Day 1 - Guadalajara city

Start with a walking tour to see the center of the city. Compared to Mexico City, Guadalajara appears safer, cleaner, and more well-maintained.

Do check out the largest gold market and the largest covered market in Latin America (“Mercado San Juan de Dios”).

Try Tejuino, a drink local to the Mexican states of Jalisco and Chihuahua.

And since it is Mexico,  do eat corn (elotes) as well.

There are two museums worth visiting, Museo Cabañas and Musa. Musa is free. Museo Cabañas is free on Tuesdays.

At night, do watch the light show at Guadalajara Catedral.

Day 2 - Guachiomontones

Guachiomontones built in ~300 BC is the only circular pyramid in the world. The site is small compared to Chichén Itzá or Egyptian Pyramids. However, if you are a history buff, you will love it. Otherwise, it might feel underwhelming. To get here, take a 100 pesos one-hour bus from Guadalajara Central Bus Station to Teuchitlán. From here, you can take a taxi or even a 20-minute walk to the pyramids. Here’s a blog post that describes the full details. I would highly recommend taking a guide here as they will explain the Ulama game and how it relates to “Poc ta poc " played near Chichén Itzá. The guide will cost 200-400 pesos.

Rather than going from Teuchitlán to Guadalajara, you can take a ~100 peso bus to La Venta del Astillero and from there head to Tequila town via a 120 pesos bus. Tequila town is the birthplace of Tequila. There isn’t a lot to do here if you don’t drink. You can try Agave miel (honey) at a few shops. Tequila Town has a relaxed touristy vibe.

Once you are done, you can take a 130 pesos 2-hour bus back to Guadalajara.

Day 3 - Lake Chapala - the largest lake in Mexico

I took a 60-pesos 1-hour bus journey to Ajijic on Lake Chapala.

Lake Chapala is the largest lake in Mexico. The nearby city of Ajijic is one of the best-known expat hubs. It has a small waterfall that was dry when I visited. The hike to the waterfall is only 40 minutes long but is a strenuous upward climb. Otherwise, there isn’t much to see in the city.

From here, take a 12-pesos ~20-minute bus to the City of Chapala, which is both larger and more touristy.

Here you can see the ceremony of Voladores (“flying men”).

In the evening, I took a 60 pesos 1-hour bus ride back to Guadalajara.

Day 4 - Tlaquepaque

The city of Tlaquepaque has friendly vibes and beautiful art. It is worth visiting but still a bit underwhelming compared to Guadalajara.

In the evening, try vegan ceviche at the famous vegan restaurant “La Flaca”.

Note:

  1. Just like in Mexico City, the public transport is widely accessible.