The Underground Tunnels (Túneles)

Guanajuato's network of subterranean roads runs beneath the entire old town, carved into former river beds and mine workings — the city's solution to having no flat land for cars. Many roads simply disappear into a hillside and emerge somewhere else, often a kilometre away, with junctions, traffic lights, and even bus stops underground.

The tunnels are not technically a tourist attraction, but every visitor will end up driving through them eventually. A taxi ride from the bus station to your hotel will almost certainly take you through several. Pedestrian routes through the tunnels exist for short distances and are signed.

things to do sight
A story
The tunnels were built in the nineteenth century along the dried-out bed of the Guanajuato River, after the river was diverted to stop the seasonal flooding that had repeatedly drowned the city. When the road system above became unmanageable in the twentieth century, the river bed was paved and pressed into service.

Other places in Things to Do