February 2025 3rd year!

International Guided Tour: Mexican Jewelry experience and more

(San Miguel de Allende)

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to immerse yourself into the Mexican culture.  The Tour will be focused on seeing the cities of San Miguel De Allende,  Guanajuato,  Dolores Hidalgo,  and much more.  Also the trip includes a 2 hour workshop of Matthew’s innovative techniques for jewelry design. Whether you are looking to take your jewelry making to the next level or just try something new, Matthew will be your personal guide through the sketching, designing, and creating process. With many years of knowledge and experience, Matthew will show you how to incorporate the beauty of your surroundings, whether it is the local plant life, or architecture to inspire you. The first 2 trips in February 2023 and 2024 were an amazing success!  The next tours will be in February 2025.  

All the details, cost, and Airbnb information are at the bottom of this page.  

February 2024 Itinerary:

Sunday February  / Day 1: Fly to QRO airport in Mexico.  A shuttle driver will greet you at the airport with a sign with your name on it, and then take you to your Airbnb.  We will meet in the center of town in the evening at El Jardin (the Garden) and have dinner at one of its courtyard garden restaurants. After dinner, we will take a stroll around the historic city and enjoy the sounds of Mariachi bands.

Monday February  / Day 2: We will meet at El Jardin for Breakfast. We will start the day with a 4-hour walking tour and lunch of historical downtown San Miguel De Allende with our private tour guide Horacio. The sidewalks and streets are cobblestone, so please bring good walking shoes and a walking stick. After the tour, we will take a siesta because we are all old. Then we will meet at El Jardin and have dinner.  

Tuesday February / Day 3: We will meet at El Jardin for breakfast. Then Megan an amazingly enthusiastic teacher will give us a lesson on continuous line drawing with an urban sketching influence and take us to inspiring places to draw the amazing architecture of San Miguel. We will stop for lunch at a local restaurant, and then it is siesta time! After our siesta, I will give an option hands on workshop at the Institute Allende on how I design inspiring jewelry. Then we will all meet for dinner at an amazing restaurant. After dinner we are on our own to explore the sights.

Wednesday February  / Day 4: Breakfast is on your own this morning, I recommend walking down to the market for fresh fruit, coffee, and some of the local delicious Arroz Con Leche (mexican rice oatmeal.)   At 9:00 am we will meet at El Jardin and head out with Horacio our tour guide to Cañada de la Virgen the Pyramid Temples in San Miguel De Allende to explore the ruins and learn about the history of the area.  We will arrive back at 1:00 and you are on you  for lunch and you siesta time,  The we will meet at 5:00 at the Teatro Santa Ana to listen and watch an amazing Classical Guitar player named Miguel.  After the show we will meet at El Jardin and have Dinner. 



Thursday February  / Day 5:   Have breakfast on your own early,  then we will meet at El Jardin at 8:45 am and head out with Horacio to Guanajuato. This is where silver was first discovered in Mexico. It is also the birthplace of the artist Diego Rivera. We will also see the Guanajuato mummies. It is an amazing city that has a European ambiance.  In Guanajuato we will also be getting a behind the scenes look a Mexican Jewelry workshop where they make handmade jewelry that is inspired by Mexican Rosaries.    We will stop for lunch at a local restaurant.  We will get back late in the day so you will be on your own for dinner.   Then, we will make our way to the Teatro Angela Peralta to watch a Mexican Flamenco show (which is different than a Spanish Flamenco show.)


Friday February  / Day 6: JEWELRY DAY! In the morning, we will meet at El Jardin for breakfast followed by a walking tour of the local jewelers and the Arte Instituto. Then we will make our way to a local Jewelers home where we will have traditional Mexican lunch and learn how he makes classic  Mexican braided leather bracelets that you will take home.  Then it is siesta time again!  At 6:00 we will go to the home of Bill and Howard for a before dinner party.  Bill and Howard moved to San Miguel De Allende after they retired in the US. Their home is like a museum and they love to give tours of the property. They are both amazing individuals who have given so much to the people of San Miguel.  After Bill and Howards we will go to dinner at an amazing restaurant in the center of town. It will be a terrific evening.

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Saturday February  / Day 7: We are meeting at El Jardin for breakfast. Then the group will disband so you can explore, shop, and have lunch on your own. Then we will meet again at El Jardin for dinner. After dinner, we will have a few drinks and sing with the Mariachi bands- a great ending to our fabulous journey.

Sunday February  / Day 8: The shuttle will drive everyone to the airport and
then we will fly home.

The tour will not include Airfare.  The  airport is Querétaro Intercontinental Airport (QRO).  The airfare cost is typically $700 USD from most cities in the United States.  Dallas, Texas is the exception because most flights stop in Dallas and then go directly to one of the two airports close to San Miguel.  The tour will not include the hotel or Airbnb.  A list of local Airbnb's that I recommend based on your needs will be available as we get closer to the tour date.   The cost of the Airbnb's are from $35 USD  to $175 USD per night.  The tour will not include travel insurance so when you buy your Airfare ticket check YES when asked "do you want to buy insurance".  If you have an accident in Mexico your health insurance in the United State of America will not pay for those services.  Everyone MUST have trip insurance.  there are two companies I have used in the past see the link at the bottom of this page.  Not all the meals are included with the tour. The meals that we have as a group will be included on designated days so we are not struggling to divide a bill by 12 people :).   The cost of the trip will include Ground transportation to and from the airport, the daily tours, transportations for the tours, admission to the museums, the group classes, and one week of sunshine!

What is included:

Sunday: Pickup from QRO airport to your Airbnb and *Dinner

Monday: Breakfast, Walking tour of San Miguel, *Lunch and *Dinner

Tuesday: Breakfast, Rhoda Drawing class, *Lunch and *Dinner

Wednesday: Pyramid tour and transportation, Guitar concert and *Dinner

Thursday: Guanajuato and transportation, Mummies Museum, *Lunch and Flamenco Show

Friday: Breakfast, Behind the scenes jewelry tour and class, *Lunch and *Dinner

Saturday: Breakfast, Shopping tour, and *Dinner

Sunday: Ride to QRO airport from your Airbnb

*Alcohol drinks not included, but are available. 

$1,375.00 per person before December 31, 2024 / $1,575.00 after January 1,  2025
The itinerary many change but all will be included. 


An option extra 4 days to Mexico City is available for an additional cost.  We will visit the Teotihuacan Pyramid, the Anthropology museum, catch a Lucha Libre wrestling show, and do the hop on hop off bus tour.  


What is NOT included:   

Airfare:  Airfare to and from San Miguel De Allende not included  The airport is Querétaro Intercontinental Airport (QRO).  The airfare cost is typically $700 USD from most cities in the United States. Dallas is the hub where they fly from to QRO. 

Accommodations:  The tour will not include the hotel or Airbnb.  Scroll down to see the list of local Airbnb's that I recommend.  If you find a different one and need to get my opinion please email me the link.    The cost of the Airbnb's are from $35 USD to $175 USD per night. 

Insurance:  The tour will not include travel insurance so when you buy your Airfare ticket check YES when asked "do you want to buy insurance". If you have an accident in Mexico your health insurance in the United State of America will not pay for those services. Everyone MUST show proof of  have trip insurance.  These are two companies I have used in the past. https://www.allianztravelinsurance.com  and https://www.travelguard.com

Some Meals:  Not all the meals are included with the tour. The meals that we have as a group will be included on designated days so we are not struggling to divide a bill by 12 people :).    *Alcohol drinks not included, but are available.


These are Airbnb's that I have stayed at or visited in San Miguel De Allende, they have a clean bed, hot water, and are most not fancy. I look at a room as a place to sleep and not to spend to much time. I like to be close to the center but not to close that it keeps me up at night. I like simple, easy relaxing spots.  Some have a good views and some don't.   I'm staying at the Hummingbird Property because it is good for groups.   If you are looking for an expensive place the Rosewood is the hotel for you! Scroll down to see the list of Airbnb's.   I am constantly researching different options and updating the Airbnb list.  If you are interested in going on the Mexico trip please keep in mind Airbnb book up quickly in February because of the international writer convention in San Miguel each year.  

Near Juarez Park: 

Hummingbird House:  This is the property I will be staying at.  There are 7 apartments and a nice roof top Terrace for everyone to use. 

Ground floor apartments: 

Room #1 Hummingbird House 2 beds 1 bathroom studio facing the street : $50 per night

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/45885609?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=311c63b4-95...

Room # 2 Hummingbird House 2 beds 1 bathroom studio, facing the courtyard: $50 per night

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/45702914?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=094babdc-ab... 

Room #3 Hummingbird House 1 double bed 1 bathroom, facing the courtyard:  $50 per night

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/45739626?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=169a0996-c4...


Upstairs apartments:

Room #6 Hummingbird House 1 double bed 1 bathroom facing the street with a window: $50 per night

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/45884645?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=80417c27-4b... 

Room #7 Hummingbird House 1 Double bed 1 bathroom facing the street with a window: $50 per night

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/45894762?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=0fff50ad-35...

Room #5 Hummingbird House 1 double bed 1 bathroom, facing the courtyard: $50 per night
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/45893856?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=065258ad-de...


Room #4 Hummingbird House 1 double bed 1 bathroom, facing the courtyard:  $50 per night
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/871862538325016691?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=1...


Close to the Hummingbird:  

2 bedroom, 3 beds, 1 bathroom :$130 per night: Two women stayed here on the tour, its nice but a lot of stairs. 

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/951505265245524429?adults=2&location=San%20Miguel%20de%20Allende%2C...

Casa Galerías: 2 bedroom, 2 beds, 1.5 bathrooms $110 per night

https://www.airbnb.com/split-stays/30771296?adults=2&location=San%20Miguel%20de%20Allende%2C%20G...

Hotel Eden de Los Angeles on Jesus 28, Nice but small rooms:  $50 per night:
3 single bed (room #8), 4 king size bed (room #1) , 1 room with 2 king beds (room #7)

https://hoteledendelosangeles.myguruhotel.com

Bitos Tenerias Hotel, very nice hotel includes breakfast, 6 queen rooms upstairs $175 per night, 2 king size rooms $200 per night
https://bitos-boutique.san-miguel-de-allendehotels.com/en/

Casa Aliz Hotel: very nice hotel: 3 kings $83 per night, 2 rooms with 2 beds $110 per night, 2 king with balcony $120 per night, 1 king with Jazuzzi $125 per night on top need to be able to walk up stairs, 1 king with sofa and kitchen $175 per night:

https://casaaliz.com/



across from theater at the library:   These apartments are good, clean, hot water, and inexpensive. Its not the Hyatt.

Ground floor apartments: All of these ground floor face the center courtyard
Room #2 Relox 43 1 double bed 1 bathroom, CENTRALLY LOCATED ROOM 2 BLOCKS FROM THE PARISH : $50 per night
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/23006305?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=8c80d319-d3...

Room #1 Relox 43 1 double bed 1 bathroom, Centrally located Urban Room 1 : $50 per night
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/912458200048184133?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=1...

Room #4 Relox 43 1 double bed 1 bathroom, Downtown Bed 4 : $50 per night
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/861009331865577485?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=e...

Upstairs apartments:

Room #9 Relox 43 1 Double bed 1 bathroom, Bedroom 9 with balcony : $50 per night
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/912452240712602922?check_in=2024-02-11&check_out=2024-02-18&gue...

Room#7 Relox 43 1 double bed 1 single bed 1 bathroom, Central room with balcony overlooking the parish : $50 per night
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/594915480017110699?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=4...

Rooms #6 and #8 have a terrible view.  



Villa, in Main Downtown (2 bedrooms, 1 king size, 1 queen size,  2 full bathrooms apartment, with kitchen, living and dining room.  (Two women from a previous trip stayed here, this is a very nice place in the center of the downtown $130 per night)

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/50842504?adults=1&children=0&infants=0&pets=0&wishlist_...


Farther out:

Villa 4 San Miguel de Allende: Two bedroom, kitchen, living room close to the Institute Allende about a five minute walk from center of the city. (Its not fancy more of a traditional Mexican home. $80 per night)

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/21621051?source_impression_id=p3_1692118974_BxMhpglyv67R58h1

Rosewood Hotel (very nice very expensive five minute walk to the center of the city)

https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/san-miguel-de-allende

Hotel La Aldea is very nice hotel, the grounds are beautiful and relaxing. right across the street from the Institute Allende and a five minite walk up the hill to the center of town. its $185 to $225 per night. 

https://www.hotellaaldea.mx/

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