The Doors of Mexico: A Colorful Welcome to the Soul of a Country

If you have been following me, you know I have lived in Mexico for more than a decade and I have been traveling around Mexico ever since, and I still do.

I am also a photographer (in the making), and I never go around without my camera.

One of my favorite things about wandering through Mexican towns, any town, is the doors, and from the pictures you will see in a bit, you’ll know why.

Bright turquoise, faded red, mustard yellow. Some carved, some cracked, some almost falling off their hinges. Others are freshly painted and shining like someone just finished them that morning. But they all tell stories.

I never thought about collecting all my door photos into an article until I got inspired by a fellow blogger. Here’s my first blog post, naturally about Mexican doors, as that’s where my home base is and where I have more photography opportunities.

I will make it a point to capture beautiful doors in my future travels and collect door pictures in dedicated articles.

But without any further ado, here are my doors of Mexico.

TIP- I will be adding new pictures as I find them while editing all my 10K Mexican photos. You can bookmark this post or pin it for later and check back to see the new ones 🙂

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Doors of Mexico: Guanajuato

In Guanajuato, doors catch your eye around every corner—deep reds, weathered blues, bold greens—some freshly painted, others faded by time. I have traveled to Guanajuato multiple times and it never gets bored. I always find new secret corners of this beautiful historical city of Mexico.

During the colonial period, Guanajuato was one of the wealthiest cities in all of New Spain, thanks to its silver mines, especially the famous Valenciana mine. Wealth poured into the city, and with it came grand buildings, elegant homes, and one of the first university of Mexico. And with that, ornate wooden doors built to impress.

Walk through the historic center, and you’ll spot massive double doors with heavy iron studs, intricate carvings, and arched stone frames—signs of the city’s mining boom and the elite families who lived here.

Some of these old doors open into former haciendas or casonas that have been standing for two or three centuries. Others belong to old convents or colonial government buildings that have been repurposed into museums, galleries, quiet cafés, or luxury hotels like this one in the picture.

You’ll also find smaller, simpler doors tucked into the maze of alleyways—homes of the working class that have seen generations pass through. And these are the ones that catch my attention the most.

One detail you’ll notice is the variation in scale. Many homes were built with two doors in one—a smaller pedestrian door cut into a larger one meant for carriages or animals. Today, you’ll often see just the little door in use, while the larger frame stands as a reminder of a time when donkeys and carts moved through these streets instead of taxis and students.

Some doors even carry bullet holes and cracks from the turbulent times of Mexican independence. Remember, Guanajuato is where the fight for independence kicked off in 1810, with the siege of the Alhóndiga de Granaditas. The city has scars from history, and in some cases, the doors do too.

That’s why I love photographing doors here. They’re not just colorful or charming—they’re a reflection of Guanajuato’s past. Each one feels like a marker of a different chapter: mining wealth, revolution, daily life, forgotten homes, restored glory.

And the best part? They’re still in use. Locals walk through them every day, tourists take pictures and keep walking—but the doors remain, weathered and wise.

Doors of San Miguel De Allende – Mexico

San Miguel de Allende, like Guanajuato, owes much of its early prosperity to the silver trade. The two cities are part of the same historic network that flourished during colonial times, built with wealth that came from nearby mines, trade routes, and Spanish investment. And just like in Guanajuato, the doors here carry visible traces of that legacy.

In San Miguel, though, the vibe is more refined. While Guanajuato feels like a lively maze, San Miguel feels more curated—cleaner lines, grander symmetry, and doors that were clearly designed to impress. You’ll see massive wooden doors with delicate carvings, flanked by cantera stone columns and elegant ironwork. Many are part of old colonial mansions that once belonged to nobility, wealthy merchants, or high-ranking clergy.

Many of these doorways were intentionally designed to convey status. The taller and more elaborate the door, the more critical the family inside. If you spot double doors with intricate knockers, arched transoms, or stone crests above them, you’re likely looking at what used to be a home of someone powerful in the colonial hierarchy.

But it’s not just about wealth. San Miguel was a critical stop on the Silver Route—a trade path connecting the mines of Zacatecas and Guanajuato to Mexico City and beyond. Caravans would pass through town, and many of the buildings (and their doors) reflect this role as a strategic, wealthy outpost.

During the War of Independence, San Miguel was also deeply involved—this was the hometown of Ignacio Allende, one of the movement’s key leaders. Some of the older doorways have witnessed centuries of change: from Spanish rule to rebellion, from decline to full restoration in modern times.

Today, many of those historic buildings have been converted into boutiques, galleries, and hotels, but the doors remain preserved, restored, and still telling stories. You’ll walk by a door that once opened into a bishop’s residence, and now it leads into an art studio. Another might have been part of an old hacienda and now hides a quiet garden patio or a trendy mezcal bar.

That’s the thing about San Miguel’s doors: they’re beautiful, yes, but they also hold layers of history legend and power.

Doors of Queretaro

Querétaro has a different kind of charm—more understated, but just as rich. The doors often feature heavy wood panels and subtle carvings, quietly blending into the clean colonial facades. You’ll spot antique knockers, iron studs, or tiny tiled details if you look closely. Some of them feel like they haven’t been touched in decades—and that’s what makes them so special.

Unfortunately I lost all my original pictures I took in Queretaro, I had soo many doors. Only a couple were found. I’ll need to go back.

Doors of Mexico: La Paz

La Paz adds its own twist. What stands out there are the murals—bright and bold, often painted around the simplest doors. One day it’s a whale swimming past a wooden frame; another, a desert landscape wrapping around a steel panel. The doors themselves are plain, but the art gives them personality. That’s why I thought I should include them here.

Doors of Yucatan

The doors of Yucatán have a very distinct personality. Unlike the ornate stonework of central Mexico, here the style leans more toward simplicity, symmetry, and bold, sun-faded colors. But behind that simplicity is a rich history shaped by Spanish colonialism, indigenous Maya culture, and the region’s tropical climate.

Many of the most beautiful doors you’ll see are in Mérida, Izamal, Valladolid, and the smaller towns dotting the peninsula. These places were all part of the colonial network built atop ancient Maya settlements.

As the Spanish established their rule, they brought in European architectural styles, but the materials and climate of the Yucatán shaped everything—from the thick limestone walls to the tall, narrow wooden doors designed to keep out heat and let air flow through.

Most colonial homes in Yucatán follow a similar pattern: high ceilings, long hallways, and tall doors with fanlights above (those small windows built to let in air and light).

The doors themselves are often plain but massive, painted in pastel greens, mustard yellow, faded turquoise, or deep coral—colors that stand out beautifully against the stark white of limestone or the crumbling patina of time.

Some doorways still show the influence of the henequén era, when the Yucatán experienced a burst of wealth from the agave industry in the 19th century.

That money funded elegant mansions, especially along Mérida’s Paseo de Montejo, where the doors are grand and European in style—arched, flanked by Corinthian columns, or finished with iron grilles that seem more Paris than peninsula.

But just a few blocks away, you’ll find modest wooden doors on quiet residential streets—some leaning, some freshly painted, some with handwritten signs advertising “tamales caseros” or “se renta cuarto.” These are the ones I love most. They speak to real life, to homes that have been lived in for generations.

In places like Izamal, often called the “Yellow City,” doors practically blend into the bright ochre facades of every building. There’s a calming harmony to it—nothing flashy, just centuries-old architecture that’s still holding strong.

What makes the doors of Yucatán special isn’t just how they look—it’s how they bridge time. They’re a mix of colonial influence, indigenous endurance, and the realities of life in the tropics. And whether you’re photographing a grand arched entry or a crooked little side door, you’re catching a piece of the region’s quiet, resilient beauty.

What I love most is that these doors feel like more than just an entrance. Some are wide open, letting in sunlight and music. Others are shut tight, leaving you to wonder what kind of stories are unfolding inside. And sometimes, there’s a handwritten sign offering tamales, homemade bread, or just a warm “Bienvenidos.”

So if you ever feel like there’s “nothing to see” in a town, just stop and look at the doors. The chipped paint, the tiled steps, the plants resting on the threshold—they’re little details that say a lot. They’re part of everyday life. And once you start noticing them, it’s hard to stop.

Doors of Mexico: Random Destinations

While editing photos, I often stumble upon random shots of doors scattered through my library. I’m drawn to them without even realizing it—capturing them in the moment, then forgetting all about it.

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More Doors fo Mexico soon – To be continued…