Once upon a time in Mexico

There’s a lot to love throughout Mexico - and the western state of Jalisco is home to everything a memorable incentive or corporate event could wish for.

From mariachi (the famous ensembles of musicians in traditional costume playing rousing regional music) to charreria (displaying the extraordinary equestrian skills of livestock herders), beautiful haciendas, traditional food and a day trip to Tequila on the Jose Cuervo Express, there’s a joyful vibrancy and colour here – and who couldn’t do with a little more of that?

The only European flight direct to the state capital Guadalajara currently is via Madrid. That enabled me to fly from Gatwick with a comfortable onward connection on Aeromexico. But there are lots of options from Heathrow via the States or Mexico City.

Guadalajara is a large city with a population of around 5.5m in the region. It has a fascinating and volatile history, dating back to its foundation in the 16^th century by the Spanish. It was the country’s second largest city by the 18^th century and is the site of Mexico’s first revolutionary government in 1810 during the Mexican War of Independence. Art and statues commemorate the inspirational priest and revolutionary leader Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla.

A half-day tour of the city’s heritage sites will form part of any programme and should include at least the beautiful Guadalajara Cathedral and the Cabañas Cultural Institute. Be sure to see the truly astonishing murals from the 1930s by José Clemente Orozco in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Hospicio Cabañas. Although be warned, there is little joy to be found in these powerful paintings depicting the artist’s profound despair at the corruption of governments and brutality of war.

The vibrant and pedestrianised Tlaquepaque area, however, will rekindle your spirit and is full of galleries, boutiques and gift shops. On our recent visit, we were treated to a lovely display of traditional dancing and music here before a fabulous lunch at the atmospheric Casa Luna Restaurant. We also tried our hand at painting a clay skull with local potter Paco Padilla, who regaled us with music and poetry. Another fun and memorable activity among many for a group.

The food here is a big highlight of any visit. Mexicans love their own cuisine and are keen to share it, in large portions, with visitors. Authentic, fresh and delicious, it is meat heavy and I suspect vegetarians would struggle and vegans go hungry. This is definitely something worth discussing with a DMC if that’s likely to be a problem for your group. We were assisted by Sensaciones Turísticas, who pride themselves on producing itineraries embracing the many colours, textures and flavours of Jalisco.

Two other eateries worth mentioning are the Allium Restaurant, suitable for small, upmarket groups looking to escape the hotel dining room, and Pal Real, with a more relaxed almost hippy vibe and serving excellent coffee and breakfast.

This is an exciting and growing city gaining a reputation as the Silicon Valley of Latin America, attracting many tech companies including Oracle, IBM and Siemens. There is a surprising array of large and impressive meeting venues including the Expo Guadalajara, PALCCO and Conjunto Santander de Artes Escénicas. Plus the Akron Stadium, home to Chivas, which will host fixtures in the FIFA World Cup 2026.