Guadalajara: Soul of Mexico

🏟️ Venue: Estadio Akron

Location: Zapopan (West of Guadalajara)

Capacity: 48,071

Pro Tip: The stadium looks like a volcano with grass sides. It's in Zapopan, a modern district. Use rideshare apps (Uber/DiDi) to get there.

🏨 Where to Stay

• Centro Histórico: Beautiful colonial architecture, cathedrals, and plazas. Very walkable.
• Zapopan / Andares: The modern, luxury side of the city. High-end malls, skyscrapers, and closer to the stadium.
• Tlaquepaque: An artistic neighborhood known for pottery and mariachi. A bit further out but very charming.

🌮 Where to Eat

• Tortas Ahogadas: The city's signature dish. A pork sandwich "drowned" in spicy salsa. Try Tortas Toño.
• Birria: Goat stew. Birrieria las 9 Esquinas is famous.
• Carne en su Jugo: Meat in its own juice. Karne Garibaldi holds the Guinness Record for fastest service.

🎢 Things to Do

• Tequila Express: Take a train to the town of Tequila. Tour distilleries (Jose Cuervo) and taste the real deal.
• Hospicio Cabañas: A UNESCO World Heritage site with breathtaking murals by José Clemente Orozco.
• Mercado San Juan de Dios: The largest indoor market in Latin America. You can buy anything here.

💎 Hidden Gem

Guachimontones: Unique circular pyramids located about an hour west of the city. A mysterious ancient site unlike any other in Mexico.

🤓 5 Fun Facts

1. Guadalajara is known as the "Silicon Valley of Mexico" due to its tech industry.
2. Guillermo del Toro (Oscar-winning director) was born here.
3. The Mexican Hat Dance (Jarabe Tapatío) originated here.
4. It has one of the mildest, most pleasant climates in the world year-round.
5. Chivas Guadalajara, the local team, famously only fields Mexican players.