Arandas is a small town in the mountains that surround the Tequila Valley in Jalisco, Mexico. The town is a key destination on Jalisco's Los Altos Tequila Trail because it is the home of several smaller artesanal distilleries that use traditional methods to produce a variety of tequilas.
Understand
[edit]Arandas is a small city of about 60,000 people (2020). The town is the center of an agricultural area that, in addition to blue agave, produces wheat and grains. The town's elevation is 2,061 meters. Arandas is part of a 
UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes all of the Tequila Valley, the Highland towns (Los Altos), as well as all of the agave fields as well as Haciendas and various historical and archaeological sites that bear witness to the cultivation of agave and production of alcoholic beverages dating back about 2,000 years. The region's oldest "modern" production are in Arandas.
Get in
[edit]
The closest major airport is in Guadalajara (GDL IATA), which receives direct flights from several major cities in the United States and Canada as well as frequent domestic flights from many Mexican cities (particularly Mexico City). From Guadalajara you can book a tequila tour from many travel providers or you can take a bus or rent a car.
By bus
[edit]From Guadalajara, direct first-class buses on the Coordinados line go to Arandas several times per day. The 190 km trip takes 2½ hours and costs M$200. Buses leave Guadalajara from the new Central Camionera near Tlaqapaque, not from the older Central Vieja downtown.
- 1 Central de Autobuses Arandas. Small bus station for Coordinados and Primera Plus buses. Waiting area is generally clean, M$5 to use the rest room (bring coins).
Get around
[edit]See
[edit]
- 1 Parroquia de San Jose Obrero (Church of St. Joseph the Worker), Calle Hidalgo 227, Centro. The parish was established in 1879 and features a huge neo-gothic style church whose design was inspired by France's Notre Dame. The ornate facade is flanked by the spires of twin bell towers and prominently features an immense round stained glass window that fills the interior with multi-colored light.
- 2 Parroquia de Santa Maria Guadalupe, Calle Morelos esq. Calle Juarez. Spectacularly beautiful 17th-century church built of cantera (pink granite) with an ornate interior featuring colorful vaulted ceilings and domes along the main nave. Many paintings and sculptures of saints in niches and side chapels.
Do
[edit]- Feria de Arandas. One of the biggest celebrations in the Los Altos (Highlands) region, the festival honors the Virgen de Guadalupe and takes place each year in early January. In addition to food, drink, and carnival attractions, the festival features popular musicians performing various genres of regional Mexican music. M70.
Buy
[edit]The traditional market day in Arandas is Saturday, which is when you'll find a tianguis (traditional flea market) set up near the Plaza Principal.
- 1 Mercado Municipal de Arandas, Dr. Marcelino Álvarez 50. Daily 09ː00 - 17ː00. The town's traditional marketplace is a lively hub of commerce, full of colors and the scents of fresh fruits and vegetables mixing with the aromas of regional and local dishes. Great place for a tasty and cheap lunch, or to just stroll through the market to pick up some local produce.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Ocho Agaves, Libramiento Sur, Arandas, ☏ +52 348 100 6234. Tu-Sa 13ː00 - 23ː00, Su closes at 20ː00, closed M. Elegant dining room that is part the Tequila Ocho distillery. Innovative nuevo Mexican cuisine. Full bar that obviously features drinks made with Tequila Ocho. Known for their rustic contemporary ambience and good food and service. M$350.
- 2 La Fonda de Todo la Vida, C. Álvaro Obregón 76, Centro, ☏ +52 348 784 4198. Daily 07ː00 - 17ː00. Popular traditional breakfast and lunch eatery that built its reputation on huge portions, traditional homestyle cooking, and fair prices. Locals recommend the chamorros and the chilaquiles. M$200.
- 3 Bramido, Jesús Carranza 200, Centro, ☏ +52 348 135 0304. Su - Th 12ː00 - 23ː00, F Sa 13ː00 - 00ː00. High-end restaurant and bar that caters to a young, sophisticated clientele. Traditional Mexican cooking with grilled steaks and seafood. Full bar with innovative cocktails (the El Alto is a local favorite). Large portions, innovative cooking, friendly service, and reasonable prices. M$300.
Drink
[edit]
- 1 Tequila Tapatio/Tequila Ocho (Destileria La Alteña, Tequilera Los Alambiques), Calle Alvaro Obregon 19, Centro, Arandas, ☏ 52 348 783 1666Country code missing. M-F 09ː00 - 17ː00, Sa 09ː00 - 13ː00, closed Su. Established in 1937, NOM 1139 is the distillery registration number. The tequila is made using traditional processes, roasting the agave pinas in brick ovens. They produce 5 tequilas under their own brand (and under the Tequila Ocho brand) including a complex, oak-aged añejo with notes of caramel, citrus, and pepper, and a standard strength 80-proof blanco as well as a very strong 110-proof Blanco. Offers several distillery tours and tequila tastings (and one informational tour without tequila samples. Visitors can see traditional artesanal processes and can taste the agave as it is cooked, as it is fermented, and after distillation letting you taste the effect of each step in the production process. Tours can be scheduled on their website.
- 2 Tequila El Mexicano (Hacienda El Mexicano), Arandas. M-F 08ː00 - 16ː00, Sa 08ː00 - 12ː00, closed Su. Operated by the Bañuelos family the El Mexicano distillery (NOM 1588) produces a full range of tequilas under their own label. Like most distilleries in Arandas, traditional methods and equipment are favored.
- 3 [httpsː//casacentinela.com/ Casa Centinela], Arandas, ☏ 52 348 783 0469Country code missing. Traditional tequila distillery (NOM 1140) producing several varieties of tequila, including Blanco, reposado and anejo. Does not generally publicize public tours but several of the tour operators from Guadalajara who offer "Los Altos Tequila Route" tours will include Centinela on their itinerary so always be sure to talk to the tour operators before you book if you are interested in touring a specific facility (some may do it, some may not).
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Casa Arandas, C. Ignacio Rayón 309, ☏ +52 348 151 8005. Check-in: 15ː00, check-out: 11ː00. Modern hotel with clean, spacious roomss with contemporary furnishings. On-site cafe. Off-street parking is available. 5 block walk to city center. M$1700.
- 2 Hotel Santa Barbara, C. Gobernador Medina Ascencio 553, Santa Barbara, ☏ +52 348 783 3838. Check-in: 15ː00, check-out: 12ː00. Well maintained mid-range hotel with comfortable and clean, but somewhat minimally furnished rooms that lack air conditioning. On-site restaurant serves a good breakfast.
- 3 Alambique, Carretera Tepatitlán-Las Adjuntas, ☏ +52 348 124 5506. Check-in: 15ː00, check-out: 12ː00. Modern hotel with clean but cramped rooms with minimal furnishings. Off-street parking available. M$1300.