Zapopan

Basílica, MAZ and an evening at Estadio Akron

A day in Zapopan starts at the Basílica de Zapopan, reached by Light Rail Line 3 to Zapopan Centro and a walk along the pedestrian street to the Plaza de las Américas. The Franciscan church, finished in the 18th century behind a plateresque façade, keeps a Virgin barely 30 cm tall, made of corn-cane paste, above the altar.

Next door, the Wixárika museum of Huichol art shows yarn paintings, beaded masks and ceremonial objects from the mountain communities of northern Jalisco and Nayarit; it is small, so an hour is plenty.

Late morning. Cross the main plaza to the Museo de Arte de Zapopan (MAZ), which shows contemporary Mexican and international art in changing exhibitions. Have lunch at one of the cafés on the plaza.

Afternoon. Take a car to the Centro Cultural Universitario, the University of Guadalajara's arts campus, home to the Conjunto Santander performing arts centre and the state library. Check what is on that evening.

Evening. If Chivas are at home, go to Estadio Akron next door; buy tickets in advance and arrive early. Otherwise, head to Andares for dinner and a drink on the terraces of Puerta de Hierro.

A second day belongs to the Bosque de la Primavera: an early hike among the pines, then the warm water of Río Caliente.

Elotes, pozole and tejuino from the Villa Maicera to Andares

Corn runs through Zapopan's identity, and its old nickname, Villa Maicera, still shows on the street. Around the basilica plaza, vendors sell elotes, whole cobs boiled and rolled in mayonnaise, cheese and chilli, and esquites, the kernels served in a cup with lime; ask for them with chilli powder or without.

Fondas around the old centre serve Jalisco classics. Pozole rojo, a pork and hominy soup in red chilli broth, is topped at the table with lettuce, radish, oregano and lime, and is often a weekend and evening dish. Tamales and atole, a thick warm corn drink, are breakfast in the cool months and appear in huge quantities around the Romería, when stalls line the pilgrims' route for days.

For something cold, street carts pour tejuino, fermented corn with lime, salt and a spoon of sorbet, a western Mexico refresher best on a hot April afternoon.

Modern Zapopan eats differently. Andares and Puerta de Hierro hold the metropolitan area's most polished restaurants, from steakhouses to contemporary Mexican kitchens, and terraces stay busy late on Thursday to Saturday. Prices and dress codes there are a step up. Around the university and the stadiums, taco stands and cheap cenadurías keep the student crowd fed long after the matches finish.

For the best of both, eat simply in the old village by day and save Andares for the evening.

The 12 October Romería, dry winters and storm season at La Primavera

The Romería de Zapopan on 12 October is the municipality's biggest day. That morning, the small image of the Virgin is carried about 8 km from Guadalajara cathedral back to her basilica along Avenida Alcalde and Ávila Camacho, watched or joined by well over a million people, with feathered dance groups performing for hours.

Each summer before that, the image travels around the parishes of Guadalajara. Pilgrims walk the route in fulfilment of vows and food stalls line the road. Arrive before dawn, wear comfortable shoes and expect closed roads all day.

The climate is that of the Atemajac Valley. From October to March days are sunny at 25 to 29 C, nights cool to about 9 C in midwinter, and rain almost stops: December averages 9 mm. This is the time for hiking in the Bosque de la Primavera, a protected forest of pine and oak on the western edge, and for soaking in Río Caliente.

April and May are the hottest months, peaking at 33 C, and the forest dries out; fires are common and trails may close. The rains begin in June, with July bringing about 280 mm. Storms usually arrive in the afternoon, so plan forest walks for the morning and keep museums and malls for later.

Concert and football calendars run most of the year, with the Liga MX seasons spanning roughly January to May and July to December.