Jalpa de Cánovas
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◈ With its wheat fields, and quince and walnut tree orchards, Jalpa is almost on the border with Jalisco. Its life began as a hacienda, the one that once belonged to Don Manuel Cánovas, to whom the town owes its name.
Still present, telling the town’s history, are the old barns, the company shop, the administrator’s house and the small Santuario de Guadalupe, where the landowners once prayed, and now the town’s inhabitants do so in their place.
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◆ Wander through the Bodega El Lobo vineyards and try their wines, named after operas.
◆ Visit the Presa Nueva or Presa de Santa Efigenia and take a trip on a kayak or boat.
◆ Stay in the Hacienda Cañada de Negros and visit the church next to it, dedicated to the Virgen de la Luz (Virgin of the Light).
Explore the old house of the Hacienda de Jalpa and see how its old owners used to live.
❖ Casa Grande
Step inside the hacienda’s Casa Grande (The Big House), now a museum open to the public only at the weekends. Pay attention to the 1875 map that shows the full extent of the old territory: it was sketched by Ferdinand von Rosenzweig, the same Austrian engineer who built the Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City.
You will see, among other things, wardrobes, washbasins, brass bedframes, a 19th-century dining table, a kitchen of wood-fired ovens, fishing instruments, a black and white portrait of Don Manuel Cánovas, as well as the dressing table given to Guadalupe Cánovas by Porfirio Díaz on her wedding day.
❖ Hacienda de Jalpa
Towards the end of the 19th century, Guadalupe Cánovas inherited from her father the land where the Hacienda de Jalpa would be created.
Today, only the old house of the original construction has survived, which currently functions as a museum. Around it you will find some of the buildings that formed part of the farm: the barns, the company store, the administrator’s house and the Santuario de Guadalupe (Guadalupe’s Sanctuary).
Two thirds of the property were comprised of valleys and hills and its system of irrigation–one of the most impressive in the country–watered the land using dams and canals. Cereals, alfalfa, clover, and high-quality grass were some of the crops cultivated here.
❖ Plaza principal
The main square is bordered by buildings from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, as well as old mansions with incredible architectural details on their facades. Do not miss out on the opportunity to try typical dishes and snacks in the local restaurants within the Mercado Municipal.
At the weekends you can try one of the region’s shaved ice, or artisanal jelly or a quince and walnut candy (both grown in the fields of this Magical Town).
❖ Explore the Presa Vieja and the Presa de Santa Efigenia Dams
The Presa Vieja and the Presa de Santa Efigenia are two large hydraulic works close to the town. The first dates back to the 18th century; and the second was finished by the architect Cecil Louis Long in 1911.
Here you can find activities such as kayaking and sport fishing. Approach the local tour operators to ask for more information about these trips.
❖ Explore Jalpa on Two Wheels
Go for a bicycle ride through the streets of Jalpa de Cánovas and travel the colorful and warm Magical Town on two wheels. Some of the local hotels offer this activity, as well as quad-bike rides.
❖ Ride Through the Historic Center on Horseback
Hear the anecdotes and stories about this Magical Town while on horseback, on trips organized by Don Maximiliano Lara.
There are three different route options. The first covers the Historic Center, and the second departs from the lienzo charro (rodeo) and passes through Huinduri, the old windmill, Nogalera and the Alameda, among other attractions. The last includes, as well as the destinations already mentioned, a trip through the different neighborhoods, the dam, and the Tajo de San Salvador.
❖ La Judea
Sé testigo de una de las festividades más antiguas e importantes del estado de Guanajuato. La Judea se realiza desde hace casi 150 años durante Semana Santa.
Es una escenificación del pasaje de la Pasión de Cristo donde Judas Iscariote ayuda a los judíos a aprehender a Jesús. Judas luego sería llevado a la horca por su traición.
❖ Fiesta del Señor
de la Misericordia
Gente de todas partes acude a Jalpa para venerar y agradecer al Señor de la Misericordia. Su imagen está resguardada dentro de la parroquia de estilo neogótico que tanto orgullo regala a los ciudadanos. Hay procesiones por el pueblo y, al caer la noche, juegos pirotécnicos y la tradicional quema del castillo cierran la velada.
❖ Día de los Coquitos
La famosa tradición del Día de los Coquitos se realiza durante Semana Santa, específicamente el Jueves y Viernes Santo. Diviértete en este entretenido juego que consiste en intercambiar coquitos de aceite en el quiosco del Jardín Central.
Magical Towns in
Guanajuato
