Called "The City of the Roses" by some, the Paris of the Western Hemisphere by others, Guadalajara is one of the premier cities in all of Latin America. A metropolis of over five million people, the city has nevertheless magically held onto its colonial charm.

The city was first formed in about 1551, when Cortes´s emissary, Beltran de Guzman, secured the general area under Spanish rule. Later, its epicenter was named after the Moorish city in Spain.

Today, the city boasts of dozens of dazzling fountains, wonderful museums and theaters, architectural wonders, fabulous galleries, restaurants that cater to almost every taste, and an economy that ranks as the best of any city of comparable size south of the Rio Grande. But proof of its diversity and rich culture is the Guadalajara International Book Fair, which is now the third largest in the world.