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Host City · Guadalajara

Guadalajara.

The most Mexican of Mexico’s cities. Where mariachi was invented, tequila is distilled an hour away, and a new generation of chefs are rewriting what Jalisco cooking can be.

4 Matches at
Estadio Guadalajara
  • Capacity~49,800
  • Altitude1,560 m
The basics

The stadium & getting your bearings

Guadalajara is the country’s second-largest city, the capital of Jalisco, and the cultural anchor of west-central Mexico. It is the home of mariachi (declared UNESCO Intangible Heritage), the birthplace of the Mexican Hat Dance, and the city closest to the agave fields that legally produce the only thing in the world allowed to be called tequila. It is also, quietly, becoming one of the best places to eat in the country.

Stadium
Estadio Guadalajara — the FIFA tournament name for Estadio Akron. Av. de las Rosas 3330, Chapalita, Zapopan.
Capacity
~49,800. Home of Chivas.
Getting there
Uber/DiDi from Chapultepec or Providencia (20–35 min). Public transit is limited.
Where to stay
Chapultepec / Lafayette (stylish, walkable, best food). Providencia (upscale, quiet). Centro Histórico (historic landmarks and architecture, quieter at night).
Airport
GDL — 25 km from city center. Uber and DiDi recommended.
Weather (Jun–Jul)
18–30°C / 65–86°F. Warm with occasional afternoon rain.
Altitude
1,560 m. Far gentler than CDMX.
What to see

Five sights

  • 01

    Instituto Cultural Cabañas

    UNESCO World Heritage. Look up at Orozco’s The Man of Fire on the chapel ceiling — one of the most powerful murals on the continent.

  • 02

    Catedral & Plaza de Armas

    The heart of the city. The kiosk often hosts evening music and performances.

  • 03

    Teatro Degollado

    19th-century neoclassical theater; check the calendar — the Ballet Folklórico is worth a night.

  • 04

    Mercado Libertad (San Juan de Dios)

    The largest covered market in Latin America. Birria, tortas ahogadas, leather, tequila, mariachi sheet music — all on three floors.

  • 05

    Tlaquepaque

    A 20-minute drive. Mexico’s artisan quarter — ceramics, blown glass, equipales (leather chairs), and mariachi serenades in the Parián.

Food: the deep dive

Eat like you live here

Jalisco invented or refined most of the dishes that define Mexican food abroad. This is where to taste the originals.

Five dishes to chase

  • Birria (de res o de chivo)

    Stewed in chiles, served with consomé for dipping. Birriería Las Nueve Esquinas is the classic.

  • Torta ahogada

    A crusty birote roll filled with carnitas, drowned in árbol-chile salsa. Sloppy, addictive, only here.

  • Carne en su jugo

    Thin steak with bacon and beans in its own juice. Karne Garibaldi can serve you in 13 seconds — a Guinness record.

  • Jericalla

    A custard between crème brûlée and flan, with a torched skin. Local dessert. Order it whenever you see it.

  • Tejuino

    A fermented corn drink, served cold with lime and salt. The street snack of summer.

Where to eat — by tier

  • Alcalde

    Chef Paco Ruíz’s flagship. Among Latin America’s 50 Best. Modern Jalisco cooking, tasting menu and à la carte. Lafayette.

  • Hueso

    Designed by architect Ignacio Cadena — white-tile, bone-clad, dramatic. Chef Alfonso Cadena’s seasonal menu. Lafayette.

  • Allium

    Tiny, local-ingredient-driven, by chef Javier Cabral. Providencia.

  • Anita Li

    Mexican-Asian fusion, easy room, excellent cocktails. Vallarta Poniente.

  • Karne Garibaldi

    The carne-en-su-jugo institution. Order in the open dining hall.

  • Mercado Libertad

    For street food on three floors. Bring cash.

The tequila & mezcal scene

  • La Tequila

    Extensive tequila list with cured meats and Jalisco classics.

  • Pare de Sufrir

    A designed, bar-forward space in Chapultepec with a serious agave list.

  • De La O

    For an old-school cantina experience with a mariachi soundtrack.

Pueblos mágicos

Day trips from Guadalajara

Three day trips. One is the most obvious in the country. The other two are why locals leave town on weekends.

Tequila

1 hour northwest

The only town in Mexico that’s also a drink. Surrounded by blue agave fields recognized by UNESCO, with distilleries you can walk into and tour. The José Cuervo Express train from Guadalajara is the easy option — a four-hour round trip with tastings, food, and music on board.

Do
Tour a distillery (José Cuervo, Casa Sauza, Fortaleza), walk the agave fields, taste a típico cocktail at Cantarito’s on the plaza.
Eat
Antojería La Querencia for hearty Jalisco cooking; El Marinero for fresh seafood (yes, in Tequila).
Tip
The Cuervo Express books up well in advance — reserve at least three weeks ahead during World Cup dates.

Tapalpa

2 hours south

A mountain pueblo with pine forests, red-tile roofs, and air that smells like a campfire. Cooler than Guadalajara by ten degrees. Famous for its borrego al pastor (lamb roasted on the spit) and for a strange, beautiful set of stone formations — Los Frailes — that look transplanted from another planet.

Do
Ride horses or ATVs to Los Frailes, hike to the Salto del Nogal waterfall (a 105-meter drop), browse the artisan rope and rebozo shops on the plaza.
Eat
El Camichines for borrego; La Viña de Bacus for wood-fired pizza after a hike.

Mazamitla

2.5 hours south

Nicknamed “Mexico’s little Switzerland.” Alpine-style chalets, dense forests, cool mornings, and a quiet pace that makes it the country’s most popular romantic weekend. Best in twos.

Do
Horseback ride to El Salto waterfall, rent a forest cabin, walk the lit-up zócalo after dinner.
Eat
Restaurante La Troje for trout and venison; the plaza for street-grilled corn and pasteles.
Tip
Consider an overnight — the morning fog is the moment to be there for.
Anchor in Guadalajara

From a great trip to a great life in Mexico

If Guadalajara wins you over — and it will — Anchor handles the visas, the housing search, the schools and the move. One contact, the whole process.

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