Guadalajara is the second-largest city in Mexico (with 3.5 million people, it's a very distant second to Mexico City), but because it's the homeland of mariachi music, the jarabe tapatío (the Mexican hat dance), and tequila, many consider it the most Mexican of cities. Despite its size, Guadalajara is easy to navigate, and the people are friendly and helpful. And unlike in Mexico City, visitors can enjoy big-city pleasures without big-city hassles.

Guadalajara is the capital of the state of Jalisco and on occasion in Mexico's stormy history has functioned as the nation's capital. The historic center of Guadalajara, especially the area around the cathedral, is a wonderful place to wander among colonial plazas, fountains, churches, and convents. On the relatively new Plaza Tapatía, you can enjoy a pleasant walk from the cathedral all the way to the impressive Hospicio Cabañas. With its shopping, restaurants, cultural life, history, architecture, and mild climate, Guadalajara is a great side trip into the interior from Puerto Vallarta or Manzanillo.

The handicrafts and decorative arts are perhaps the best in Mexico. Shoppers can browse through the sophisticated shops of Tlaquepaque, which offer an immense variety of merchandise. Or they can visit Tonalá, a bargain-hunter's paradise with hundreds of workshops.

While in Guadalajara, you will undoubtedly come across the word tapatío (or tapatía). In the early days, people from the area were known to trade in threes, called tapatíos. Gradually, the locals came to be called tapatíos, too, and the word now signifies Guadalajaran when referring to a thing, a person, or a manner of doing something.