Visiting Mexico during Dia de los Muertos celebration have been on my list for a while ever since we moved to San Diego in 2011. So, when the opportunity came up, I didn’t think twice. My trip to see Day of Dead celebration was completely unplanned and spontaneous just like majority of my best trips and travel experiences. I got on the plane and in short three hours I was in Guanajuato (BJX) airport super excited and ready to experience the traditional Dia del Muertos for the first time. Imagine narrow streets decorated with marigolds, sculls, skeletons, tons of people with sculls painted faces, live music late night, parades, and festivities. That is how Day of Dead celebration looks like in Mexico. in my pinion best places to see Dia de los Muertos celebration in Mexico are San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato
What is Dia de los Muertos
Day of the Dead, or Dial de los Muertos in Spanish, is a Mexican holiday celebrated end of October- beginning of November. Families celebrate the life of their deceased relatives this time. Day of Dead of a very bright and warm holiday full of festivities and family gatherings. Families visit cemeteries and decorate the graves of their deceased relatives. The house altars are decorated with marigold flowers, painted sculls, fruits, sweets, and other food items. The picture of deceased relatives displayed near the home altars. While Dia de los Muertos has a religious meaning, it is an open beautiful spiritual celebration for everyone to see at least once in the lifetime.
Dia de los Muertos in San Miguel de Allende
The music near the cathedral was so loud that I could hear it from the cab approaching the motel located several blocks away from the center. I got to the motel, dropped my luggage, and headed outside. Narrow cobblestone streets were packed with tourists and locals.
People were getting their sugar scull make-ups right on the streets. Several bands were playing around the square. With an exception of couple of Sponch Bobs and a Mickey Mouse walking on the street offering to take pictures with them, the costumes were unique with a lot of small details.
People got creative with their costumes. I passed a group of ladies wearing wedding dresses, a women pushing a stroller in a form of coffin with a little kid wearing the costume and many girls dressed in traditional Mexican clothes.
The words cannot describe the festive atmosphere all around the town center. I really enjoyed being a part of Dia de los Muertos celebration in San Miguel de Allende.
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San Miguel de Allende Dia de los Muertos celebration in pictures.
Dia de los Muertos in Guanajuato
Another day, another city. The first thing I saw when I got out of the hotel in Guanajuato was the huge altar on the stair of Guanajuato university. Colored sand, flowers, candles and sculls completely covered the stairs. So many flowers, and so many little details.
Guanajuato is a place to see tapetes, “carpets” in English. The carpets built of colored sand, seeds, flowers, rice and other natural materials by local students, artist, vendors and just city residents.
Read more:
20 best Guanojuato Dia de los Muertos tapetes pictures
I watched Dia de los Muertos tapetes walk, stopped by to get a drink and headed to the tunnel to see a performance at Tunnel de Tradicion (“tunnel of traditions”). Filled with various vendors, the entire tunnel are was only open for pedestrians. Local bands were performing in the tunnels. So, spent some time in the tunnel watching the performance and got back to the city center to see more tapetes.
I just couldn’t get enough of tapetes, took tons of pictures, and was hoping to come back early morning to enjoy the art once again. Next day I got up early morning and headed to see the tapetes again. All the city center street looked virgin clean in the morning and all tapetes gone to my huge surprised. Day of Dead celebration was over and city was ready for a new day.
Read more:
Dia de los Muertos celebration in Guanajuato in pictures
I wish I had my face painted in San Miguel de Allende, I wish I had a better camera ( I also wish I had brought a black long flowy dress and a hat 
), but I didn’t. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the food, people watching and just being the part of this beautiful celebration in the heart of Mexico even though I was not prepared. San MIguel de Allende and Guanajuato are the best places to see Dia de los Muertos celebration in Mexico.
