If you’re in San Miguel, wondering what else is out there to visit, head north to Dolores Hidalgo for a sliver of Mexican history.
This was the site of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla’s Cry of Independence (a.k.a., Cry of Dolores) back in 1810.
Today, Dolores Hidalgo is known for pottery — in and amongst the fairly humdrum streets of this tranquil town, you’ll be sure to see plenty of primary-colored pots and elaborately-painted tiles.
A very high percentage of the Talavera style pottery found around the country comes from the greater Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato.
But the best time to go to the town of Dolores, is really for Mexican Independence Day (which is not May 5th or Cinco de Mayo as most Americans think), but September 16.
Once the beating heart of Guanajuato’s mining past, there are hundreds of abandoned mines in the area; however, the trio of adobe smelting ovens, which are all that remain of the Santa Brígida mine, are particularly striking.
There’s also a lavender farm that is worth visiting.
Santa Brígida Mine, Desviación Camino a Sta. Brigida Km. 3, San Pedro de los Pozos, +52 468 123 5050