civic buildings), and work their way past several important sites. Here are some ideas to get you started.