One does wonder walking in San Miguel de Allende if each gallery and restaurant is trying to outdo the other to impress potential customers. The ambience, the decor, the presentation is often impeccable. Yes, the "upmarket" vibe in San Miguel is certainly felt and on full display. Yet, during the holidays families were filling up Jardín Allende and Plaza Civica, usually with an ice cream or snack in hand from a street vendor. There is a little bit of everything here to satisfy a wide range of travelers. Sometimes referred to as 'El Corazon' (the fiercely beating bohemian heart of Mexico), one can see an overabundance of charm, culture, and art throughout the town.

Walking San Miguel de Allende:

I would recommend utilizing the WHS boundary map of San Miguel de Allende and invest some time walking to explore East and South of the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel. Here you will be rewarded with a few decorative fountains, elevated views (Eastern boundary), and less busy photogenic streets. The few hours before and leading up to dusk tend to be the best time for longer walks and picture taking. 

Getting to Atotonilco and back:

I do wish the bus was more convenient (there and back) to the The Sanctuary of Jesús de Nazareno de Atotonilco. I went to the bus location, saw an empty bus with 'Atotonilco' on the windshield, but there was no sign of activity (no driver). We waited 10-15 minutes (from the time indicated online) and then sought alternative transportation. For those not using a rental car, UBER now makes the journey and return quite easy and affordable. Once we finished visiting the Sanctuary, we learned a bus would return to town in about an hour or so, no thank you. I am not promoting ride-share options, since I prefer public transportation, but in this case save yourself time and call UBER.

Reserving an 'Experience':

San Miguel de Allende is a particularly beautiful town, so reserving an experience (tour, photoshoot, food/drink tasting, cooking, etc) can be rewarding. Furthermore, various types of these miscellaneous tours have never been more accessible. I still prefer making my own plans and then hitting the pavement, but the convenience and ease of these "experiences" in many World Heritage cities around the World is a new interesting development.

San Miguel de Allende vs Querétaro?

I think San Miguel de Allende wins people's hearts because of how visually presentable the city is to the eye and our cameras. Walking is a delight and its so easy to find excellent restaurants. Yet, I would claim there is actually more to see in Querétaro.