Jalisco, Mexico

State guide with cities, regions, and key information.

MexicoAmericas
Introduction
Jalisco, in western Mexico, is the birthplace of much of what the world thinks of as Mexican — tequila, mariachi music and the charro (cowboy) tradition all come from here — and it pairs the great city of Guadalajara with agave fields, a vast lake and Pacific beaches. For travellers it offers Guadalajara's culture and crafts, the UNESCO agave landscape and distilleries around the town of Tequila, the resort beaches of Puerto Vallarta, and the lakeside towns of Lake Chapala — a state that distils the essence of Mexican identity.

Discover Jalisco

Guadalajara, the capital and Mexico's second-largest city, is a cultured and elegant metropolis with a magnificent historic centre. Around its plazas stand the iconic twin-spired cathedral, the neoclassical Teatro Degollado, the Government Palace and the Rotonda of Illustrious Jaliscienses, all linked by a cross of pedestrian squares. The crown jewel is the Hospicio Cabañas, a vast neoclassical former hospice and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, whose chapel ceiling blazes with José Clemente Orozco's powerful 'Man of Fire' murals, among the masterpieces of Mexican art. On the city's south-eastern edge, the once-separate towns of Tlaquepaque and Tonalá are Mexico's craft capitals — Tlaquepaque's pretty pedestrian streets are lined with galleries, ceramics and design shops and El Parián, a great plaza of restaurants where mariachis play, while Tonalá's huge market overflows with pottery and folk art. Guadalajara is also the cradle of mariachi music, celebrated each year at the International Mariachi Festival, and a modern hub of food, design and tech — a city that rewards several days.

Travel Types

Guadalajara & Crafts

The city's cathedral and Orozco murals, and the pottery, glass and mariachi of Tlaquepaque and Tonalá.

Tequila & Agave

The UNESCO agave landscape and the distilleries of the town of Tequila, the spirit at its source.

Puerto Vallarta Beaches

The Malecón, the Bay of Banderas beaches, whale-watching and a lively dining scene on the Pacific.

Mexican Traditions

The birthplace of mariachi and charrería (Mexican rodeo), and the lakeside towns of Lake Chapala.

Frequently asked questions

Yes — it's one of the best day trips in the region, about 90 minutes north-west of Guadalajara through the UNESCO-listed agave fields. You can go by road tour, by car, or aboard the festive Tequila Express or José Cuervo Express tourist trains, which include distillery visits and tastings. Most distilleries offer tours that walk you from the agave to the glass; it's the essential way to understand Mexico's most famous spirit at its birthplace.

Very much — Mexico's second city is cultured, elegant and less touristy than the capital, with a grand historic centre, the masterpiece Orozco murals in the UNESCO Hospicio Cabañas, the craft towns of Tlaquepaque and Tonalá, a strong food and design scene and the home of mariachi music. It's also the gateway to Tequila and Lake Chapala. Two or three days do the city and its surroundings justice, and it pairs well with a Pacific-coast or tequila excursion.

Puerto Vallarta, on Jalisco's Pacific coast, combines an atmospheric old town — the cobbled Zona Romántica and the sculpture-lined seafront Malecón — with the beaches of the vast Bay of Banderas. You can relax on the resort sands or take a boat to the secluded southern coves (Yelapa, Las Ánimas), go whale-watching in winter, snorkel at Los Arcos, and explore the mountains and villages inland. It has a renowned dining scene and is one of Latin America's most welcoming LGBTQ+ destinations.

Cities in Jalisco

1 city with detailed travel information

Guadalajara