Dolores Hidalgo

Dolores Hidalgo is a small colonial town of 67,000 inhabitants (2020) in the state of Guanajuato in Central Mexico. The town is famous as the "Cradle of Mexican Independence". The quiet atmosphere in this town makes it really charming and the absence of tourist crowds could make it a highlight in your trip.

Understand
The full name of this town is Dolores Hidalgo, Cuna de la Independencia Nacional (Cradle of the National Independence). This town was the starting point of the fight for Mexican independence from the Spanish empire in 1810. On the morning of September 16, 1810, the priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla called his parishioners to take up arms against New Spain and rang one of the bells of the parish. This event is called "the Grito de Dolores".



Get in
To reach Dolores Hidalgo you should be able to get a bus from Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende or León all of them are around one hour away. Taking a bus from Querétaro is also an option. From Mexico City you need to take a bus to any of the before mentioned cities and then to Dolores. The bus station for which includes Primera Plus and Coordinados is on Calle Hidalgo 26, north of the Rio Dolores. The other station for  is at Calle Yucatan 13e, on the corner of Calle Yucatan and Chiapas, one block north and one block west from Flecha Amarilla along Calle Tobasco/Chiapas.

Get around
The town is really small, everything is within walking distance.

Do
Every night there's a re-creation of the famous cry for freedom at the main square with light and sound effects.

Events

 * Feast of the Lord of the Afflicted (January 1): it takes place in the community of El Llanito. Masses, dances and fireworks are held, parishioners will give thanks for the new year.
 * Dolores Friday (Friday before Palm Sunday): celebration of the Virgen Dolorosa, patron saint of the town, monumental altars are made in various houses of the historic center and communities, a procession is held and water, popsicles and snow of fruits of season.
 * Feast of the Assumption (August 15): celebration of the Assumption of Mary in the Parish of the Assumption.
 * National Holidays (from September 4 to 20): during most of the month of September, commercial exhibitions, popular dances, cultural and sporting events are organized. At dawn on September 16, the cry of Dolores is recreated in the atrium of the Parroquia de Dolores, there are fireworks and concerts.
 * International Festival of José Alfredo Jiménez (FIJAJ) (November 19 to 23): festival where homage is paid to the singer-songwriter from Puerto Rico José Alfredo Jiménez. Artistic and gastronomic exhibitions, colloquia, film shows, lyrical composition competitions and tours of the town canteens are held.
 * Feast of the Immaculate Conception (November 28 to December 8): it is celebrated in the Temple of the Third Order. A great popular fair is held, with Mexican snacks, serenades with musical groups, fireworks burn and the artisans hold an exhibition of wax figures. Each workers guild makes a procession with large candles.

Buy
Dolores is famous for its Talavera ceramic (pottery) items such as tiles, vases, and pots. The majority of the city's ceramics stores are clustered along on the western edge of the centro.

Next to the parish, there are several stalls selling small cacti, local liquors such as honey liquor or cacti liquor, and other local crafts. Buying from them will make their day.

Eat
The municipality has a semi- arid climate and part of the local flora is consumed as food by the population, fruits such as tunas, xoconostles, chilitos, borrachitas and garambullos stand out. Among the most representative crops are beans, chili peppers, chickpeas, zucchini, corn and jet chili peppers.

Among the typical dishes from Dolo is the vitualla, a chickpea and carrot-based stew served at weddings and other family celebrations; and chiles de chorro rellenos, a variety of chili endemic to the region filled with beans, cheese or ground meat.

Dolores is famous for its exotic ice cream flavors. Try them at the main square, there are two vendors, offering strange flavors such as mole (chili and chocolate sauce), beer, strawberries and cream, and avocado. Each ice cream or "Helado" in Spanish is around M$15.



Drink
Some of the traditional drinks are the white atole de puscua, a preparation of ground cacahuazintle white corn cooked in water; the gruel black cocoa shell and colonche, an alcoholic beverage of tuna.

In Dolores there are clubs and bars that you can go to just ask taxi cab drivers and they would take you anywhere. The most famous are and Cabina de Cesar.

Wine
The climate of Dolores Hidalgo favors the cultivation of the vine and the production of wine, especially sweet wines such as muscatel, port, sherry and vermouth. Local wineries usually welcome visitors to tour the vineyards and winery and to experience a tasting of their different wines and vintages.





Stay safe
Dolores is a safe place by Mexican standards. Overall, people are nice and willing to help if you need directions.

Go next

 * Guanajuato
 * San Miguel de Allende