A day in Calvillo, Mexico.

The main square in Calvillo, Aguascalientes.

A stone’s throw from Aguascalientes, this lovely pueblo mágico is the self-proclaimed guava capital of the world, but offers much more than sweet treats.

I have to admit I have the biggest sweet tooth, so when I learned there was a pueblo mágico in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes nicknamed “the Guava Capital of the World”, I knew I would have to go pay it a visit sooner rather than later.

I was initially supposed to visit the state earlier in the year, but other plans took precedence. In June of 2025, however, I was set, and on my second day in the city of Aguascalientes, I walked to the bus station and found my way to a bright yellow Unicen bus that I would ride to Calvillo.

Calvillo is one hour away from Aguascalientes, but the two cities might as well be hundreds of miles apart. Gone are the noise and activity of the big, industrial city. Absent are high-rises and multi-lane highways. Calvillo is a much smaller town, although the second biggest in the state, and it feels a bit like a sleepy village, in the best way possible.

When I got off the bus, my nose noticed a delicious, sugary smell that instantly brought me back years. Guava is everywhere in (and around) town, and the first sign of it is its sweet, strong scent, that percolates through every wall, house or building.

The Andador Matamoros in Calvillo.

Labeled a pueblo mágico, or magical town, for its historical and cultural importance in Mexico since 2012, Calvillo was actually created in 1771 when José Calvillo, a nearby estate owner, gave up land to create the community, then known as Huejúcar. In 1848, the city was rechristened Calvillo to honor its founder.

Calvillo grew with the culture of guava, which is, still today, the main activity and resource of the region. The fruit is cultivated in many orchards around the city, and transformed into liquor, sweet treats or mole (a typical Mexican sauce).

Calvillo is one hour away from Aguascalientes, but the two cities might as well be hundreds of miles apart.

If Calvillo is nicknamed the guava capital of the world, it’s not necessarily for the amount of guava fruits it produces (the state of Michoacán produces more), but rather for the quality of its output. Because of its soil, the area around Calvillo delivers guavas with the highest sugar content in the country. As such, Calvillo guavas are known for their incredible sweetness.

Although guavas from Calvillo are not currently protected by an origin label, local producers are lobbying for this to become reality, with the ambition to make “Guavas de Calvillo” as the most sought after type of guava in the country, and beyond.

Miguel Hidalgo street near the zócalo, in Calvillo.

Calvillo’s center is fairly compact, and you can check it all out in a couple of hours. I had the whole day, so I took my time, knowing I could decide to head back whenever I wanted, and take one of the frequent Unicen buses heading back to Aguascalientes.

My first stop was the zócalo, the town’s main square. It was rather buzzing for a regular Tuesday as workers were busy taking apart several merry-go-rounds that had been taking over the streets surrounding the square.

I have seen many zócalos in Mexico, and my favorites are the intimate ones, big or small, where the space has been designed for people to congregate, chill or just wait for a moment, ones where I feel I am welcome to just sit back and relax. Puebla’s or Bernal’s are good example of that, as opposed to more grand yet empty zócalos like the ones in Aguascalientes or Tequisquiapan.

Calvillo’s main square very much belong to the first category. While not as beautifully designed as other main squares (my favorite are the ones that are the most symmetrical, as in Real de Asientos or even Izamal), I instantly felt at ease, and thought to myself I could find a bench to sit on and just watch life pass by. The zócalo is flanked by streets on three sides, and by the sumptuous parroquia del Señor del Salitre.

The zócalo ,or main square, in Calvillo.

Consecrated at the beginning of the 19th century, this church is dedicated to the miraculous Lord of Saltpeter, whose image is said to have appeared to some elderly people before the city was founded. It has one of the largest and most beautiful domes in Latin America, decorated with frescoes depicting the life of Saint Joseph.

To the left of the church are the remains of what I assumed were arches that used to surround the full square. The bright orange buildings behind them house a few cafes and souvenir shops, under shade that felt welcome on this hot June day.

Beyond guava, Calvillo is somewhat famous for the Andador Matamoros, one of its most iconic streets. This walkway is sloped and features stairs and landings for pedestrians. It is lined with flower-filled planters and brightly colored houses on both sides, creating an absolutely photogenic image. I appreciated that the walkway, rebuilt at the time Calvillo gained the Magical Town label, respected the colonial downtown’s aesthetic.

At the top, I enjoyed a beautiful overview of the city and its immediate surrounding area. I continued my walking towards the east, as I had seen a beautiful church on top of a small urban hill as I was heading into town from the bus station. I am glad I was curious to see it up close. The Our Lady of Guadalupe church is actually fairly recent: its construction started in 1945. The church is built in Neo-gothic style with pink cantera stone, on a mound that makes the building stand out among the surrounding houses.

Inside the Our Lady of Guadalupe church, in Calvillo.

What’s most impressive about the church lies on the inside. Its walls are hand-painted blue and pink with gold leaf highlights, and accented by stained-glass windows depicting the apostles. Its doors are also adorned with beautiful stained-glass work, and it gave the church a hard-to-define aura. I just felt something when I got in, as the decor was both unexpected and breathtaking. Was this my first quasi-religious experience? I couldn’t tell. There was a part of me that was stunned by the incredible beauty and craftsmanship of this temple. I can only hope other visitors feel the same way.

Descending back towards the village’s core, I walked along colorful facades, trying to find shade whenever I could.

Guava is everywhere and its sweet scent percolates through every house.

It was soon time to eat, and to do this, I crossed the (then) dry Calvillo river and headed to Rosa Mexicano Cocina, the best rated local restaurant on Google Maps. I sat down just before 12.30pm, excited at the prospect of feasting on some local cuisine in a lovely setting. The restaurant is part of the Casa Bugambilias hotel and occupies an airy and shaded area on the ground floor, separated from the street by colorful hedges.

It turned out they were still serving breakfast until 1pm. Undaunted, I ordered a few (incredible) guava pastries to tie me over, which, quite surprisingly, came with a sizable order of fancy chips and various Mexican dipping sauces (which I think only happened because the waitress realized I wasn’t going to make it to 1pm with only guava treats). I did live to enjoy an excellent rack of lamb and, fully satiated, went back out to wander around the village.

Calle Centenario in downtown Calvillo, just off the zócalo.

Calvillo is small, but that didn’t prevent me from enjoying it for a full day. The vibes of this tiny town were just so nice. The pace of life, the prevalent smell of guava at every corner, the complete absence of tourists groups made my day in the village a refreshing experience.

I left shopping for guava delicacies to the end of the trip. There were no shortage of stores that could satisfy my cravings. I chose one somewhat close to the zócalo, which was stocking every possible iteration of guava sweets you could imagine, and then some. I had to limit myself to whatever could fit in my backpack (which was frustratingly little) but I felt I got a nice sample of what guava can offer.

When it was time to head back to the bus station, I simply walked fifteen minutes to the edge of town, and got into a Unicen bus a few minutes before departure. The ventilation system was blasting cold air that felt wonderful after the dry heat of Calvillo’s streets, and we soon were on our way back to Aguascalientes.

The scenery on the road is beautiful. As a matter of fact, there is a lot to see and do all around Calvillo. Having come to town via an intercity bus, I couldn’t check these out, but if I had decided to rent a car, I could have hiked in the Sierra del Laurel, the mountain chain closest to town, that is full of trails - one of them leading to a nice dam, the Alamitos Dam. You may also want to visit guava farms - a good recommendation from locals is the FrutLand farm.

The view over Calvillo at the top of the Andador Matamoros.

I really enjoyed my day trip to Calvillo. I might have stayed another day to discover the area around it if I had had a car, and this is certainly something I’ll keep in mind for the next time I find myself in the state of Aguascalientes.

Practical information (updated as of June 2025)

Getting to Calvillo

Visiting Calvillo is usually undertaken from Aguascalientes, the state capital. To know how to get to Aguascalientes from the US or Mexico City, see this blog post and check the Practical Information section.

Buses to Calvillo depart from the Aguascalientes bus station. The company offering the service is called Unicen, which stands for Autobuses Unidos del Centro. Rather confusingly, the buses bear the name Unidos, not Unicen, but it is indeed the same company (side note: do not confuse them with ADO’s second-class bus brand Autobuses Unidos, or AU, which doesn’t serve the state of Aguascalientes). Buses will drop you at the Calvillo bus terminal, very close to the town’s historical center.

Unicen buses are a second class service (meaning: no assigned seating, no bathroom, although both buses I took had air-conditioning - more details on the level of service by bus type in Mexico here).

Buses leave the Aguascalientes station every thirty minutes from 7am until 8pm, and from Calvillo until 9pm.

An Unicen bus at the Calvillo bus terminal.

It is not possible to book your tickets online, only at the Unicen ticket counter in the Aguascalientes bus station. The counter sits at the extreme right of the station, so when you get in through the central entrance, make a right and walk all the way towards the vibrant yellow Unicen logo. The ticket counter only accepts cash. A one-way trip costs MXN100 and the round trip is MXN170 at time of writing.

When to go to Calvillo

The state of Aguascalientes enjoys a semi-arid climate that’s pleasant almost year-round, and as such, Calvillo is pretty much a go-whenever-you-want destination. I can personally attest it gets very hot in May and June, but it’s a dry heat that is much more bearable than summer in Florida, for instance. It does rain from June to September, and more so that in neighboring city of Aguascalientes, but like in the rest of the Mexican high plains, these summer rains usually happen towards the end of the afternoon and only last a couple of hours. You can still enjoy beautiful, sunny days before and after, so do not let that stop you.

Safety

Unlike neighboring states, like Zacatecas or Guanajuato, Aguascalientes is considered by the US Department of State as safe as major European countries, with a level 2 travel advisory, meaning “Exercise increased caution when traveling”. As such, there are no more precautions to take while you visit the state than whatever you would in Sweden or Ireland.

Inside a Unicen second-class bus linking Aguascalientes to Calvillo.

Calvillo, being a tranquil village in the middle of the Sierra Fría, doesn’t scream danger at every corner. In fact, you’ll see families enjoying ice creams under the shade in the zócalo, shops with open fronts or open doors, and you’ll feel small-town vibes all around. I never felt even remotely unsafe at any point in Calvillo.

It’s always good to know where you’re headed before getting out on the street, as as a general advice, to not flash expensive clothing, cameras or phones. Don’t make yourself a target, but, on the other hand, you won’t need to look over your shoulder every second or so. The city and the eponymous state are safe by any standard.

Just keep an eye on the US Department of State travel advisory before confirming your plans, as the states in northern Mexico can see dramatic swings in safety.

Food

Guava treats: It’s hard to avoid the (delicious) guava small all around Calvillo. Should you wish to bring sweet guava treats back with you, I recommend you check out Dulces de Guyaba, a small store full of delicious sugary souvenirs. It’s far from the only one in town, but its location close to the zócalo is hard to beat, and the family working there was super friendly when I visited. You can buy many treats, from guava liquor to candies to mole de guayaba. I picked a few pre-made sets full of smaller versions of every treats I could see in the store, and stuffed them in my (suddenly very heavy) backpack before heading back to the bus station. Prices are very reasonable (the calorie count, not so much).

Restaurant: I only spent a day in Calvillo, and had only one opportunity to find a place to eat. Luckily, I chanced upon a great one. Rosa Mexicano Cocina, on the north bank of the (at the time) dry Calvillo river, was a great find. It’s probably one of the most upscale restaurants in Calvillo. Part of the Casa Bugambilias hotel, the restaurant sits on the ground floor, in a shaded open area that was perfect to get away from the heat. The cuisine is traditional if only a bit on the fancier side, but more importantly, delicious. I had a great meal for less than USD25, I would absolutely recommend this to anyone wishing to have a great lunch in Calvillo. Note that they switch from the breakfast to the lunch menu at 1pm, which may be an issue for early lunchers.

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