Frida Kahlo, immortalised in a mural on Calle Coronilla

One of the best things about Guadalajara is Sunday mornings when they close off a lot of the roads to traffic and the people go out on their bikes, skateboards, roller-skates or simply walking with their dogs. You can come across impromptu dance classes, aerobics, basketball or (if you are less energetic) chess games.

This is a good walk (around 7-8 kilometres including little diversions here and there) to take on a Sunday morning.  It works on other days of the week too, but Sundays are the most fun with everyone out enjoying it unfettered by traffic.  I did some variation of this walk every Sunday I was here and never got bored of it.  Every week there was something new to discover.

1. Calle Coronilla

Guadalajara: Calle Coronilla

A good place to start is around Calle Coronilla. Here you can find some great street art and a couple of cafes that are good for breakfasts.

Calle Coronilla: Diego

Calle Coronilla: Frida

If you like looking at street art there are some good examples in the surrounding streets too, around Calle Morales and the roads off of it.

2. Parque Revolución

Guadalajara Parque Revolución, known as the red park because of the red paint all around

After breakfast and a short trek around the street art, the next stop is the Red Park (or to give it its proper name, Parque Revolución). Good for a sit down and a spot of people watching. There are normally all kinds of things going on, from hula-hoop to aerobics to people playing chess on a giant chess board.  You never know what you will find; one week there were a group of people running around offering free hugs.

Chess: once again I have to say it, notice the absence of female chess players

3. Expiatorio

Guadalajara: Expiatorio

From the park it is just a short distance to the Templo Expiatorio/Las Ramblas, near to the University. The first week that I went here I joined in with a Cha-cha-cha class, although I never saw the man again (so much so that I wondered if I’d dreamt it. The dilemma of the modern age; if you don’t capture it in a photo, then did it really happen?).

This area is also good to come back to on a Sunday evening. There are some vendors with street food, along with some entertainment. It gets very lively.

Sunday evening entertainment

Sunday evening entertainment

4. Chapultepec

A bit of impromptu swing dancing going on in Chapultepec.  These people were here every week and they always looked so happy.  My conclusion: it’s impossible to be miserable whilst doing swing dancing.  Sarah’s New Year Resolution (which I don’t make ever, but you know what I mean) number one: I am going to learn to swing dance.

From there it is just a short walk to Avenida Chapultepec. If you are hungry/thirsty by now there is no end of bars and cafes. If not there are normally some activities going on in the middle section of the road.

I spent a lot of time in Chapultepec generally. Aside from Sunday mornings, it is a great place to hang out, either in the cafes or in the little park-y area in the middle of the road. On Saturday evening there is a market, which comes with bits of street entertainment, usually some live music or something, which can be fun.

Lots of fountains too…

5. Libertad

Guadalajara: street art in Libertad

After that, I usually headed back along Calle Libertad. Libertad is a kind of a trendy, urban area (I’m trying to avoid the world Hipster). This is where I usually like to stop for lunch.  I’m not a Hipster myself, but from time to time I like to hang out with people who think they are.

There is a small market on Libertad too, very ‘trendy’ and would definitely come into the category of Hipster.  Prices are high by Mexican standards, as they always are in these kinds of places, but interesting to look around even if, like me, you’re not a shopper.

Property on Calle Libertad

Market