Guadalajara offers everything from historic sites and remarkable museums (more than 20) to traditional architecture and elegant monuments which attest to its nearly 500 years of history. Its vibrant cultural and intellectual life has made it a magnet for foreign students. Last but not least, the city takes pride in being the birthplace of Mariachi music.

Location: Jalisco State, southwest Mexico
Distance from Mexico City: 350 miles west
City population: 3,600,000 million
Closest major airport: Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Intl. aka Guadalajara International Airport (GDL)
Time Zone: Central Standard Time

Interesting places to visit include the Government Palace, first occupied by the governors of New Galicia during the colonial period. The palace later served as a residence for Miguel Hidalgo, who, from that very palace passed a law abolishing slavery in 1810. Other must-see attractions include the Institute of Jalisco Handicrafts, the Museum of Archaeology of Western Mexico, the Jose Clemente Orozco Museum, the Museum of Huichol Indian Handicrafts and the Museum of Journalism and Graphic Arts.

For outdoor recreation, Guadalajara offers two large parks ideal for hiking and extreme sports. Barranca de Huentitan is a favorite for adventure sports, and the Tequila Volcano, a 9,580-foot-high peak near the town of Tequila, is most frequented by hang-gliders.

Tlaquepaque, a quaint craftsman's village near Guadalajara, is where travelers can find prestigious and skilled potters molding clay into amazing forms. The colorful village of Tonala, is Jalisco State's pottery center, where ceramics are produced using eleven different techniques.

Guadalajara is also home to the largest enclosed market in Latin America: the Liberty Market. More than 1,000 vendors sell local blown glass, leather goods and other handicrafts the city and its surroundings are famous for.

Guadalajara's varied cuisine includes spicy tortas ahogadas (sandwiches 'drowned' in spicy tomato sauce) and birria, a hearty goat stew.