About the city of Dolores Hidalgo in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico

Dolores Hidalgo is a small colonial town of 60,000 people in Central Mexico. Dolores Hidalgo was the starting point for the fight for Mexican independence from the Spanish empire in 1810. The quiet atmosphere of this town makes it charming and the lack of crowds could make Dolores Hidalgo a surprise highlight of your trip.  

Dolores Hidalgo history

Dolores Hidalgo used to be a small town simply known as Dolores when Priest Miguel Hidalgo uttered his famous cry for the independence of Mexico the the early morning of September 16, 1819 in front of the parish of his church. After Mexico achieved it's independence the town was renamed to Dolores Hidalgo in his honor. Today the small city is known primarily for it's ceramics industry and historical importance. Ceramics provides income to over half of the towns population and these inexpensive and mass produced items are marketed throughout Latin America and other well know parts of the world. 
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Dolores Hidalgo tourism

One of the appeals of Dolores Hidalgo is that the town is relatively small which means that most everything is within walking distance. One of the things that you will want to see is the Independence Statue that is located at the the entrance to this small city. The Parish our Lady of Dolores is also beautiful venue, including the "Casa de Miguel Hidalgo." This was the place where priest Hidalgo lived. Shortly after the rebellion began the Spanish soliders arrived in town and burned Priest Hidalgo's house to the ground.  Most of the original furniture was also lost but Mexican historians have done an extremely good job rebuilding a replica of this national hero's home.

Every night in the city of Hidalgo there is a re-creation of the famous cry for freedom at the main square with light and sound effects. 

Hidalgo is famous for it's pottery items such as tiles, vases and pots and some experts have said that it is one of the best places to buy these items. Next to the parish there are many small vendors and shops that sell local liquors such as honey liquor and cacti liquor as well as other local crafts. The central square of town in front of Hidalgo's historic church is popular on the weekends for the unusual flavors of local ice cream. They offer unique flavors like shrimp and tequila and are housed in small barrows until they are sold. The towns cemetery host the grave site of Jose Alfred Jimenez, one of Mexico's most beloved singers.

A popular place to stay in Hidalgo is Hotel Posada Cocomacan and is beautiful located in the center of town. The architecture of Hotel Posada Cocomacan is traditional Mexican with a lovely courtyard in the middle of the hotel. This hotel offers rooms with double, queen and king sized beds and are furnished with antiques. Wifi is free and the hotel has a restaurant as well for visitors convenience. The price of this hotel is very reasonable which makes it very appealing. When making a reservation at Hotel Posada Concomacan be sure to ask for a room with a park view for a great experience. If you are looking for accomodation off the beaten path, Hidalgo offers a few bed and breakfasts or posadas (similar to hostels) which are reasonably priced and with a lot of charm. 

Travel information for visiting Hidalgo

Suggested Airport: Guanajuato International Airport
Address: Carr. Silao-León Km 5.5, Nuevo México, 36270 Silao, Gto., Mexico
Local phone number: +52 472 748 2120

Is a passport or travel visa required? This depends on your nationality and your country of origin. We recommend that you check with your travel agent or Mexican Consulate in your area to know what documents you need to travel to Dolores Hidalgo.
Read about the next colonial city > or jump to any of these other popular colonial towns and cities below:

Oaxaca | Campeche | Cuernavaca | Dolores Hidalgo | Aguascalientes | Guanajuato | Merida | Morelia | Puebla | Queretaro | San Miguel de Allende | Tlaxcala
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