Guadalajara

A city driven by a consuming cultural spirit, revered musical expressions, fascinating colonial-era architecture and a strong technologically advanced backbone, Guadalajara is Mexico's erudite child. It contains the progressive magic of Mexico's capital city, yet harbors a small-town charm that immediately renders it different from any other Mexican city. Guadalajara's wealth of museums and handsomely woven colonial landscape is wildly captivating, while its booming food scene rivals that of the capital's. The city tips its hat to deep-rooted Mexican culture by celebrating the essence of mariachi music in various forms, but also makes space for evolved classical forms of music. The city is home to the 19th Century Teatro Degollado, a historic concert hall that hosts the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra. Large-scale cultural festivals like the International Film Festival of Guadalajara and the Guadalajara International Book Fair are some of the acclaimed festivals hosted here.