Weekend Itinerary for Football Fans in Guadalajara
Where to Stay and What to Do in Guadalajara?
A weekend itinerary for football fans in Guadalajara starts with one of the city’s biggest passions: football. While Guadalajara is famed for its mariachi music and world-class tequila, it’s also home to a world famous pro football club that competes in the top division of Mexican football. Fans flock to Jalisco’s capital to catch matches at Akron Stadium, before spending the rest of their holiday visiting the city’s landmarks.
We’ve curated an exhilarating itinerary that includes guided tours, colonial architecture, atmospheric markets, natural thermal springs and the very best in local food and drink. If you’re a football fan, read on to discover where to stay and what to do in Guadalajara.
Interested in seeing more destinations and deals? Check out our football hub to discover more.
1. Hotels close to the stadium
From affordable digs to upscale accommodations
Ideal para: Econômico, Famílias, Casais
To make the most of your football-themed weekend, choose a Guadalajara hotel that’s situated close to its major stadium: Estadio Akron. For a 3-star budget stay, book a room at the hugely popular Hotel Intercity Zapopan, which is just a few minutes’ drive away. Alternatively, the Hyatt Regency Andares, a 15-minute drive away, features residential-style suites, a luxurious indoor lap pool, eclectic eateries and a fine gymnasium.
If you plan to attend a match at nearby Estadio Jalisco, stay at Condominio Brillante, which boasts a fabulous rooftop pool and colourful wall art, or indulge in a 5-star suite at Grand Fiesta Americana Guadalajara Country Club with its plush beds, 18th-floor spa and Cuatro Estaciones buffet.
Hotels close to the stadium
2. Akron Stadium tour
A behind-the-scenes peek at the football team’s stomping ground
Ideal para: Famílias, Casais
If you’re a fan of Mexican football, a guided tour of Akron Stadium is an absolute must. This mammoth sporting venue is home to the Liga MX team, C.D. Guadalajara, more commonly known as Chivas, and grants exclusive access to sacred spaces that are rarely glimpsed by the public.
Discover the dressing room where the team congregates before the game, the Box of the Champion where the match is broadcast and the famous tunnel that takes the players onto the field. Additionally, you’ll get to explore the Chivas Museum, where you’ll learn about the team’s 110-year history, including legendary sporting moments and Chivas’ greatest players.
Localização: Cto. J.V.C. 2800, El Bajío, 45014 Zapopan, Jal., Mexico
Abre: Daily at 10.30 am, 11.30 am, 12.30 am, 13.30 am, 14.30 am, 15.30 am, and 16.30 am
Telefone: +52 333 777 5700
Akron Stadium tour
3. Bosque Los Colomos
A spectacular state park with walking paths and picnic areas
Ideal para: Famílias, Casais
Bosque Los Colomos, or Los Colomos Forest, is a bucolic city park that’s beloved for its variety of trees and 160-plus species of fauna. It also boasts an aesthetically beautiful Japanese Garden, which celebrates the friendship between the cities of Guadalajara and Kyoto. Residents of Guadalajara have gathered here since the 20th century, using it as a place for leisurely strolls, exercise and picnics.
Joggers can take to the park’s three scenic tracks, while birdwatchers can glimpse golden-fronted woodpeckers, violet-crowned hummingbirds and vermillion flycatchers. Check out the intriguing night tours through the forest offered by CECA.
Localização: C. El Chaco 3200, Providencia, 44630 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Abre: Daily from 7 am to 7 pm
Telefone: +52 333 330 7897
Bosque Los Colomos
4. Centro Histórico de Guadalajara
The old town’s atmospheric streets
Ideal para: História, Foto
Guadalajara’s historic quarter, Centro Histórico de Guadalajara, is replete with old-world landmarks like the majestic Guadalajara Cathedral, which blends Gothic, Baroque and Neoclassical architecture. You can spot its golden dome and spires from miles away. There are other beautiful churches too, like the Templo Expiatorio del Santísimo Sacramento, a Catholic jewel designed by Italian architect Adamo Boari and Templo San José de Gracia, which dates to 1610.
Other must-visit attractions include Jardin del Carmen with its fairy tale water fountain, Plaza de Armas with its ornate ironwork bandstand and Palacio de Gobierno, the Government Palace. This quarter is lined with ambient eateries like Cantina La Fuente and Restaurant Las Sombrillas.
Localização: Zona Centro, 44100 Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Centro Histórico de Guadalajara
5. Chapultepec Avenue
A hip and happening nightlife spot
Ideal para: Vida noturna, Alimentação, Compras
Often called ‘Chapu’ by locals, Chapultepec Avenue is a tree-lined boulevard that’s edged with cafes, bars and galleries. It’s also a magnet for talented street performers, open-air exhibits, colourful murals and markets helmed by regional vendors. They sell all kinds of tantalising products, from jewellery and clothing to regional street food.
Set in the heart of the Colonia Americana district, Chapu has gained a reputation as a world-class restaurant enclave with an abundance of venues found along its leafy strip. Search out authentic tacos served on a covered terrace hung with twinkling fairy lights, or opt for mouthwatering brisket burgers and some of the best mojitos in the city.
Chapultepec Avenue
6. Mercado Libertad
A sprawling market with a storied history
Ideal para: Alimentação, Compras
Mercado Libertad, also known as Mercado San Juan de Dios, is the largest indoor market in Latin America, spanning 40,000 square metres. Housed in a National Historic Monument building erected in the 19th and 20th centuries, this atmospheric bazaar is home to pretty much everything one could want, including food, clothing, gifts and homewares.
Visitors will love sampling dishes like caldo michi (catfish and vegetable soup), tortas locas (hearty pork leg sandwiches) and birria tatemada (traditional Mexican stew made with meat cooked in an adobo-based marinade). Afterwards, get lost in the labyrinth of aisles where you can discover all kinds of wonders, including local pottery, embroidered textiles, huaraches sandals and religious artefacts.
Localização: C. Dionisio Rodríguez 52, San Juan de Dios, 44360 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Abre: Daily from 8 am to 8 pm
Mercado Libertad
7. Plaza De Los Mariachis
Traditional Mexican music in a characterful square
Ideal para: Famílias, Casais
For a true taste of Guadalajara, visit Plaza De Los Mariachis, a historic square set in the San Juan de Dios neighbourhood. Surrounded by colonial architecture and featuring a tinkling fountain and various sculptural pieces, one can wander the cobbles leisurely, taking in the atmosphere. Don’t miss the splendour of Parroquia de San Juan de Dios, a Catholic church dedicated to the Holy Cross (circa 1726).
Predominantly, the plaza is famed for its live mariachi bands in traditional costumes: traje de charro (charro suits). Don’t miss the incredible International Mariachi Festival, held every September.
Localização: C. Álvaro Obregón 23, San Juan de Dios, 44360 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Plaza De Los Mariachis
8. Mezonte. Destilados Mexicanos de Agave
The spirit of Guadalajara
Ideal para: Casais, História
A must-visit tasting room for agave enthusiasts, Mezonte. Destilados Mexicanos de Agave shines a bright spotlight on two iconic tipples: mezcal and raicilla. Set in the Americano district, this esteemed organisation prides itself on preserving and promoting the agave industry’s biocultural heritage, while giving visitors a unique chance to learn its fascinating production process.
You’ll get a chance to taste from dozens of specialist spirits at the venue’s beautiful bar and buy individual bottles, which you can take home with you. You can also purchase a range of unique gifts from the on-site shop, including tote bags, postcards and mezcal gift boxes, each one illustrated by a talented Mexican artist.
Localização: Calle Argentina 299, Col Americana, Americana, 44160 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Abre: Monday–Friday from 4 pm am to 8 pm (closed on Saturdays and Sundays)
Telefone: +52 333 825 0417
Mezonte. Destilados Mexicanos de Agave
9. Cabañas Museum
A UNESCO-listed jewel that houses important Mexican artworks
Ideal para: História, Foto
Formerly one of the oldest and largest orphanages in the Americas, Cabañas stands today as a museum filled with highly prized treasures. Home of 57 frescoes by the Mexican artist José Clemente Orozco, this UNESCO World Heritage Site also features permanent exhibits like the Jalisco People’s Collection, showcasing 20th-century works from painter Amado de la Cueva and caricaturist José Luis Figueroa. Meanwhile, the folk-art space displays hundreds of pieces spanning pottery, basketry and bone carvings.
Afterwards, swing by the museum’s Black Coffee Gallery for loaded croissants, chocolate brownies, refreshing frappes and piping-hot drinks. Don’t miss a guided tour of the main chapel, which focuses on the museum’s many murals, or Cinema Cabañas, which screens art-focused films.
Localização: C. Cabañas 8, Las Fresas, 44360 Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico
Abre: Tuesday–Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm (closed on Mondays)
Telefone: +52 333 668 1642
Cabañas Museum
10. Lake Chapala
Mexico’s largest freshwater lake
Ideal para: Aventura, Famílias, Casais
Bordering the states of Jalisco and Michoacán, an hour south of Guadalajara, Lake Chapala is set in a humongous volcanic crater, 1,800 metres above sea level. It’s beloved for its wealth of outdoor activities, including bathing in balnearios (thermal pools). The lake is enveloped by cinematic mountains that deliver an outstandingly beautiful backdrop.
Take to Lake Chapala for kayaking, paddleboarding and kitesurfing, or head to the surrounding towns to explore their warren of streets. In Ajijic, admire colourful murals before browsing the historic Tianguis market, or head to Chapala’s charismatic malecón to enjoy delicious hand-churned ice-cream. Catch the Flyers of Papantla, an ancient Mesoamerican tradition where dancers suspend themselves upside down to the sound of drumming and flute music.
Lake Chapala
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