Oft-forgotten US city with karaoke taxis, 24-hour Christmas restaurants and a bizarre Phil Collins attraction

I’ve been in San Antonio for 48 hours and I’m 60% Tex Mex and 40% margarita.

That is, San Antonio, Texas – not the famous party town of Ibiza, in case you were wondering about the interesting food choice for a Balearic island.

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Although it’s the seventh largest city in the US, it’s fair to say that San Antonio is the least known of its namesake destinations among Brits, which is a shame because it’s an incredible place.

The south-central Texas city is a heady mix of Mexican influences and Texas cowboys, resulting in unforgettable food, music, shopping and history.

It was also the place where I first discovered the joy of breakfast tacos.

Woolly-headed after a night of margaritas, an angel in a cowboy hat and boots suggests I try the mother of all hangover cures – pre-rolled fajitas, with huge dollops of guacamole, sour cream, salsa and cheese grated as a side dish. .

Forget the frying, this is practical magic and after cleaning your plate, the next round of margaritas, offered right after the noon tacos, seems like a good choice.

This is how my entire trip goes.

Tacos, margaritas, interspersed with chili, nachos or michelada – the Mexican version of the Bloody Mary that uses lime juice instead of tomato.

After all, this is where Tex-Mex was invented.

Native Americans called the land that is now Texas home for thousands of years before the arrival of European settlers in the 16th century, and for 300 years after that it was colonized by the Spanish.

Texas gained its independence in the mid-1800s, becoming part of the United States, but thanks to its Tejano history and proximity to Mexico, hybrid Tex-Mex cuisine was formed.

It all started in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas and was then brought to the masses in the late 1800s.

Home to one of the most popular foods in the world, San Antonio was designated a Creative City of Gastronomy by UNESCO in 2017 – one of two US cities with that title.

Shopping is thirsty work

And historic dining spots include the legendary Mi Tiera, a family-owned restaurant and bakery that has been in business since 1941.

The 24-hour venue never closes and is randomly decorated with Christmas decorations throughout the year.

Large portions of fajitas, tacos, chili and their excellent salsa are a must, as is their bakery’s sweet pot.

Break away from the large portions with some retail therapy at nearby El Mercado Historic Market Square, the largest Mexican market in the US.

I could have filled a suitcase, but I settled for a lucha libre (wrestler) mask, Mexican garlands, a huge tote bag, and some spiced hot chocolate.

Shopping is thirsty work, but luckily an excellent mariachi band was performing inside the square, so I grabbed a giant michelada from one of the stalls and put my feet up.

The 24-hour venue never closes and is randomly decorated with Christmas decorations throughout the year

Another must-visit restaurant is Rosario’s – consistently voted the best Mexican restaurant in San Antonio.

Given the amount of calories I was saving, it was helpful that many of San Antonio’s best bars, restaurants, and attractions were spread out along the famous River Walk, where my hotel – The Westin – was perfectly located.

The 15-mile stretch of tree-lined riverside path winds for about 5 miles and is magical at night, with rows of multicolored lights and vibrant awnings.

This weekend marks the start of the annual Fiesta San Antonio, a river parade featuring colorful floats decorated with flowers, and we joined thousands of people celebrating and partying on the riverbank as the boats passed by.

In October, the River Walk hosts another Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) parade, with specially decorated barges honoring the tradition of remembering loved ones who have passed away.

San Antonio claims to have the biggest Dia De Los Muertos in the US and every year they hold a huge festival in Hemisfair park in the center of the city.

Of course, no trip to San Antonio would be complete without a visit to The Alamo Mission – the site of enormous national importance where, in 1836, a two-week siege and massacre took place during the battle for Texas to gain independence from Mexico.

The mission has been preserved as a museum and can be visited free of charge, with historical documents, weapons and clothing on display.

It also displays, quite randomly, a huge collection of memorabilia from the Texas revolution by British singer Phil Collins, who donated what is now considered one of the era’s most prominent collections to the Álamo in 2014.

Some light entertainment was needed after an afternoon studying a bloody siege, and luckily, Texans make great party hosts.

Eager to dance with a cowboy before we left, my friends and I headed to one of the city’s most beloved country music bars, The Thirsty Horse.

The country-western dance hall features live music from up-and-coming bands.

San Antonio is certainly unique

I felt incredibly out of place without a pair of boots and cowboy hat as I watched couples two-step across the dance floor outside.

I asked for a dance

But I needn’t have worried, as a Texan gentleman in a big Stetson managed to overlook my poor choice of sandals, making me feel like an extra from Gone with the Wind when he extended his hand and asked to dance.

He was probably pleased with the flimsy footwear at the end of our turn on the dance floor, as my terrible attempt at dancing resulted in me standing on my toes at least twice – although his Southern charm made me laugh with embarrassment.

Hailing a taxi back to our city center hotel, we were delighted to discover that our taxi driver had a karaoke machine in his car and began serenading us with his favorite country hits.

It was another quirky surprise on a fascinating city break.

A 24-hour Tex-Mex Christmas restaurant, karaoke taxi, breakfast tacos and midday margaritas mixed with a good dose of culture and history – San Antonio is certainly unique.

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