Introduction

San Miguel de Allende’s tree shaded plaza, dominated by an unusual neo-Gothic parish church, is a touch of the Left Bank. Perhaps because, as legend has it, builder Ceferino Gutierrez was inspired by a European postcard and, sketching outlines in the sand, set his workers to building an indigenous version of a Gothic cathedral. The result is a mass of pink spires that poke into the blue sky, and set the town apart from its neighbors.

The plaza is the heart of a cosmopolitan town with a colonial setting so strikingly lovely in its architecture that UNESCO gave it World Heritage status in 2008. Its many beautifully restored colonial mansions today house delightful boutique hotels, patio restaurants, and fine shops.

About a four-hour drive northwest of Mexico City, San Miguel is nestled in the heart of the colonial highlands, Mexico’s Independence Country. Its name honors Ignacio Allende, a leader in the war to gain independence from Spain.

In addition to visitors who come to enjoy the town’s beauty, climate and colorful fiestas, students of all ages come to study art, painting, weaving, sculpting, photography and Spanish. In fact, it was the Instituto Allende that really put San Miguel on the map. Founded in 1951 on the grounds of an abandoned hacienda, the institute grew over the years into one of Latin America’s largest schools of fine arts for English-speaking students. Year-round classes offer degrees in fine arts, crafts, photography and, of course, Spanish. Language studies are given an added dimension with field trips to historic and cultural sites. For information, visit www.institutoallende.edu.mx.

Centro Cultural Ignacio Ramirez “El Nigromante” also offers classes in music and the arts, and is housed in a glorious former convent built in the mid-18th century with the dowry of a nun, Sor Maria Josefa Lina de la Canal y Hervas. T. (415) 152 0289.

San Miguel’s unspoiled provincial character — no neon, no billboards, no swarms of guides or vendors — combined with its level of cultural activity make it one of Mexico’s truly stimulating travel destinations.