Mexico : Safety by City
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The city of Guanajuato is the capital of the state of Guanajuato, and the two could not have more different reputations.
The state of Guanajuato has a Level 3 travel advisory from the U.S. Department of State due to prominent cartel and gang activity, but those issues are in the south of the state.
The city of Guanajuato is in the northern half, and it’s considered one of the safer places for people to visit.
It’s also up the road from San Miguel de Allende, a very popular expat destination.
Guanajuato (the city) lies at over 6,700 feet above sea level.
The city sits among steep hills and was first populated in 1554.
The city was once one of Mexico’s most productive silver-mining towns, and the old mines have actually been designated as a UNESCO world heritage site.
The silver in the area was called the Veta Madre, or Mother Load, to give you an idea of how important the town was to the industry.
The city fell on hard times after battles in the early 1800s, but several decades ago, the town began to revive thanks to a growing tourist sector.
Nowadays Guanajuato is known for its colorful buildings, grand architecture (be sure to check out the Teatro Juarez), peaceful cafes, leafy plazas, and large markets.
There’s also the annual Festival Internacional Cervantino, celebrating art, theater, and music.
It’s an amazing city to visit, and while the region to the south warrants that Level 3 advisory, the city of Guanajuato itself is one that tourists should seriously consider seeing.
So, just how safe is this lovely city?
Warnings & Dangers in Guanajuato
OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
The city of Guanajuato is relatively calm, and much of the risk there is along the lines of theft or bad tap water. But because there are worse areas close to the city, there's always a risk that whatever is happening in cities like Salamanca or Celaya could spill into other cities.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
In the city itself, there is a risk of being overcharged by taxis, especially if you try taking one that isn't from an authorized company. Taking Uber is a better option. Once you go outside the city, however, the risk of danger increases if you head south.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
Pickpocketing and petty theft are issues, especially in crowded tourist areas. Watch out whenever you're in a crowd, and keep an eye on your belongings (and pockets!) whenever you're out. Treat it like being in a major U.S. city and don't assume nothing will happen. Assume instead that you've got to take precautions as a rule.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: HIGH
The city of Guanajuato is spread over steep hills, and landslides and flooding from heavy rain can be major concerns.
MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
The center of the city and tourist zones aren't so risky, but if you venture away from the central area, there are anecdotes about those parts of town being not so nice.
TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
The southern half of the state of Guanajuato has a big problem with cartel and gang violence; for example, in January 2026, 11 people were killed and 12 wounded in a cartel attack on a soccer field after a game in Salamanca, southwest of Guanajuato. However, the city of Guanajuato is not in the southern half of the state. So, given that the region has a problem with it, it's best to treat the risk as medium, even if the city itself is calm.
SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
There is a risk of being overcharged at restaurants and by taxis, and the usual distraction scams and petty thefts are an ever-present issue, as they are for most tourist cities. Treat Guanajuato as you would any other Mexican city and be wary of people trying to "help" you at ATMs or who give you a sob story in an effort to distract you. Don't go to that nice stranger's favorite bar as you'll end up paying a hefty bill (those nice strangers are generally touts trying to drum up business).
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
The city of Guanajuato tends to be comparatively safer than the surrounding region, and anecdotal reports online from women travelers paint the city in a positive light. The state as a whole holds a number of risks, but the city itself is much calmer. You'll still want to take common-sense precautions. Lock doors and windows at your hotel and in cars, keep a close eye on your belongings, be cautious with your drinks, don't walk around alone at night, don't wander into isolated alleyways, and so on.
TAP WATER RISK: HIGH
The water in Guanajuato isn't safe to drink from the tap, so stick to bottled water. Groundwater tests show high levels of bacteria, and you just don't want to risk illness. Any water that goes near your mouth should be bottled.
Safest Places to Visit in Guanajuato
The city center is generally safe for tourists.
You’ll face the usual pickpocket risks and such, but you’d face those anywhere you went where there were tourists.
Places to Avoid in Guanajuato
In the city of Guanajuato itself, you’ll want to avoid those more isolated neighborhods that are away from the city center.
This is anecdotal as the whole city is usually considered OK for tourists, but those anecdotes do mention dangers like mugging.
It’s better to not take a chance.
Some property buyers have mentioned the area around Panoramica Street as having a higher crime rate, too.
Other than that, you’ll want to avoid heading south, out of the city, toward cities like Celaya, Salamanca, and Irapuato.
Safety Tips for Traveling to Guanajuato
- Take Uber instead of taxis. There are reliable taxi services, but the risk of overcharging or ending up in an unauthorized cab means Uber is often easier to take.
- Enroll in the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). If the State Department issues a new travel advisory, you’ll get a notification. STEP also helps keep you in touch with the embassy if there’s a problem or emergency.
- Never wander off on your own, especially at night.
- Don’t wander down isolated roads or alleys, even during the day.
- Lock your doors and windows, even if you’re in a room that’s on an upper floor.
- Keep a close eye on your wallet/purse and other belongings. It’s easy to zone out and forget, and you don’t want to snap out of that reverie and find anything missing.
- Avoid the tap water. All water you drink should be bottled water.
- Get pesos only from banks, ATMs inside banks, or at official exchange offices.
- Pay attention to the weather. If heavy rain is in the forecast, you may want to avoid going out and risking getting caught in local flooding.
- Don’t go with strange people into bars or restaurants. Those are usually touts, and the bars and restaurants can be adamant that you pay for everything your “friend” ordered.
So... How Safe Is Guanajuato Really?
The city of Guanajuato is generally a great place for tourists.
Any city will have its problems, and even so-called safe cities can have risks.
Stay in reputable hotels, take Uber, stick to tourist areas, and use your head.
The city of Guanajuato tends to have better infrastructure than other parts of the state, and the city has worked to protect itself from the issues that have made the south of Guanajuato state a dangerous place.
The overall reported crime rate in the state has actually dropped in the past couple of years, but again, that’s the reported rate.
If you look online at travel forums and social media, the perception and experiences in the city are positive for the most part.
There are reports that more isolated neighborhoods aren’t as good as the city center, but tourists generally won’t need to go to those isolated neighborhoods anyway.
How Does Guanajuato Compare?
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Guanajuato |
60 |
| Cabo San Lucas |
72 |
| Merida |
82 |
| Puerto Vallarta |
72 |
| Chihuahua |
40 |
| Veracruz |
60 |
| Juarez |
28 |
 Muscat | 85 |
 Santa Monica | 64 |
 Agra | 50 |
| Kenner | 77 |
| St. Matthews | 82 |
 Palermo | 55 |
Useful Information
Visas
If you're staying in Mexico for fewer than 180 days, you won't need a visa if you're a U.S. citizen. However, when you arrive in the country, you will likely need to have a Multiple Immigration Form, or FMM, and you'll probably have to pay a fee. People entering Mexico by land (i.e., a border crossing) and who are staying six or fewer days don't need the FMM or fee if they're staying within a certain number of miles of the border. However, if you travel outside that zone to places like Guanajuato, then you will need an FMM, and you will need to pay the fee if you stay longer than six days. If you enter the country via air or sea, you'll need to get an FMM and also pay the fee regardless of trip length.
Currency
Prices will be in Mexican pesos. Pesos use the "$" sign and are divided into 100 centavos. As of early February 2026, US$1 = MEX$17.27. The best way to exchange dollars for pesos is to use ATMs inside banks; your cards will give you better exchange rates. You can use an exchange office or cambio at the airport, but the rates might not be as good. Still, exchanging some there will give you at least a nominal amount of pesos so you can get food and travel around before heading to a bank. Never exchange money with people on the street who claim to have better rates.
Weather
The city of Guanajuato has fairly moderate weather year-round. Highs (Mexico uses Celsius, but the numbers here are in Fahrenheit) average in the mid-70s in winter and upper 80s to low 90s in late spring. May is the hottest month. Humidity levels stay rather moderate for a good part of the year, although they rise substantially in early summer through fall. Lows are in the mid-40s in winter and low 60s in summer. Bring a jacket with you for nighttime use; wear layers and bring a hat. Lightweight clothes are good for spring through early fall because of the hotter daytime temperatures and humidity levels.
Airports
Guanajuato Airport, also known as Guanajuato International Airport or León Bajío International Airport, is located in the city of Silao, southwest of the city of Guanajuato. To get from the airport to the city, which is situated in a hilly area, you can take Uber or an authorized taxi. There will be a desk in the airport where you pay for the ride, and the people there can show you where your taxi is. Don't try to negotiate private rides with unauthorized drivers. The airport does have a transfer/shuttle service to San Miguel de Allende, but not to Guanajuato.
Travel Insurance
Mexico doesn't require you to have travel insurance to enter the country. However, you are required to have Mexican auto insurance if you plan to drive. Plus, it's highly recommended that you get travel insurance anyway. Your U.S. health insurance won't cover medical issues in Mexico, so you'll want travel health insurance just in case. No one wants to come home from a vacation with a big medical bill. You'll also want insurance that can cover canceled reservations or other losses. The insurance is affordable, and the peace of mind it will give you will make it easier for you to enjoy your trip.
Guanajuato Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C |
21 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 21 |
| Low °C |
4 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 5 |
| High °F |
70 | 75 | 79 | 82 | 84 | 82 | 79 | 79 | 77 | 75 | 73 | 70 |
| Low °F |
39 | 45 | 48 | 52 | 55 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 55 | 52 | 46 | 41 |
Beautiful, very walkable, very nice people!
I just got back from Guanajuato City, Guanajuato (I’ll call it GTO), in February of 2020, and here is my take on the trip with me (female, 30’s) and my two girlfriends… Before the trip, I discussed the safety of Guanajuato with my Spanish teacher who lives in another part of Mexico. She mentioned that there were some political tensions and that perhaps there are other places I should go preferentially, but that as a tourist, I would be relatively safe and should be fine. This, coupled with some friends of friends who had just visited GTO and said it felt very safe, and we decided we would take the risk. We took a flight from Tijuana and landed in Leon, and took an Uber from the airport.
The Uber driver was scared to pick us up so we had to walk around the corner so we didn’t get caught by the Federal Police, as they have a big issue with Uber. Anyways, she was very nice and drove us into the city.
Also, side note, please pay your Uber drivers toll fees. They are not a lot to us (a couple of bucks) but they are not reimbursed by Uber and so it really can eat into their fares. Anyways, we arrived at our Air BnB, which was right downtown. The owner had a lot of great reviews so we felt safe. She was really nice. The house had two gates and 3 deadbolts on the door.
It felt a little scary that we needed all that, but we also felt really safe in the house because of that. We were close to the Plaza Mexiamora, which was very cute and nice to walk by each night. We walked around, the three of us, eating, drinking, dancing, and just enjoying ourselves.
The food was so affordable and very good! We went to many bars and clubs in addition to museums and other sightseeing (day and night). Pretty much everywhere we went, we were the only people who looked “non-Mexican,” so we got quite a few stares, but nothing that made us feel unsafe. We felt pretty safe actually walking around until maybe 3 or 4 am and never had any issues.
We walked to most places, but when it became too much (a couple of restaurants/museums were maybe a mile away), we took Uber. The streets are all one ways, and not well organized, so sometimes taking Uber is not ideal and takes much longer than walking, FYI.
We found a mezcal bar with really nice servers/bartenders and they gave us great advice about where to go and were so helpful. In fact, everyone in GTO was frankly incredibly nice. We did notice some political statements through the trip: graffiti on the steps of the Juarez Theatre: “GTO estado feminicidad” which basically means GTO kills women just for being women, and a few posters on the streets mentioning that GTO discriminates against people who aren’t blonde-haired and blue-eyed, etc. That made me kinda sad but also curious. That night we met some lovely gentlemen at a club, and they were super respectful and sweet, showing us how to dance salsa, etc.
No one was creepy at all (we actually met another group of guys on a different night and same thing). That was nice. We asked them about the political statements, and they just kind of shrugged, like, yeah, we have some issues. These issues didn’t affect us as tourists, but I was glad to be educated about them and keep them in mind. It seems GTO (state, in general) is friendly toward tourists, but not necessarily always their own citizens. But GTO (city) is a college town, and so it seemed like it would be relatively safe for even long term visitors as long as you aren’t getting into anything questionable. The next day we took a bus to San Miguel de Allende (about 1.5 hours away) and that seemed fine and safe as well (recommend the first-class bus for sure!).
Our lodging there was a hotel and seemed safe. We then returned to GTO via 2nd class bus (1st class sold out) which was still fine but not as nice/luxury. The ONLY thing that I think seemed a little sketchy was on our last night, we took an Uber to the airport, and a mile or so before we got there, he pulled off the freeway onto a street that paralleled the freeway. He slowed down and there was a hotel to our right (freeway was to the left). He put his right turn blinker on and signaled with his hand to the hotel, without saying a word. We all shouted at the same time “AEROPUERTO!” (airport) and he said, “okay” and then got back on the freeway and took us to the airport.
That did make me feel a bit uneasy for a minute, as it was super weird and made no sense. I don’t know what could have happened or what the guy was thinking, so just keep an eye on your Uber routes and make sure they make sense. Make sure the driver is taking you where you should be going, just in case. Note that we took Uber the whole trip and this was the only weird thing, but of course, always be alert. I took one regular taxi in San Miguel de Allende, but it was called by the concierge at a fancy hotel (there were no Ubers in the area) so I felt okay about it.
The driver turned out to be very nice. Overall, I would definitely recommend GTO (City) for vacation. It was beautiful, the people were incredibly nice, and we felt very safe the whole time except that weird Uber driver on the last day. The city is VERY walkable so you really shouldn’t have to take a lot of public transportation anyways, unless you want to explore further or you’re not too mobile. The buses are nice and feel very safe. Cheers!
Thanks for your thorough review!
Updates in travel
Has anyone traveled here this year 2021? My coworkers family just got back from Irapuato and she said drug cartels are everywhere.
Day trip to Guanajuato
We were there in July 2021. We were staying in Leon and took a day trip to Guanajuato. The small city was vibrant and we felt completely safe while visiting. Lots of good local food, everyone was friendly. There are a lot of churches and cathedrals that were very ornate and beautiful and worth visiting. We loved our short stay.
I still can’t get over how vibrant the colors are; wandering those little streets felt like stepping into a painting.
I felt a mix of excitement and wariness walking through the colorful streets of Guanajuato, especially with all the history tied to its silver mines; it really makes you think about how a place can hold such beauty and still have a complex narrative.
Having wandered through its vibrant streets and tasted local treats, Guanajuato feels like a hidden gem where history, culture, and safety harmoniously coexist.
Anyone else get unexpectedly out of breath climbing those steep alleys but totally distracted by the painted houses and plaza vibes?
Sure, the colorful buildings and Teatro Juárez are postcard-perfect, but after huffing up those steep hills at 6,700 feet and getting an altitude headache, the “peaceful” cafes felt like a hard-earned nap more than a serene escape.