León is the largest city in Guanajuato, Mexico, with about 1.7 million people in the municipality. Founded as Villa de León in 1576, it grew as a regional trading and manufacturing centre in the Bajío and is now best known as Mexico’s “capital of leather and footwear.” The city has a busy, practical feel rather than a colonial-museum atmosphere, but key sights include the Cathedral Basilica, the Arco de la Calzada, the historic centre, the Expiatory Temple, and the large Poliforum/Feria district. León is also known for shopping, fairs, football, and as a gateway to nearby Guanajuato City, San Miguel de Allende and other towns in central Mexico. Getting in and around is straightforward via Bajío International Airport, long-distance buses, local buses and road links across the Bajío region.

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