Guanajuato is a landlocked state in Mexico's colonial heartland, built on centuries of silver wealth. Its UNESCO-listed capital, Guanajuato City, is a maze of tunnels, brightly painted hillside houses, and baroque churches, while the nearby Historic Centre of San Miguel de Allende draws artists and expatriates to its pink Parroquia and cobblestone streets. The state also holds Dolores Hidalgo, cradle of Mexican independence, and León, the country's leather and shoe-manufacturing capital.
Guanajuato state carries a U.S. State Department Level 3, Reconsider Travel advisory due to cartel-related and fuel-theft-linked violence concentrated in the south-central municipalities of Celaya, Salamanca, and Irapuato. The historic tourist heartland of Guanajuato City, San Miguel de Allende, and Dolores Hidalgo experiences dramatically less of this violence, and San Miguel de Allende in particular has an excellent safety reputation among international visitors. The main practical concerns for travelers sticking to the tourist corridor are petty theft in crowds, uneven cobblestone streets, and standard road-travel precautions rather than the cartel violence driving the state-level rating.
Current safety advisory
Moderate
Essential safety tips
Practical advice that applies everywhere.
The U.S. State Department rates Guanajuato state Level 3, Reconsider Travel, due to crime linked to fuel-theft cartels and gang violence concentrated in the south-central municipalities of Celaya, Salamanca, Irapuato, and areas on or south of Federal Highway 45D; the historic tourist corridor of Guanajuato City, San Miguel de Allende, and Dolores Hidalgo sees far less of this violence and San Miguel de Allende is regularly ranked among the safest cities in North America for visitors
Confirm current routes before driving between cities, since U.S. government personnel are restricted from travel on or south of Highway 45D through Celaya, Salamanca, and Irapuato; travelers going overland between Guanajuato City, Leon, and San Miguel de Allende on the standard tourist routes are not affected by this restriction
Petty theft and pickpocketing occur in crowded areas of Guanajuato City's Jardin de la Union, the Mercado Hidalgo, and San Miguel de Allende's Jardin Principal, especially during festivals; keep bags zipped and phones out of back pockets
Intercity travel is safest by daytime bus with reputable operators (ETN, Primera Plus, Flecha Amarilla) rather than after dark on rural roads; avoid driving unfamiliar highways at night anywhere in the state
Guanajuato City's steep cobblestone callejones and underground tunnels are uneven and poorly lit at night; wear sturdy shoes and use well-traveled routes after dark
Cervantino Festival in October brings very large crowds to Guanajuato City; watch belongings closely in dense crowds and book transport and lodging well ahead
The high-altitude sun at roughly 2,000 meters elevation is intense; use sunscreen and stay hydrated, and pace yourself on the many steep hills and stairs
Tap water is not recommended for drinking; stick to bottled or purified water, including for ice, in restaurants and hotels
Common scams to avoid
Recognise and sidestep tourist-targeted scams.
Overpriced or unofficial taxis
Unlicensed taxis or drivers at bus terminals and the Bajio airport quote inflated flat fares to Guanajuato City or San Miguel de Allende
How to avoid: Use official radio taxis, hotel-arranged transport, or rideshare apps where available, and confirm the fare before getting in
Fake tour guides and callejoneada touts
Unofficial guides in Guanajuato City's Jardin de la Union approach tourists offering discounted callejoneada (walking minstrel tour) tickets that turn out to be overpriced or invalid
How to avoid: Book the callejoneada through the official kiosk near the Teatro Juarez or through a recognized hotel or tour operator
Currency exchange shortchanging
Informal money changers on the street in tourist areas give poor rates or count out incorrect change
How to avoid: Exchange money only at banks, official casas de cambio, or withdraw from bank-branded ATMs
Timeshare and property pitches in San Miguel de Allende
Aggressive timeshare or real estate sales pitches target foreign visitors around the Jardin Principal and expat social spots
How to avoid: Politely decline unsolicited invitations to presentations, and never provide identification or payment details to unsolicited approaches
Distraction theft in markets and festivals
Pairs work crowded markets and Cervantino Festival crowds, with one person distracting while another lifts wallets or phones
How to avoid: Wear bags across the body in front, keep phones out of open pockets, and stay alert in dense crowds
Health considerations
Staying healthy on your trip.
- Vaccinations
- No specific vaccinations are required; routine vaccines should be up to date, and travelers should discuss hepatitis A and typhoid with a healthcare provider before visiting Mexico
- Water
- Tap water is not safe to drink in Guanajuato state; drink bottled or purified water, and check that ice at restaurants is made from purified water
- Food
- Street food from busy, high-turnover stalls in Guanajuato City and San Miguel de Allende is generally safe and popular with visitors; choose vendors with visible cleanliness and a steady stream of local customers, and ease into spicy or unfamiliar dishes gradually
- Facilities
- Guanajuato City and Leon have modern private hospitals; the largest is Hospital General Regional de Leon and Hospital Aranda de la Parra in Leon, with smaller public and private clinics in Guanajuato City and San Miguel de Allende; pharmacies (farmacias) are widespread and many are open 24 hours in city centers
Safety for specific travellers
Tailored advice for different groups.
Emergency contacts
Numbers to know before you go.
- Police
- 911 (nationwide emergency number, connects to police, fire, and medical dispatch)
- Medical
- 911 or Cruz Roja (Red Cross) ambulance service, widely available in Guanajuato City, Leon, and San Miguel de Allende
- Fire
- 911
- Tourist Assistance
- 078 (Mexico Tourist Assistance hotline, multilingual)
- General Emergency
- 911 (works nationwide from any phone, including without a SIM)
- Main Hospital
- Hospital General de Guanajuato, Guanajuato City; Hospital Aranda de la Parra, Leon
- Embassy Us
- U.S. Embassy Mexico City: +52 55 5080 2000
- Consular Agency San Miguel
- U.S. Consular Agency San Miguel de Allende: +52 415 152 2357
- Embassy Uk
- British Embassy Mexico City: +52 55 1670 3200