Biblioteca's House and Garden Tour

We hope that you will join us on any given Sunday for San Miguel de Allende's most popular tourist attraction, the weekly House & Garden Tour sponsored by the Biblioteca Pública.

The tours were started approximately 50 years ago by local foreign residents in order to provide visitors with the chance to see “behind the hidden walls” of San Miguel. We have over 300 houses on our roster with new homes never-before-seen on the tour being shown on a regular basis. The House & Garden Tour shows different homes every Sunday (with the exception of those which fall on a holiday).

The local weekly newspaper, Atención, gives descriptions of the properties to be shown every Friday as well as alerting visitors if a holiday is upcoming. Our website will also post descriptions of the homes shown that week or advise if a holiday, festival or fiesta prevents a tour. All the tours are conducted via local buses so normally very little walking is required, although we would like to advise visitors with walking problems to ask at the cashier’s desk on any given Sunday how much walking will be required.

On YOUR Sunday visit you may see anything from a Colonial mansion to a tiny adobe house, a splendid new home or an artist’s domain. Reservations are not necessary – just come to the Biblioteca Pública on a Sunday between 11AM and noon, and purchase your tickets at the door. Tickets can be purchased in advance at our ticket counter located just inside the Biblioteca's entrance on Relox 50 .

Breakfast is served in our beautiful patio from 9AM till 11.30AM prior to the tour and music is played in the main patio between 11AM and noon. We offer discounts for groups of ten or more, and tickets cost $200 pesos or $15 U.S.D. Cash only, no credit cards or Traveler’s checks are accepted. Please join us! Proceeds benefit the Biblioteca Pública and its educational programs for children.

Special groups or specific information can be obtained by contacting Jennifer Hamilton at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or calling 152-4987.

House and Garden Tour

July 25, 2010

1.  Moving from the hustle and bustle of Centro in 2006 into this tranquil new community just minutes from town this home is truly a feast for the eyes throughout.  The home contains wide open spaces, softly curved arches, and large windows.  Rooms on the first floor overlook spacious and lush gardens.   An indoor fountain with stones and rocks divides the living from the dining room.  The master suite contains a dazzling four poster bed carved from Brazilian mahogany, a vaulted ceiling, and a pharmaceutical chest from China.  A cosy den/entertainment area is filled with dramatic art and tapestries and inviting seating areas.  The ollas (pots) high up on the stairwell ledge are from Bahrain.   For entertaining outside there is a comfortable hammock, two seating areas, an abundance of cacti and palm trees.  Behind the fountain is a delightful pond with a park bench placed under a tree next to it for shade.   It is evident from the indescribably dazzling collection of furniture, art and statuary that these homeowners spent a great deal of time in the Far East – every piece has a story and history behind it.

   2.  Built on one level save for the roof garden, this charming home is filled with a multitude of colorful items and artwork which were collected over many years.   A small garden fronted by a round stone wall contains an oversized olla (pot) which was converted into a fountain, behind which are drought-resistant plants and several wind chimes hanging in front of yet another tile-backed fountain.   The house is bright and cheery with windows throughout, and contains the most astounding bóveda (arched) ceilings.   The sala contains a beautiful cantera fireplace with a round glass table topped by a Persian carpet, a Turkish Kilim rug over one of the sofas..   Stunning adornos are placed around this cosy room making it not only entertaining but colorful and exuberant while at the same time comfortable and relaxing.    Along the glass-sided hallway is a Bishop’s bench.  A stunning metal sculpture shaped as a cross hangs on the wall containing egg-shaped candles.   The wood bed in the master bedroom with its softly-hued walls is locally crafted, filled with pillows, beautiful artwork on the walls, and a sofa to one side.  A back garden is filled with plants and shrubs and a century plant.    Up a short flight of stairs the rooftop affords outstanding views of the surrounding countryside and distant hillsides.

 3.  The owner of this spacious property had a dream when he bought this arid and empty property in the 1990’s, and now fully realized, it is a self-contained, beautiful gated community filled with elegant homes, lakes, ponds, greenery, and unparalleled views over the surrounding countryside.   One enters through an antique door to high-ceilinged rooms, with the sala containing rich, ochre colored walls filled with extraordinary artwork, a plethora of candles everywhere including the walls, family photos, deep, comfortable sofas, and a street lamp cunningly placed in the corner next to the fireplace.   They spent a lot of time on the detailing of this outstanding home.   The dining room seats ten comfortably, outside of which is a sheltered entertainment area with wood and rattan seating areas overlooking the ponds, palapa, and views towards the town in the distance.  Gently undulating stairs lead to the second floor with wood floors, and an entertainment area.   A balcony overlooks the sala and the master suite with its bed placed at an angle is backed by stone walls, a hammock and lounging chair in front of the large windows.   Most impressive is the bathroom with a triangulated bóveda ceiling and sunken Jacuzzi tub surrounded by candles, sculptures and plants.