Guadalajara, Mexico

"The Pearl of the West" is the affectionate name that the local residents have for Mexico's second largest city, Guadalajara. Located in the west-central part of the country in the state of Jalisco, the beautiful Colonial city of Guadalajara sits on a high plateau more than 5,000 feet above sea level. The city was founded in 1542 by the Spanish conquistador, Nuno de Guzman. Even today, the downtown area of Guadalajara is filled with charming Colonial buildings dating from the 1600's.

Guadalajara today, is fast becoming a center for many industries that have recently entered Mexico as a result of NAFTA. (North American Free Trade Agreement) Many international companies have chosen Guadalajara as their home base, instead of the capital of Mexico City, because of the quality of life it offers and its strategic location. As a result of the many new toll roads that have been built throughout Mexico, Guadalajara is only a little more than four hours from Mexico City and three hours to the beach resorts of Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo! Even Laredo, Texas is only twelve hours away and the 1,000 mile trip to El Paso can be accomplished in less than 18 hours, the great majority of which by 4-lane highways.!

Whether you are thinking of visiting Guadalajara as a tourist or opening a business there, the city has much to offer. Many foreigners have even chosen Guadalajara as the location for their retirement. The city has one of the largest colonies of foreigners (mostly American and Canadian) of any city in the world.

The Tapatios (the name for the locals) are proud of their beautiful city and eager to introduce you to its beauty and charm. The museums, art centers, the Degollado Theater, the beautiful city parks, churches and exciting markets will fill your days with sights and sounds of Mexico that you will never forget!

Incidently, the name Guadalajara comes from the Arabic or Moorish word, "Wad-al-jidara" which means "river of stones". If you want to find out more about this 450 year old city of 5 million people with all of its culture and sophistication, check back with us from time to time because there is much more to tell. In fact, send us an E-mail message and tell us what you would like to know about Guadalajara and we'll try to honor your requests.

Being the capital of the state of Jalisco, home of tequila and mariachi music, Guadalajara is a city with a nice flavour of province and tradition, but including all the features of a big metropolis, having more than 6 million people.