Living Without Borders

Guanajuato Neighborhoods

December 5th, 2006

It’s no secret that Guanajuato is among our favorite Featured Locations, and one of the most under-rated retirement destinations anywhere. A truly gnarled, magical city, it has more nooks and crannies and crooked alleys than anything this side of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. It’s also affordable, fantastic and well worth serious consideration by those who want to re-invent themselves in a second home or a retirement that is guaranteed to re-invent the retiree.

So we’ve been wondering when Doug Bower’s column would resume at the American Chronicle. This week he is finally back with on-the-ground knowledge of the many fascinating neighborhoods of Guanajuato, just the kind of information that has made his writing an invaluable guide to the area. Here he takes to the task of delineating and exploring just about all the neighborhoods of the city most popular with foreigners, recommending some that are much less well known, and telling point-blank the advantages of each. Frankly, we’ve not seen a more concise and thoughtful guide to living in the city anywhere in print or on the internet. He even extends his reach into the surrounding towns and nearby cities such that sublime, isolated Guanajuato seems not so alone after all.

One thing to consider if you’re planning a visit, do bring lots of film. Or if your camera is digital, take along some extra memory. Guanajuato is a riot of picturesque corners and plazas and houses that pile on top of each other. Really, it is unlike any city in the Americas.

We can hardly get through a blog post without loading up a few more photos, just to try to give you an idea. To the right is one of Guanajuato’s exemplary, odd street corners. These are the kinds of places that can fill every day with poetry, and make any life a lot more exceptional. Guanajuato is affordable, beautiful, and perfect for the contemplative and the adventurous. Exotic without ever being too much, or too far away.

Entry Filed under: Guanajuato, Retirement