San Miguel de Allende to Guanajuato

We bid our goodbyes to San Miguel de Allende and head back the way we came on the previous ride, heading towards Dolores de Hidalgo, where we’ll deviate from our last route by heading out towards the mountain range that will lead us to the state capital, Guanajuato.

The road starts sloping upwards around the midway point of the ride, offering some breathtaking views along the curving roads that oversee farms and ranches, as well as some zip-lines along the way. Around the 75km mark, the day’s main (and only) climb starts in earnest, through narrow, winding forest roads.

But it’s the end of this ride that will take your breath away. Because the city of Guanajuato rests in a valley, we have a twisty descent that lasts about 12km. That’s fun, but what’s even better is the view that you’ll enjoy along the way. One of Guanajuato’s defining characteristics is that its houses are painted all sorts of bright, vibrant colors (think reds, greens, pinks, yellows, blues, purples, oranges). Combine this with some domed churches and other colonial architecture, and the word ‘wow’ is likely to escape your lips more than a few times.

Just try to watch the road.