If you’ve managed to make your way to the magical pueblo of San Miguel de Allende, you’re likely planning to at least spend a few days there. I spoke about this in my article on “how to spend 4 days in San Miguel de Allende.” But – don’t let the other articles you read dissuade you from spending any less than 3 days in the region. Many articles say you only need 2 days in San Miguel and that there isn’t much to do. I’d argue you can easily spend 3 in the town alone, and a few days in the surrounding area. Today’s article is on a must-visit spot – a San Miguel day trip to Atotonilco.
The Logistics: About Taking a Day Trip to Atotonilco
With a population of less than 1,000 people, the town of Atotonilco is known as a religious pilgrimage spot due to being the home of the Sanctuary of Atotonilco. It became an UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008 and is frequently dubbed “Mexico’s Sistine Chapel.” Once you enter what is a seemingly simple church from the outside, you’ll immediately understand the nickname. You can easily spend multiple hours looking at each piece of art and learning about its meaning.
An important note: while technically this article is a day trip idea, you only need a morning/ afternoon in Atotonilco. You can easily spend 30 min to over 1 hour in the sanctuary (depending on how much you love art and history) and then spend an hour popping into the local shops and tiny market.
- Distance: ~20 min drive from San Miguel de Allende
- Getting there: We hired a driver for a half day via our hotel, however, you can easily Uber there (~$10-$12 USD each way)
- Admission (to the Sanctuary): Free for the first half of the church and ~15MX for the second half.
- Sanctuary Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM daily
About the Sanctuary of Atotonilco
The santuario was founded in 1740 and took 36 years to complete. The project was started by priest Luis Felipe Neri de Alfaro and the Baroque painting was done by artist Juan Rodríguez Juárez. You can learn more about it the various paintings here.
Tip: For religious artifacts such as rosaries and crosses, Atotonilco’s market has significantly more reasonable prices than everywhere else we went in Guanajuato. You can also find what might some call interesting religious items such as whips in the market!
For more San Miguel de Allende Tips:
How to Spend 4 Days in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
