León (Mexico)

León is a city of 1,114,000 people in Guanajuato, Mexico, known for its leather goods.

Understand

• 1 León Tourist Office (Oficina de Convenciones y Visitantes de León), Calle Madero 517, ☏ +52 477 763 4400, toll-free: 1 800 716 5366, leon@leon-mexico.com. 

Get in

By plane

• 1 Aeropuerto Internacional del Bajío (Bajio International Airport BJX ^IATA). is the major airport for Guanauato state serving Guanajuato, Irapuato, Leon & Silao. The airport is located at KM 5.5 along the Carretera Silao-León (Hwy 45), half way between Leon & Silao in the Silao municipality and is 27.5 km southeast of the Plaza Principal in El Centro de Leon. If booking a ticket or researching the fare on an airline or an aggregate site be sure to look for "Leon" or "Leon/Bajio" instead of "Guanajuato" as you will not find it under "Guanajuato". Most flights offered are domestic and limited international services to/from the U.S. Scheduled flights are available with:  

• Aeromexico & Aeromexico Connect from Atlanta, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Monterrey & Tijuana
• American Eagle to Dallas Ft Worth.
• Interjet Mexico City, Monterrey, Puerto Vallarta & Tijuana
• MagniCharters Cancun
• TAR Puerto Vallarta
• United Express Houston & Chicago
• Viva Aerobus Cancún, Cd Juarez, Monterrey & Tijuana
• Volaris Chicago Midway, Ciudad Juárez, Cancún, Los Angeles, Mérida, Mexicali, Oakland, Puerto Vallarta, Sacramento, San Jose CA, San Jose del Cabo and Tijuana

As of August 2018 state sponsored, Unebus Guanajuato operates buses from the airport to Leon, Guanajuato and San Miguel Allende. The stop is right turn when coming out from the airport, past the building in front of the taxi stand.

Alternatively if you're flying from Europe, Canada, Caribbean or South America you can fly through Mexico City located 319km to the SE and take a bus or a flight from there. Primera Plus operates a direct bus from Mexico City's airport to Queretaro where passengers transfer to another bus to continue to Leon or Guanajuato City.

By bus

• 2 Bus station (Central de Camiones), Hilario Medina 222, ☏ +52 477 763 1243. The station is served by: 

• Greup Estrella Blanca, ☏ +52 55 5729-0807, toll-free: 0800-507-5500. They also operate the Americanos, Elite, Elite Plus, Oriente, Chihuahuanese, TNS (Transportes Norte de Sonora) and the Pacifico brands. (updated Aug 2016)
• ETN (Enlances Terrestre Nacionales); Turistar, ☏ +52 473 733-0289, toll-free: 0800 8000-386. (updated Aug 2016)
• Primera Plus, Blvd. Hilario Medina 222; Col. Killian 1ª sección C.P.37260 León, Gto., ☏ +52 447 710-0001, toll-free: 0800 375-75-87. The major bus line for the region which also include the Coordinados and the Flecha Armarilla lines for travel in the state and to adjacent states. (updated Aug 2016)
• Omnibus de Mexico, ☏ +52 55 5141-4300, toll-free: 01 800 765-36-66. Also include the Noreste and the Omnibus Plus brands. (updated Aug 2016)

• Unebus Guanajuato, (mini-stations/estaciones) Chedraui Poliforum, Mega Centro Max, Puerta del Milenio. State operated bus that connects San Francisco del Rincón, Purísima del Rincón, León, Silao and Guanajuato and from Leon Bajio International Airport to Leon, Guanajuato and San Miguel Allende. (updated May 2019)

See

Martyrs Square (Plaza de los Mártires)

Near León you can find the archaeological zone of Ibarillo, of Tarasco-Chupicuaro origin. 23 km east of Leon city you can visit Los Tanques and La Granja Spas.

• 1 Catedral Basílica de León (Catedral Metropolitana de León), Álvaro Obregón s/n, ☏ +52 477 716-1038. M-Sa 10:00-14:00, 17:00-19:00; Su 10:00-14:00. This cathedral dates back to 1975 and has interior chapels and a baroque-style facade. The Virgin of Light, patron saint of León since 1849 is worshipped here.  
• 2 Our Lady of Angeles Church (Templo de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles), Calle 20 de Enero 237, ☏ +52 477 713 2048. This church was built at the end of the 18th century and is churrigueresque in design. 
• 3 Martyrs Square (Plaza de los Mártires). The name of this square commemorates a local power struggle between different political factions which took place in 1946. The square is surrounded on three sides by beautiful neoclassic archways. 
• 4 Triumphal Arch (Arco de la Calzada de los Héroes). Built in 1893 to commemorate the 83rd anniversary of the Mexican Independence. The centerpiece of this neoclassic arch is a bronze lion which was donated by local bullfighter Antonio Valdez. 
• 5 San Juan de Dios Church and Garden (Templo y Jardin San Juan de Dios). This age-old romantic spot is regularly visited by local residents. 
• Botanic Gardens (Jardín Botánico Leones). The gardens contain a variety of plants, orchid garden, greenhouse and orchards. 

Museums

• 6 Explora Science Center Museum (Explora Centro de Ciencias), Francisco Villa 202, ☏ +52 477 711 6711. M-F 09:00-18:00, Sa Su and holidays 10:00-19:00. This interactive science center and park is 9,500 m², and contains four large halls (Man, Water, Communication and Movement), IMAX theater science classroom, workshops and temporary exhibits.  
• 7 Museum of Art and History (Museo de Arte e Historia de Guanajuato), Calz de Los Niños Heroes 908 (Vasco de Quiroga), ☏ +52 477 104 1100, informacionmahg@guanajuato.gob.mx. Tu-F 10-17:00, Sa-Su 11:00-19:00. Opened in 2008, this museum is dedicated to the history of the state of Guanajuato, and hosts rotating temporary exhibits. M$20 (pesos) (adults), free (students/teachers). 
• 8 Museum of the City of León (Museo de la Ciudad de León), Hermanos Aldama 136, ☏ +52 477 714 5022. Tu-F 09:00-14:30, 17:00-19:30; Sa Su 10:00-14:00. Devoted to the history of the city of León. 
• 9 Museum of Religious Art (Museo de Arte Sacro), Calle Hidalgo (behind the cathedral), ☏ +52 477 713 6076. Tu-F 10:00-14:00, 16:00-18:30; Sa 10:00-18:30; Su 10:00-14:00. M$15 (adults). 
• 10 Bullfighting Museum (Museo Panteón Taurino), Calzada de los Heroes 404 (Universitario De La Salle), ☏ +52 477 713 4969. This restaurant and bar is distinguished by is tables which are the headstones of bullfighter who died in the bullring. It is considered a museum as it contains a large collection of bullfighting history and memorabilia. 

Do

Hot Air Balloon Festival (Festival del Globo) in the Metropolitan Park)

World Rally Championship

While this is not a capital city, so there is enough to do such as catching a game of their two professional baseball teams, their top-flight soccer team and a nascent professional basketball team.

• 1 Metropolitan Park (Parque Metropolitano). Daily 06:00-20:00. Over 260 hectares for recreation, sports and enjoying nature. The park has a pier, bicycle paths, train, rose garden, orchards, vegetable gardens, picnic tables and camp grounds. Also available are bicycle and boat rentals along with children's games. 
• 2 León Zoo (Parque Zoológico de León), Camino a Ibarrilla, ☏ +52 477 764 3143, info@zooleon.org.mx. Daily 09:00-17:00. Over 2,000 animals are on display in this attractive park, such as polar bears, panthers, pumas, tigers and lions. There is also a lake with aquatic birds an a miniature train ride. M$44 (adults), M$30 (children).  
• World Rally Championship, ☏ +52 55 5259 6904, media@rallymexico.com. Annually in March. León and nearby Guanajuato host the Mexican round of the World Rally Championship. 
• International Balloon Festival (International Festival de Balloons de León), Metropolitan Park, ☏ +52 477 779 0998, infovisitantes@festivaldelglobo.com.mx. A three-day festival held annually in November, featuring balloon rides, food, and musical entertainment. 
• Bowl Leon: This bowling alley also contains a domino room, pool tables, ping pong, foosball and coffee shop.

Buy

León is known as 'the shoe capital of the world', and is a great place for discounted top footwear. Every major brand from Nike to Steve Madden shoes is outsourced to León.

There are lots of cheap places to buy shoes and leather in general, some outlets on the sides of the manufacturers. There are also retail outlets of leather goods that are relatively cheap when compared to Mexico City or Guadalajara.

• 1 Plaza del Zapato, Hilario Medina 100, ☏ +52 477 764 0276, contacto@plazadelzapato.com. M-Sa 10:00-20:30, Su 10:00-18:00. A large shopping center with a multitude of shoe shops, offering a large range of footwear for all tastes. 
• 2 Plaza Piel, Hilario Medina 101 (across from Plaza del Zapato), ☏ +52 477 763 4150. Another shopping center, with shops selling locally-made leather goods. 
• SAPICA (Salón de la Piel y del Calzado), Boulevard Adolfo López Mateos 3401, ☏ +52 477 152 9000, toll-free: +1 800 522 4234. A bi-annual, four-day shoe festival occurring every March/April and August/September. 

Eat

Street food in el Centro

Mid-range

• 1 Frascati León, Avenida Cerro Gordo 201a (El Campestre), ☏ +52 477 773 7154. M-Sa 14:00-23:00. A popular Italian restaurant. 

Splurge

• 2 Aromas Restaurante, Av Cerro Gordo del Campestre 1101, ☏ +52 477 718 2316, aromasrestaurante@gmail.com. M-Th 14:00-23:00, F Sa 14:00-01:00, Su 14:00-18:00. Great food, great wine, great people. 

Sleep

• 1 Real Azteca Hotel, Blvd Adolfo López Mateos 1701 Ote (one block from the shoe shopping plazas), ☏ +52 477 764 1111, toll-free: +52 477 764 1118, ventas@hotelrealazteca.com.mx. Seems quite nice, reasonably clean, air, wifi, restaurant. M$1,090 and up. 
• 2 Hotel Suites Mexico Plaza Campestre (formerly Hotel Mexico Plaza Campestre), Blvd Morelos 1758-2, ☏ +52 477 788 4970, toll-free: 01 800 343 4444, reservaciones@mexicoplaza.com.mx. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: noon. Somewhat distant from the main city (around 20-25 minutes on a cab). Taxis from the airport are by no way cheap, around US$20, and transportation to downtown is around US$5. Free wi-fi, outdoor pool, and gym, with an onsite restaurant. $1,250+ MXN. (updated May 2016)