I love Tlaquepaque! It is definitely one of the cutest, prettiest and most charming neighbourhoods/Pueblos Mágicos I have ever been to. It has a small central park with a cute pavilion decorated with flags, a charming old town, which is also partly decorated with flags, and where jewellery and souvenirs are sold on a few corners. Apart from that, there is a really beautiful sign in Tlaquepaque and bronze figures that cheerfully head towards the old part of the town. Really cute.
I admit, Tlaquepaque doesn’t have much – really, it doesn’t – but this neighbourhood simply stole my heart. It’s so cute and the vibe is so calm and relaxed and sweet and… Tlaquepaque is really worth a little trip. It’s like a little break from Guadalajara. Because, just like Zapopan, Tlaquepaque is actually IN Guadalajara, but when you’re there, it feels completely like you’re in a small village or town near Guadalajara.
Go or not? Yes, one hundred percent. I think Tlaquepaque is one of the highlights of Guadalajara. So if you’re in Guadalajara, don’t miss Tlaquepaque 😊

Very colourful, with a selection that I have never seen before or since in Mexico, and really incredibly big.
The market of Zapopan is… famous for several things. Mainly because you can get things here that you wouldn’t even think of. I mean, I’ve seen plastic Christmas trees and Groot figures or something like clay jugs for water. In Mexico basically every Mexican market has pretty much everything you need for everyday life in stock and available to buy. In Zapopan, on the other hand, there is less fresh food, for example – at least from what I saw – and more junk, stuff for the house and… things you really don’t expect to find at a Mexican market – I mean, plastic Christmas trees, hellooo! 😀 Apart from that, the market is really HUGE! I remember we were strolling through the market and I thought to myself, ‘How much more is there?!’ And I love markets… Of course, we eventually reached the end, but the place is really… you need time to cover the more or less whole thing 😀
One more little note about the quality: I found that the market had a lot of junk as well as a lot of really good stuff. It’s a bit of a place to search, rummage and dig around. So it’s a bit different from other Mexican markets.
Go or not? Personally, I found the market really cool and very fascinating because it was different from other markets, with more stuff and also just really huge. At the same time, I think there are cooler markets and more Mexican ones in Mexico. So only go if you have time 😊

Zapopan is a neighbourhood of Guadalajara that is also kind of a Pueblo Mágico (magical town) right next to Guadalajara. It is part of the city, but at the same time not really. A bit like Xochimilco or Coyoacán in Mexico City. Both are quite far from the centre and famous for their own unique attractions. In the case of Zapopan, these are the cathedral, the sign and the market, which is truly immense and where there is an incredible amount to discover and buy. Apart from that, as in many Pueblos Mágicos, there is a street decorated with umbrellas hanging above it.
I went to Zapopan with a friend from Switzerland whom I had met in Puebla, and I honestly felt like I had travelled to a village near Guadalajara – knowing that we were still in Guadalajara. Nevertheless, the silence and tranquillity of the place is just so… you no longer feel like you’re in Guadalajara. And that makes Zapopan part of Guadalajara and yet not part of it.
Go or not? If you have time, yes, otherwise I think there are nicer neighbourhoods and Pueblos Mágicos elsewhere. Not because Zapopan isn’t really cute, but… there’s so much to see in Mexico that sometimes you have to make compromises. 

Very quiet, very green and very peaceful. At least the part where I was – the Japanese garden. A really beautiful, quiet and very peaceful place, where there were squirrels, you could watch fish in the water, a quinceañera was having her photo shoot – in Mexico you have the big party at 15 and not at 16 – and a lot of silence and splashing water. I can’t describe it any other way than just really peaceful.
Go or not? I liked it there and it’s really green and beautiful and peaceful, but it’s not easy to get to and it’s beautiful, but not wow. So I would only do it if there’s still time.

Very cute, beautiful and very quiet and peaceful. I would say that describes the ambience of the park/viewpoint de la Independencia near the CUAAD campus in Guadalajara. The viewpoint with the small park on top is located at the end of a street pretty much on the outskirts of Guadalajara. Like the viewpoint looks out over the surrounding countryside.
As I have an absolute weakness for viewpoints and legitimately haven’t found a better one or one with a view of Guadalajara itself, I went there and was… well, not underwhelmed, but the viewpoint is like Guadalajara itself. Beautiful, but just not amazing. However, you can chill out on the steps and just enjoy the view, have a snack and just be. And the park itself is also really cute and absolutely peaceful.
Go or not? If you like viewpoints and are in Guadalajara anyway, yes. Otherwise, no. Because it’s quite nice there, but not a must.

Guadalajara is one of the largest cities in Mexico. Accordingly, the centre is of course relatively large and also quite ‘normal’ and untouristic. Of course, there are fountains and really beautiful pedestrian walkways etc., but you rather feel the Mexican vibe of a big city here. Which is kind of cool and actually typical of big cities though. Nevertheless….. To be honest – and I apologise in advance to everyone from Guadalajara as well as everyone who loves this city – I wasn’t impressed by it. Not at all. Like don’t get me wrong, the centre of Guadalajara and the streets are really beautiful and not to be despised at all and there were also corners that kind of had the wow factor, but I just didn’t catch the spark. Like I just didn’t feel it. Perhaps it was because everything was beautiful, but nothing really knocks you off the floor. Or at least that’s how it was for me. Except for the Plaza de la Liberación. That was impressive.
And so… Guadalajara’s streets and the centre are beautiful and there’s a lot to see, but Guadalajara has neither the charm of the small towns nor the proud beauty that simply knocks you out, like Mexico City, for example. Guadalajara is more of a city where you have to live and get to know its corners in order to like it – or so I think/guess. But maybe it’s just me and I’m just really weird 😀
Go or not? Honestly? It’s not a must for me personally from a tourist perspective. Still, it’s one of the biggest cities and it is very close to Tequila (where tequila literally comes from), as well as Tlaquepaque (super cute) and other cool things. Apart from that, Guadalajara is said to have a cool party life. So I would just say up to you. And if you’re there, you should of course also take in the centre and the streets 😉 (the centre being more important though)

Very lively, really beautiful and very central. In fact, the Plaza de la Liberación – Liberation Square – is one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful square in Guadalajara. There is a sign that I didn’t manage to take a single photo of without people on it because someone was always posing in front of it. Admittedly, the sign is really cool and a bit different to the ones you usually see in Mexico 😀
Apart from that, there’s a small fountain, a really nice building on one side of the square, seating and chill-out areas on the sides and a really fantastic view of the back of the cathedral. Together with the sign, it is a real eye-catcher. And extremely Instagrammable 😀
Go or not? I think it’s unnecessary to say, but yes safe. The square is really cool and really beautiful and an absolute must if you’re in Guadalajara 😊

The ancient Roman Hall of Columns – as I’ll call it for now – is actually called the ‘Rotonda de los Jaliscienses Ilustres’ and is a kind of large circular arch supported by columns. I know that sounds cryptic and strange, but I just don’t know how to describe this thing.
It’s quite easy to find though as it’s in the centre near the main cathedral. And it’s also quite easy to walk round because it’s not particularly big and surrounded by a brass fence with golden spikes – which means Instapics are difficult.
Go or not? Since I would definitely go to the centre if I were in Guadalajara, I would also take this with me and maybe just chill out on one of the benches on site.

The main cathedral of Guadalajara as well as the central square are located in the centre of Guadalajara. If you look at Guadalajara on maps… it will probably not be immediately clear what is meant by ‘centre of Guadalajara’. Simply because the sights in Guadalajara are somewhat spread out – including the cathedrals. For example, I initially thought that another one was Guadalajara’s main cathedral and wondered why it was so far away from what felt like everything else. The main cathedral, however, is close to a lot of other sights and you notice that immediately when you stroll through the centre. There are several other sights nearby, the old town and so on and so forth.
Coming to the cathedral itself: It is beautiful and the square on which it stands has quite a nice fountain. There’s not much more to say here. Simply because… Guadalajara is not the most attractive city in Mexico for tourists per se. And you can see that in the centre too. Not that it’s not beautiful, just…. It’s just that everything is very spread out and doesn’t feel so super special.
Go or not? If you’re in Guadalajara, yes. Simply because the cathedral is close to a few other cool sights 😊