Mexico/Guanajuato: Guanajuato City

Guanajuato, the capital of the state, is perhaps one of the most picturesque and beautiful towns in Mexico and deservedly a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town is located in a narrow valley between steep hills and every single street in town is either almost vertical or just a pedestrian staircase – you can hardly drive here. Just getting down into the town you gotta use a funicular, one of the first such things in Mexico. The town is very pleasant to explore along narrow alleyways, small plazas, and plenty of colorful churches and rich historic mansions. Among major churches are the Basilica of Guanajuato, Templo San Diego de Acala, Templo de San Jose, Templo de la Compania de Jesus. Also spectacular is the massive building of the University of Guanajuato and Teatro Juarez. The nearby silver mine is responsible for all the city’s wealth as it once produced 2/3 of the world’s silver output in the mid-18th century.