Celaya

Celaya is a city of 378,000 people (2020) in Guanajuato, Mexico. Celaya is the third largest city in the State of Guanajuato, after Leon and Guanajuato.

Understand
The main economic activities are the manufacturing industry (52% of the local GDP), the services sector (26%) and commerce (17%). The main manufacturing industries are related to the manufacture of electrical appliances, power generators, pharmaceutical products, household appliances, auto parts and cardboard packaging. The major agronomic activities are made up of the cultivation of corn, alfalfa and sorghum, and the rearing of cattle and goats.

Get in
It is 50 km west of the city of Santiago de Querétaro and 260 km from Mexico City.

By plane
airport and airports are nearby.

By car
From Queretaro, it is a fast, easy drive to Celaya on a modern divided highway. Head west on federal highway MEX-45D for 45 minutes and you will be in Celaya. The highway has tolls.

By bus
Coming from Guadalajara you can catch ETN the Executive class service with an option of single seats and WiFi with lunch for around M$350 (pesos) (US$25) one way or a lower class first class service from for M$333 where you get just a free soda and cookie.

From San Miguel de Allende there is a second-class Flecha Amarilla bus every 15 minutes for M$55 and a second-class Servicios Coordinados bus (with TV and air conditioning) for M$61 once an hour. Both stop in Comonfort and Escobedo on the way. There is also a less-frequent first-class Primera Plus bus.

Get around
Walking is the easiest way to get around in the core downtown area of el centro. Uber is available in Celaya and taxis are easy to find. You can ask your hotel front desk staff to call a taxi for you.

Buy
Celaya is famous for the artisanal production of cajeta, a type of milk candy. The tanned hides and skins of San Lorenzo, cardboard masks, cardboard paintings, tin, white wood and papier-mâché are worked; pyrotechnics and toys in cardboard, reed, tin and white wood. the objects are sold in the independence road there are several places where you can find wooden toys, leather belts, boots and other handicrafts.

Eat
Celaya is known for its cajeta, a typical sweet made in an artisanal way. It is prepared with goat's milk in copper saucepans. There is a great variety of flavors: envinada, pine nut, vanilla, burnt, walnut, among others. In the same way, other delicious sweets are made such as ham, caramelized peanuts, covered fruits, almond cheese, custards, alfeñiques, wafers, cocadas; and in general, the sweets made with milk, even in the water ball it was believed that inside it there was a cajeta and not water.

Other typical foods are Celaya-style tostadas, gorditas de queso y migajas from the Tierras Negras neighborhood, and pacharelas.

Stay safe
Celaya has become one of the 50 most violent cities in the world. In 2020, Celaya had the highest homicide rate in the country with a total of 699 homicides and a rate of 109, per 100,000 inhabitants. Being outside at night is not recommend and many stores will close early before midnight to avoid the danger. Some streets also block themselves off with only residents being allowed in.

The Cartel de Santa Rose de Lima used to control the city however their presence has become limited to non-existence.

There are many municipal police and national guard patrolling the city usually around the centro.

Like the rest of Mexico drivers here are aggressive and usually don't stop for pedestrians or cyclists.

Cope
Like the rest of Mexico you have to pay for parking and restrooms (sanitarios). Prices are usually low from 5 to 12 pesos.

Go next

 * Queretaro
 * Irapuato
 * Salvatierra