The city of Guanajuato was founded in 1554. It became one the richest of Mexico's colonial cities because of the vast silver deposits found in the surrounding mountains. Several silver mines are still operating and are open for tours.

The  legacy of Guanajuato's riches is reflected in the fine colonial architecture that graces many of the buildings in the city's historic center. Today, Guanajuato is a medium-sized city of 95,000 inhabitants and is home to the University of Guanajuato, whose students bring a youthful exuberance to the city's restaurants, cafes, and public spaces. The presence of the University also enriches the city's cultural life, with weekly symphony concerts, regularly scheduled lectures and seminars open to the public, and callejoneadas every Thursday through Sunday. These evening musical walks through the streets of Guanajuato are led by estudiantinas, student musicians and singers. The estudiantina tradition is rooted in Andalucía, Spain, and was brought to Guanajuato in 1972. It has become a unique attraction in this compact city of narrow streets and steep, twisting alleyways.

Other attractions in Guanajuato include numerous museums, among them the Museo-Casa Diego Rivera (Guanajuato is the birthplace of Mexico's most famous muralist), the Museo del Pueblo de Guanajuato (located in the seventeenth-century home of the Marqueses de San Juan de Rayas), the Museo de Arte Olga Costa y Chavez Morado, the Alhóndiga de Granaditas history museum, Museo Iconográfico del Quijote, and the Museo de las Momias, among others. Guanajuato's four theaters, including the beautiful Teatro Juarez, offer live performances of music, dance, and theater year-round. The Teatro Principal and the Teatro Cervantes also offer a weekly program of current and classic films. For the young at heart, Guanajuato's numerous discoteques will keep your feet moving. Moreover, there are numerous street festivals throughout the year—and the grandest festival of them all, the nineteen-day Festival Internacional Cervantino, takes place during October every year. Cervantino attracts first-class artists and performers from around the world, so if you plan to be in Guanajuato at this time, you need to book your tickets well in advance.

Finally, Guanajuato's central location in the heart of Mexico also makes it an ideal "home base" for daytrips or weekend jaunts throughout central Mexico. For daytrips, you can explore Dolores Hidalgo (45 minutes by car or bus), cradle of Mexican independence, or visit the artist community of San Miguel de Allende (1 hour away), or the historic city of Querétaro (about 1½ hours away).