Real del Sol Hotel

Mediterranean Flavors

by Jetgirly about Coscafe

I am a huge fan of Coscafe. We discovered it while wandering Guadalajara's small Zona Rosa one Sunday night, desperate for a restaurant that was actually open. We stumbled upon Coscafe and we liked the sound of a Mediterranean bistro, so we decided to go inside. I've since been back at least five times!

Coscafe is a very hip, trendy restaurant and bar, but it's not so hip that my parents felt out of place! The menu is very refreshing and unusual for Guadalajara: thin-crust pizzas (my favorite has goat cheese, spinach and slow-roast tomatoes), pastas (I like the ricotta ravioli in a creamy spinach sauce, topped with nuts) and meat-based dishes (my friends often order the rosemary chicken breast served with tomato couscous and salad). Meals are served with their fresh, warm bread and a cilantro-garlic spread. Pastas and pizzas are in the 70-90 peso range ($7-9 US/CAD). The bar at Coscafe mixes up a huge variety of drinks with cute names, but you MUST try their dessert cocktail called Baileys Cookies. It's a blend of Baileys, caramel liquere, vanilla ice cream and Oreo cookies. Seriously- it is out of this world!

I really like the service at Coscafe. Many of the staff speak English, and a slightly-out-of-date English menu is available (I didn't notice any differences between the new Spanish menus and the old English ones, but the waiter warned me it had changed). The music is great and the art on the walls and windows is very cool. My photo doesn't do it justice, so you'll have to visit for yourselves to see!

Shop Shop Shop at Mercado Libertad

by Jetgirly

A market has been on the site of Mercado Libertad since pre-Colombian times, but the current, massive, three-story market building was built in the late 1950s. Today, Mercado Libertad (known as San Juan de Dios by the locals) is a maze of stalls selling everything from live birds to pigs' feet for soup to running shoes to saddles to sweet, glazed pumpkin to pirated copies of PhotoShop... you get the idea. You want it, you can find it here. The market is crowded and a few of the stall owners can be pushy, so keep cool and stand your ground. If you can, test things before you buy them. Bring small bills and leave your valuables at home (as with any big market). Don't hestitate to stop at one of the many food stalls on the second floor- they're busy all the time and food turnover is quick. The market is a fun place to spend an hour or two, and the earlier in the day the better your chances of finding all the stalls open.

A most historic and beautiful city

by jwilliams2005

"Plaza de Armas, Guadalajara"

The Plaza Guadalajara, whose centerpiece ia a fountain constructed around a circular base that displays the coat of arms of the city of Guadalajara. Beside this square is the Municipal Palace, surounded by a series of large windows that emphasize the neoclassic style of the building. Its interior composed of arches, ionic columns and passages, is enriched by the paintings of the artist, Gabriel Flores (1930-1993), which capture the history of the foundation of Guadalajara. There are also plenty of restaurants to enjoy native Mexican foods.

Madero and E. Diaz de Leon. This building was custom built in the middle of the twentienth century out of carved stone without the use of iron or concrete in its infrastructure, as was common in the Middle Ages. This architectural work was initiated by the Italian architect, Adamo Boari and concluded by Ignacio Diaz Morales.

Housed in a noble French-eclectic style construction, which glows beautifully when it is illuminated during the night. The Museum offers temporary exhibits as well as a permanent colection of graphic art, paintings and sculptures. A most beautiful structure.