Towns Near Tequila, Jalisco: Amatitán, El Arenal, Magdalena and Guachimontones
Hola Tequila Tour •
Tequila town is the center of a much larger region. The area UNESCO declared a World Heritage Site in 2006, the Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila, also includes El Arenal, Amatitán, Magdalena and Teuchitlán. Each has something of its own: cantaritos, historic distilleries, opals and an archaeological site unlike any other in Mexico.
These are the towns worth adding to your trip, and how to combine them. If this is your first visit, start with the complete guide to Tequila town.
Amatitán: cantaritos and tequila haciendas
Amatitán sits between Guadalajara and Tequila, so almost everyone passes through. It is famous for cantaritos: tequila with orange, lime and grapefruit juice, grapefruit soda and salt, served in a clay pot. The big cantarito stands, with live music and a party atmosphere, are a must.
It is also home to historic distilleries. The best known is Casa Herradura, at the old Hacienda San José del Refugio, where the ruins of the original distillery stand next to the modern one.
El Arenal: the gateway to the agave landscape
Coming from Guadalajara, El Arenal is the first town of the agave landscape and where the blue fields start to fill the view. It is home to Tequila Cascahuín, a family distillery highly regarded by tequila lovers. A good stop if you are driving the free road.
Magdalena: the opal town
Past Tequila, toward Tepic, is Magdalena, known for the opal mined in the region. Workshops and shops in town show how the stone is cut and sell finished pieces. A good option if you are staying overnight and want a plan that is not about tequila.
Teuchitlán: the Guachimontones pyramids
Near Teuchitlán is Guachimontones, an archaeological site of circular pyramids built around two thousand years ago. Their shape, stepped concentric circles, looks nothing like the pyramids of central Mexico, and the view over La Vega reservoir is one of the best in the region.
It is on a different route, south of the Tequila volcano, so it is best on a separate day or with a very early start.
The Tequila volcano
The volcano dominates the town's skyline, and its summit is close to 3,000 meters. A steep, rocky road leads up. Go with someone who knows the route and start early.
How to combine them
- In one day from Guadalajara: Amatitán and Tequila are on the same road and combine easily. That is what the tour from Guadalajara does.
- If you stay one night: add Magdalena or the volcano on day two.
- Guachimontones: best on a separate day, or first thing in the morning leaving Guadalajara early.
To decide how to get around, see how to get to Tequila from Guadalajara. To pick a distillery, read distilleries in Tequila: which ones to visit.
Tequila and Amatitán in one tour
The daily tour from Guadalajara you can book here crosses the agave landscape and ends with cantaritos in Amatitán, after the tastings, the agave field and free time in the Magic Town of Tequila. It leaves at 11:30 AM, returns between 7:00 and 8:00 PM and starts at $490 MXN per person. The tour is guided in Spanish.