Atotonilco Un'eredità devozionale e artistica di San Miguel

Did the guided tour of atotonilco on my 36th birthday. Felipe was a wonderful, thoughtful, caring tour guide. No one else was on our tour so it was completely private and felt exclusive. Felt safe and taken care of from pick up to return. Gave us historical and cultural context for the rich surroundings we took in. First, grounding us in the landscape, relating the ideology of the sanctuary’s founder, and the idea of sinners as having the hearts of a dry spiny cactus in the desert summer (which we saw many of, driving by) and through penitence and seeking of Gods mercy, would bear fruit and flowers. Felipe’s English was outstanding and he was very sweet and friendly, asking if we had questions and going into great depth as we immersed ourselves in the intense tapestry of images and sculpture throughout the Baroque church of Atotonilco. He had many unique insights and as artists and non-Catholics, illustrated many accessible points and related universal ideas for us. He even peppered in some humor, and helped us order chorizo gorditos from a local vendor. This church has very intense spiritual and visual messages (demons, bleeding and wounded Christ, rooms for self flagellation, etc). As Felipe explained, the road to this church bears deep historical significance on 3 levels: Camino de Plata (silver trade route), road of Mexican independence from Spain, and a spiritual path for worshippers who do a yearly pilgrimage from Atotonilco to San Miguel. As artists, we really appreciated the paintings, the architecture, and the historical lessons. This was a wonderful day for us and a treasured experience. Thank you Felipe!

Entering this magnificent church was quite overwhelming… having a guide to hep walk you through it greatly enhanced the experience for us and Felipe was a fabulous resource . He was able to explain the organization of each chapel, the origins, meanings of symbols etc. If we had walked in without a guide we would not have been able to absorb or understand nearly as much . It was also great that he supplied videos of areas we were not able to view bc they were under renovation etc. Thanks to Follow Me for helping enrich the experience !

Aldo was a great guide. His knowledge of the history and culture of the area was so helpful. It helped to have the explanation of what we were seeing.

Atotonilco is a treasure of the Mexican independence movement as well as being an artistic feast for the eyes. Our guide, Jamal, has a deep knowledge of the area, the struggle for independence, and…well, everything! She has studied extensively all the art, history, religion and social constructs of the region. Our tour was a masterclass regarding the interweaving of all those topics. Don’t just go to see the pretty church, this tour will help you understand why it is important enough to cause SMA to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Don’t miss it!

Jalal was an excellent tour guide to Atotonilco. She was knowledgeable, friendly, and made the experience truly special. Her explanations about the history and culture of the sanctuary were clear and engaging, and you could feel her passion for the place. She made the visit memorable and enjoyable.

Easy meeting spot for the tour. Short drive to the church and a very thorough tour both inside and outside.

Yalal provided a wonderful tour of Atotonilco. She was so informative, engaging, and personable. Just outstanding! The church is amazing! We absolutely loved this tour.

Jalal is a wonderful tour guide annd a wonderful person with a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Mexican history. I highly recommend her and this tour.

Very worthwhile tour. The explanation was so good, we truly understood the importance of this Catholic Church in Mexico. Without her expertise, it would have been another beautiful church. Thank you!

Our guide, Jalal, incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. Pleasure to be on tour with her. Comprehensive coverage on the history and significance of this Unesco site. (Gordita tasting at end of tour also worthwhile and delicious!) Gracias!