Is Guanajuato Safe in January 2026?

Costumed touts sell 'callejoneada' walking-tour tickets on the street while impersonating the University of Guanajuato's official estudiantina, whose musicians say they never sell to individuals on the street. Victims report groups that promised 7+ musicians showing up with 3-4, advertised 50-person tours ballooning past 150 people, departures delayed 45+ minutes, and the walk cut to 30-45 minutes instead of the full ~75.

How to avoid: Buy from the official routes that depart the atrium of Templo de San Diego beside Teatro Juarez, the Teatro Juarez steps, or the Alhondiga esplanade; legitimate tickets carry an official fiscal seal. Booking through the official site is cheaper than street touts. Check that the ticket shows the route, time, and seal before paying.

Guanajuato taxis have no meters, so drivers routinely quote inflated, made-up fares to obvious tourists, especially for rides through the underground tunnels (subterraneos) or up to hillside neighborhoods where you can't judge the route. A short in-town hop should run roughly 40-60 pesos.

How to avoid: Agree the exact peso price before getting in, or use Uber/DiDi in the city where the app fixes the fare. Ask your hotel or restaurant what a ride should cost so you know the going rate. Use sitio taxis from official ranks rather than flagging unknown cabs.

At the famous 'Alley of the Kiss,' self-appointed guides narrate the tragic-lovers legend and then press for a tip, while shops controlling the balcony charge an unposted fee or a forced souvenir purchase to take the 'kiss from the balcony' photo. The amounts are small but sprung on you after the fact.

How to avoid: Agree any price before letting someone guide you or before going up for a photo, and decline narration you didn't ask for. The legend and the third-step kiss tradition are free to enjoy from the alley itself. Carry small change so you're not pressured into overpaying.

At tourist-facing restaurants, hotels, and shops, the card terminal or bill offers to charge you in US dollars instead of pesos, applying a marked-up exchange rate that adds roughly 5-10% over what your own bank would charge. It's framed as a convenience but quietly inflates the total.

How to avoid: Always choose to be charged in Mexican pesos (MXN) and decline the dollar option; you have the right to refuse. Watch the terminal screen and tell staff 'pesos, por favor' before they press confirm. Use a card with no foreign-transaction fee so your bank does the conversion.

Uber and DiDi are not allowed to pick up at Del Bajio (BJX) airport near Leon, so arriving travelers are funneled to authorized taxi/van counters that charge premium flat rates for the ~45-minute trip to Guanajuato, and freelance drivers outside quote even higher 'private' fares.

How to avoid: Pre-book a transfer or a known shuttle, or buy the official airport taxi voucher at the counter inside before exiting. Compare the counter price against what your hotel says a transfer costs. An Uber can legally drop you AT the airport on departure even though it can't pick up.