Guadalajara Reporter

A natural decision for first-time visitors in any city is to locate themselves in the downtown area and work their way from there.

But when Canadians Sarah Borowski and Shannon Bell were thinking of coming to Guadalajara, they were persuaded that the suburb of Tlaquepaque might be a little more relaxed, easier to navigate and certainly less dusty than the construction plagued streets of the center.

Ten days later, and waiting for their flight back to Ontario, they said they were delighted with the advice.

“Thank God,” said Shannon Bell, who was visiting Mexico for the first time. “I think we picked a bad time to go to downtown Guadalajara because streets were closed and there was some kind of demonstration.

“We absolutely love Tlaquepaque, everything is near, people speak English and there is great shopping,” said Bell. “Nobody is approaching you like in Guadalajara. The only time I haven’t felt safe on the whole trip is walking near San Juan de Dios. In Tlaquepaque I feel very safe.”

“We met a family that stayed in a hotel right in downtown Guadalajara,” said Bell, from Hamilton, Ontario. “The next day they checked out and moved to our hotel in Tlaquepaque and they were delighted. And the woman is from New York, so she’s not a small-town girl.”

It’s not difficult to see why Tlaquepaque, just four miles from the center, is becoming an increasingly appealing option for visitors. Its tree-lined boulevards and quaint plaza give it a provincial feel. Taxis to downtown Guadalajara range from 70 to 100 pesos, hardly expensive for those visiting from northern climes.

Tla-kay-pa-kay: much more than simply shops

Our recommendations: Tlaquepaque's hotels and restaurants 

Crafts and shopping are at the heart of the tourist experience in Tlaquepaque. Visitors will find everything from silver, glass, leather and ceramics to cowboy belts, furniture and linens.

 “We came with just hand luggage and we’re going back with a few suitcases,” beamed Bell, who rhapsodized over her “bargains” – hand-made shoes for ten dollars and a silver Sergio Bustamente ring for 100 dollars.

And so while hotels in downtown Guadalajara have been suffering greatly in the last few months, Tlaquepaque’s tourism office says their figures for 2009 thus far are encouraging. It isn’t difficult to see why.

< Prev		Next >