Looking for the best San Miguel de Allende photo spots? From the prettiest streets to amazing views, here’s all the best places to take pictures in San Miguel de Allende!
San Miguel de Allende is a photographer’s dream.
Wandering through the city feels almost like walking through a fairytale, with quaint cobblestone streets, colorful colonial architecture, old churches, lush greenery, and photogenic views every which way you look.
It’s a city that’s been ranked consistently as one of the best cities in the world (and has taken the #1 spot several times), and was Mexico’s first pueblo magico. One look and you’ll see why – it’s absolutely magical.
San Miguel de Allende was a city that had been on my bucket list for years, and when I got here, I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. As a photographer, it was such a dream and I couldn’t resist snapping a million photos as I explored the city.
There’s plenty of things to do in San Miguel de Allende, but one of my favorite things was just to wander the streets and see what my lens could capture.
If you’re a photography enthusiast, you’re in for an absolute treat! There are no shortage of photo ops that await you, so be sure to save some extra room on your memory card.
While every inch of the city is stunning, I’ve compiled this list of my favorite photo spots that are especially photogenic. If you’re looking for the best places to take pictures in San Miguel de Allende, keep on reading – I’ve got ya!
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Best San Miguel de Allende Photo Spots
Calle Aldama
San Miguel de Allende has many photogenic streets, but Calle Aldama is hands-down the most Instagrammable of them all.
Chances are that you’ve seen a photo of this view somewhere – it’s one that graces many postcards of San Miguel de Allende. The colorful buildings are lined up and lead the eye just perfectly towards the grand Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel.
I had fun playing around with focal lengths here. For the church to look larger than life, use a zoom lens (or use 3x zoom on your phone). I shot at 105mm. If you want to capture more of the colorful buildings, shoot in wide angle.
Also be sure to look both ways – I found that the side of the street not facing the church was equally photogenic and had to capture some photos of it as well.
This street gets quite busy throughout the day, so be sure to come early in the morning to get the best shots without any people! When I first came around 7am it was pretty empty, but when I passed back through in the afternoon, it was packed.
Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel
The Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel is the city’s most recognizable landmark, and also one of its best photo spots.
You literally cannot miss it – the wedding cake-like towers and pastel pink facade are visible from many places in the city.
The cathedral has a very European look, unlike any other church in Mexico. This is because the architect who designed it was inspired by postcards depicting European cathedrals, specifically one in Cologne, Germany. He was also an indigenous stonemason who had no formal architecture training – pretty cool, right?
You’ll probably find yourself passing by the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel more than a few times while visiting San Miguel de Allende. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll be wowed by the beauty of it (and end up snapping a few photos).
Be sure to capture the Parroquia de San Miguel de San Miguel Arcangel from a variety of angles! It’s truly gorgeous from all of the angles, so be sure to capture them all.
You can photograph it from right up against it (use a wide angle lens), from the Jardin Allende right across the street, from behind, from one of the neighboring streets…the possibilities here are endless, so go wild!
Also don’t miss photographing it at night, as it looks so majestic when it’s lit up.
Casa de los Soles
This is one of those spots that I saw come up on Instagram and immediately wondered where it was taken. Well, it turns out it was taken at a hotel in San Miguel de Allende.
Casa de los Soles is one of the most unique San Miguel de Allende Instagram spots. The courtyard of the hotel is covered in thousands (I believe it’s around 3000) of ceramic sun sculptures.
Just by looking at it, you can’t help but feel happy, and they add such a bright backdrop to your photos!
The best place to take photos here is by the staircase, as there’s a ton of suns plastered on the wall behind it. But it’s also fun to look around and captured bits and pieces of all the suns that surround it too.
El Mirador
If you’re looking for one of the best views in San Miguel de Allende, head up to the Mirador. The viewpoint sits on top of a steep hill, but it’s well worth the trek!
The Mirador is relatively close to the historic center distance-wise, but what isn’t immediately clear from looking on a map is how steep the hill is. It’s a good way to burn off tacos if you’re up for the climb, but if you don’t feel like huffing and puffing your way up, you can take a taxi.
I recommend doing what we did, which is take a taxi up and then walk back down, because there are some really pretty streets on the way back to the city center.
From the Mirador, you’ll catch a birds-eye view of the entire city. You’ll see all of the city’s landmarks, like the Parroquia, along with its colorful streets from above, which is a unique perspective.
I recommend using a zoom lens here to get the best photos.
Calle Monte de Oca
I first saw a photo of this street on Instagram and I guessed it was taken near the Mirador. Well, I was excited to find that I was right when I found it while walking back to town!
The steepness of the street, the colorful houses, and the bougainvilleas make for a picture perfect view. You get a peek of the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel here, and its grand spires.
I had my photographer stand towards the top of the hill, and I stood about halfway down, and we used a zoom lens for some lens compression. This allows the background to appear larger in the photo.
We also found some cute doorways with bougainvilleas that made for some cute photos too.
The street has really uneven cobblestone, so watch your step as you’re shooting. When I say it’s steep, it is STEEP – we saw several cars struggling to get up. And on that note, also watch out for the cars.
Also note that this is a residential street and people do live here, so remember to be respectful.
Luna Rooftop
San Miguel de Allende has no shortage of rooftop bars, but Luna is among the best. Situated atop the posh Rosewood Hotel, it’s got one of the best views in town.
The hotel itself is beautiful too, so you can take photos there as well.
Luna is located just outside the historic center, and you get a straight-on vantage point. The view seems a little bit far away, but if you use zoom then you’ll get a perfect shot.
It’s supposed to be especially gorgeous for sunset, but since we already had dinner reservations, we came around 4pm and it was still an amazing view!
Note that professional cameras are not allowed (they made me put my dSLR away), but you can take pictures with your phone.
Callejon de San Dimas
This was a little alleyway that we stumbled upon randomly. It has the perfect mix of colorful buildings, cobblestone, and bougainvillea!
I suggest using a bit of the bougainvillea in the foreground of your shot, to add a bit of framing and interest. Shoot downwards from the top of the street for the best vantage point.
This is another super steep street with uneven cobblestone, so be sure to watch your step.
Fabrica Aurora
Fabrica Aurora is one of the most unique attractions in San Miguel de Allende. Back in the day, it used to be a textile factory, which was one of the most important industrial sites in the city.
Today, it is a massive art and design emporium, which showcases San Miguel de Allende’s reputation as an artistic city. Here, you’ll find tons of art galleries, furniture showrooms, jewelry shops, houseware boutiques, and much more. There’s also a on-site cafe here.
What makes it one of the best places to take pictures in San Miguel de Allende is the beautiful courtyard. I enjoyed wandering through the courtyard here, and loved seeing all of the plants, colorful doors, and the cool ceramics on the wall. They make the perfect backdrop for photos!
Calle Jesus
This is another photogenic street in San Miguel de Allende (told ya there was lots of them!), located right next to Calle Aldama.
I discovered this street while we were waiting for brunch, and I loved the colorful buildings juxtaposed with the view of the hillsides right behind them. They make for some pretty photos!
It does get pretty busy here, so come early to get the best photos (and no people). Otherwise, you might have to be a bit patient to get a break in the crowds.
Mixta
There’s tons of beautiful boutiques in San Miguel de Allende, and it’s fun to pop into them while you’re wandering around the historic center.
However, Mixta is the most beautiful of them all! Housed in a historic mansion, every inch of the store is a sight to behold, and it’s styled so impeccably. You’ll find a well-curated assortment of vintage clothing, jewelry, home decor items, and more, which are displayed in such an eye-pleasing fashion.
The courtyard here is the highlight, though. There’s giant cacti, patterned tiles, lush greenery, and even a beautiful fountain. It’s seriously so photogenic!
Biblioteca Publica
I’m always a sucker for beautiful libraries and bookstores, so I was excited to find the Biblio Publica in San Miguel de Allende.
The town’s public library has an extensive collection of both English and Spanish books, an on-site cafe, and a beautiful courtyard space. They host a number of events such as tours, workshops, and live performances here.
However, the true highlight of the Biblioteca Publica is the ceiling mural in the bookstore. The vibrant mural covers the entire ceiling, and depicts human bodies in various forms. I had to switch to wide angle to capture the entire thing.
Do remember that this is a public library so be sure to be respectful and not disruptive!
Quince
Quince is one of the most popular rooftops in San Miguel de Allende, and it’s easy to see why! We had dinner here on our last night, and really enjoyed our experience, from the food, drinks, and vibe.
One thing about Quince is that the view is beautiful in all directions. One one side, you get a view of the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel in all its glory. And on the other side, you get a pretty view of the hillsides of the city.
Come at sunset for the best views! I really loved seeing the sun set over the hills, and watch the sky turn blue, at which point the lights of the Parroquia came up.
This is a *very* popular spot, so reservations are an absolute must!
Doorways
One thing that becomes apparent when walking through the historic center, is that there are many decorative doorways in the city.
I found that there were tons of doorways that were adorned with various decorations, from flowers, wood branches, ornaments, even giant mojiganga puppets (that are a symbol of San Miguel de Allende).
These doorways were in front of various establishments from hotels, restaurants, galleries, shops and even residences.
I never figured out why they were decorated, but they do make for some perfect photo ops!
Calle Correo
This was the street that our hotel was on, and one day we discovered that it has a pretty awesome view, when you walk up to the end of the street, at the top of the hill.
You’ll see the colorful buildings on the street lined up perfectly, and the pointy spires of the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel poke through from behind.
It can be tricky to shoot here because there can be a lot of cars here (be careful!). We tried to come back early in the morning to take some photos, but the lighting ended up being wonky.
Arcadia Cafe
I stumbled upon this cafe when walking down the street one day, and immediately had to stop in because of that cool mural of the city!
The inside of the cafe is super photogenic, with cool patterned walls, arches, metallic wings, neon signs, and more. It’s a nice place to come hang out and relax for a bit!
Have you ever been to San Miguel de Allende? What are some of your favorite places to take pictures in San Miguel de Allende?
More Mexico content you may enjoy:
The Ultimate San Miguel de Allende Travel Guide
The Perfect 3 Day Mexico City Itinerary
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Caroline is a Southern California based traveler, writer, and photographer. She travels all around California, the US, and the world in search of the most colorful places, the most delicious food, and bucket-list adventures. Her aim is to inspire other travelers discover how to add more adventure and joy to their lives. On Pictures & Words, you’ll find detailed guides + itineraries, along with vibrant photos to help you plan the the most epic trips. When she’s not traveling, Caroline also runs half marathons.