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2026-07-21 · 4 min read
Mexico's Central Highlands: 6 Underrated Towns Most Tourists Skip
Most travelers stop at Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende and call it a trip. This route goes further — through silver-mining ghost towns, jungle sinkholes, and "Magic Towns" almost nobody outside Mexico has heard of. Here's what six stops taught me about where to linger, what to skip, and how to string it all together.
Meta description: A first-hand route through Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Zacatecas, and Ciudad Valles — what's actually worth your time, what to skip, and how to sequence it.
Most people planning a Mexico trip stop at Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende and call it done. But the Central Highlands stretch much further — through silver-mining ghost towns, jungle sinkholes, and "Magic Towns" barely anyone outside Mexico has heard of. Here's what six stops taught me about where to spend more time, where to skip, and how to string them together.
1. Guanajuato
This was the place I was most excited about in the Central Highlands, and the Pipila viewpoint really is stunning, especially in the evening once the city lights come on. You can walk up to the viewpoint, but honestly I wouldn't bother unless your hotel is very close — it's easy to get turned around on the way up (a dog chased me barking the whole time), and the funicular is fast and cheap anyway. The University of Guanajuato and the Alley of the Kiss don't take long to see, and you could technically do the whole old town in a day, but I wouldn't recommend rushing it if you have the time. There are tons of cafes to just sit at, and the old town gets lively at night too. If you have extra time, Plazuelas or Hacienda Tequilera de Corralejo (both near Irapuato) are worth a look — but Irapuato itself isn't that special by Mexican standards, so skip it if you're short on time.
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