Tlaquepaque Historical Tour

The first stop on our historic tour of Tlaquepaque is the town’s tourist center, conveniently located adjacent to Avenida Niños Heroes, the road coming from Guadalajara´s nearby historic city center.  Here you can arrive in or climb into a taxi street side. If you arrive in town with luggage, or make many purchases during the tour, you can leave these items in the lockers provided in the building. The Tourist Center also has a large exhibition area with displays of work by local artisans that changes on a regular basis.   

At the entrance to Calle Independencia a bronze sculpture depicts the Tlaquepaque Coat of Arms. The iconic forms included on the plaque by the local artist who created it, are emblematic of the town’s history, the craftsmanship that has made it nationally famous, and the role played by religious devotion.

Before leaving Independence Street you’ll learn about the eye popping sculptures that during your walk towered over your head. Some celebrate Mexican Independence while other more recent works by Sergio  Bustamante are so beloved for their distinctive style they hold equally prominent place in the artistic life of the street.

Located in the Calle Independencia, Tlaquepaque’s regional ceramics museum is well worth the 30-40 minutes we spend viewing its exhibits. The town is nationally famous for the styles of pottery and clay figurines created by its artisans, and in the building – once the home of a colorful character nicknamed “The Golden Donkey” – the museum’s curators have lovingly assembled displays of some of the most representative work they produced.  

In Tlaquepaque’s cobblestoned “Andador” or main walking street, for almost 200 years Mexican families have come to stroll the Calle Independencia. During this part of our tour you’ll join them in taking in the splendor of the street’s former haciendas, which have today house exquisitely decorated restaurants, art galleries and shops selling furniture and other home decor. 

Built in the mid 19th century, this historic complex with its cave like cellar and rooftop view of the town, once housed a hospital and a private residence with it’s own guard tower, but since has been repurposed for a variety of functions. No historic tour of Tlaquepaque is complete without a visit. 

At midday we visit what now houses the town’s sprawling semi open-air market. Here Tlaquepaquenses do their daily shopping for fruits and vegetables, fresh meat and seafood, and just about everything else needed to prepare meals. We´ll make a tour of some of the vendors then grab a bite on the bottom floor where you can choose from anything from tacos to regional favorites birría and lonches, gorditos and much more.  Want to stay light on your feet? Delicious fresh fruit shakes are also an option! 

The parish church is a dominant feature of the town square, as is the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Solitude. We’ll stop long enough to appreciate the (especially historic) importance of religious life in Tlaquepaque.  

This building with its many arches once housed Tlaquepaque’s historic market. Now it lays claim to being one of the largest cantinas in Latin America. It’s home to a group of restaurants with Mariachi bands and offering regional dishes and drinks you’ll want to get to know. As the town’s anchor and main landmark, we begin our tour here, giving you a brief history of the town. We also visit the nearby Open Sky Gallery, the town’s Municipal Building, and the delightful Hidalgo Garden which is the site of frequent expositions, performances and the occasional movie shoot.  

The last stop on our tour is the town´s fresh and artisanal market. Typical of many towns the size of Tlaquepaque, the market´s main area teems with sellers of fresh produce, herbs and spices, and some very fiery condiments. See and sample the locally grown products that go into making one of the world´s best loved cuisines, including vegetables, fruits and a mind blowing assortment of dried chilies. If you´re hungry you can sample treats like tacos dorados, gorditas, birria, and other regional favorites. If you´re saving your appetite for dinner a delectable fresh fruit shake might hit the spot.  Before leaving the market we´ll go up to the top floor for a walk around the dozens of stalls selling locally made artisanal handcrafts. This is the perfect place to buy a few easily packed souvenirs to take or ship home, and  to practice your Spanish.