Legends of the Callejones
Kiss in an alley sixty-eight centimeters wide, meet one hundred and eleven mummies who refused to stay buried, and descend into tunnels where a river once flowed — this is Guanajuato after dark, where every shadow has a story.
Start
Callejón del Beso
Callejón del Beso
The Alley of the Kiss — just 68 centimeters wide, where a Romeo and Juliet legend draws couples from around the world to kiss from opposing balconies.
Plaza San Roque
A former cemetery turned open-air theater, where student performances of Cervantes' plays in the 1950s sparked what became the largest performing arts festival in Latin America.
Museo de las Momias
Home to 111 naturally mummified bodies exhumed from the local cemetery — victims of cholera, burial alive, and a grave tax that unearthed the dead.
Panteón de Santa Paula
The cemetery from which the mummies were exhumed — still active, still atmospheric, and still holding secrets beneath its stone slabs.
Alhóndiga de Granaditas (Exterior)
The massive granary where rebel leaders' severed heads hung in iron cages for ten years — seen from outside, where the ghost stories begin.
Underground Tunnels Entrance
The entrance to Guanajuato's nine-kilometer network of underground roads — former river channels turned subterranean highways, unique in the world.
Callejón de los Muertos
The Alley of the Dead — a dark, narrow passage with a legend of plague victims whose bodies were stacked in doorways when the cemetery ran out of space.
El Pípila at Dusk
The hilltop monument at golden hour — where the city lights up below and all the stories of love, death, and revolution come together in one breathtaking panorama.
Best Time to Visit
Late afternoon, starting around 4:00 PM, is ideal — you walk through the alleys in the softening light and arrive at El Pípila for sunset. The Mummy Museum is open until 6:00 PM most days. During the Festival Cervantino in October, the evening atmosphere is at its peak but crowds are intense.
Pro Tips
- •Time the tour to arrive at El Pípila for sunset — the panoramic view at dusk is the emotional climax and worth planning around.
- •The Mummy Museum can be disturbing — decide in advance whether you want to enter, especially if traveling with children.
- •Join a callejoneada after the tour for the full experience — student troupes depart from near the Jardín de la Unión most evenings around 8:00 PM.
- •Bring a light jacket — the callejones lose their sun early and temperatures drop quickly after sunset at this altitude.
- •The underground tunnels have pedestrian sections but also vehicle traffic — stay close to the walls and watch for cars.
- •A small flashlight or phone light is useful for the darker callejones, especially if you walk back from El Pípila after dark.
Safety & Precautions
- Some alleys are narrow, steep, and poorly lit — watch your footing, especially after rain when cobblestones become slippery.
- The Mummy Museum contains graphic displays including mummified infants and a woman believed to have been buried alive — it is not suitable for all visitors.
- Be aware of your surroundings in the darker callejones after sunset — stick to well-traveled routes and consider walking with others.
- The climb to El Pípila involves a moderate uphill walk — a funicular is available if needed.
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