The Queretaro town of Cadereyta, with its pleasant climate, its architectural attractions and its natural spaces, is a magnificent town to rest, walk, taste regional wines and cheeses and admire its interesting crafts. This guide is so that you do not miss any of the things to see and do in the Magic Town of Cadereyta.
If you want to see the guide of the 30 things to do in Querétaro click here.
1. Where is Cadereyta De Montes located?
In the semi-desert of Queretaro, the town of Cadereyta de Montes stands out as a haven of peace and beauty. Its historic center, with a predominance of baroque and neoclassical styles in the beautiful buildings, its gardens and nurseries, unique in Mexico; Its farms, vineyards, wines and cheeses, and its tradition in marble work, were the main reasons for Cadereyta de Montes to receive the category of Pueblo Mágico in 2011.
2. How do I get there?
Cadereyta de Montes is located 215 km from Mexico City and 73 km from the state capital, Santiago de Querétaro. To go from Mexico City you have to head north along Federal Highway 57 D towards the city of San Juan del Río, located 47 km from Cadereyta. The trip from Santiago de Querétaro begins on State Highway 100 heading east and lasts approximately one hour.
3. How is the climate of Cadereyta de Montes?
The Magic Town's environment is dry, with an average temperature of 17 ° C. In the mornings and afternoons it is advisable to go somewhat warm since the environment becomes quite cold. Between the months of June and September, the thermometers read on average more than 30 ° C, while from November to March they drop below 10 ° C. It rains only about 500 mm a year, particularly concentrated between May and September.
4. What is the history of the town?
The indigenous people who inhabited that part of the semi-desert of Querétaro when the Spaniards arrived were from the Chichimeca, Pame and Jonace ethnic groups. During the 16th and 17th centuries these pre-Hispanic peoples constantly fought against the conquerors and colonizers and the town was founded in 1640 by the Spanish with the name of Villa de Cadereyta as a settlement for the pacification campaigns in the area. In 1902 the surname of the political leader Ezequiel Montes, a native of the place, was added to the official name of the town.
5. What are the main attractions of Cadereyta?
In the architectural landscape of Cadereyta viceregal constructions stand out, such as the Plaza de Armas, the parish temple of San Pedro and San Pablo, other churches and chapels, the Municipal Palace and many colonial houses. The botanical garden and some nurseries are complete samples of the flora of Queretaro and in its farms and vineyards the vine is cultivated for table wines that have made an excellent pairing with regional cheeses, which you can enjoy on the Cheese and Wine Route. The attraction is complemented by the tradition of marble work and various natural spaces for outdoor entertainment.
6. What is the highlight of the historic center?
The main square of the town was built in 1640 and is surrounded by beautiful colonial houses with wide doorways and hallways and balconies facing the cobbled streets. The Church of San Pedro and San Pablo offers a neoclassical façade with a clock installed in the Porfirian era. Inside the temple there is a beautiful altarpiece in the Churrigueresque style. Other buildings of interest are the Municipal Palace, the Church of La Soledad and the Chapel of Santa Escala.
7. What is the interest of the Botanical Garden?
The Regional Botanical Garden bears the name of Eng. Manuel González Cosío Díaz, who was Governor of Querétaro in the six-year period 1961 - 1967. It is the country's most important sample of the flora of the semi-desert of Querétaro and Hidalgo. There you can admire more than 3,000 plants of cardones, organs, yuccas, brushes, biznagas, mamilarias, candelillas, magueyes, izotes, ocotillos and other species. The guided tour lasts about half an hour. In the end, you can buy a small plant for your house or apartment.
8. Is it true that there is a unique greenhouse in the world?
Cadereyta has the most important cactus flora greenhouse in America. It works at Quinta Fernando Schmoll and maintains the largest inventory, in different shapes and sizes, of sabilas, nopales, magueys, biznagas and other species of succulent plants from Mexico and other regions of the world. You can buy various plants at excellent prices. The greenhouse is in front of the Pilancón, the town's old water storage facility, where the residents used to go to look for the vital liquid in times of scarcity.
9. Does Cadereyta have only semi-desert environments?
No. The north side of Cadereyta is forested and also has mineral deposits. In this wooded area, near the mining town of El Doctor, is the Forest of Leaves, an ecotourism camp with cabins, grills, restaurant and other basic services. It is frequented by those who want a day of intimate contact with nature and develop outdoor entertainment activities. The restaurant's specialty is trout raised by themselves.
10. How do they work with marble?
Near Cadereyta there are marble deposits that still support the ancient tradition of the town in the work of this valuable rock. 15 km from Cadereyta is the town of Vizarrón, so rich in marble that its ordinary pavements are made of the luxurious metamorphic rock. The abundance of marble in the Cadereyta area and the passion of its inhabitants to work it is observed in the religious buildings, private houses and in the pantheon, many of whose tombs are marble works of art.
11. Is it true that in Cadereyta they eat at the butchers?
So is. Apart from being a place to sell meat cuts, as they are everywhere, the butcher shops of the Magic Town of Cadereyta de Montes add the attraction of being tasting points of some delicacies, to the delight of carnivores. One of them is the beef chicharrón, a Queretan delicacy in which the pig contributes by providing the butter for frying the tripe, bofe, udder and other humble and tasty beef giblets. The smell of fried meat, enhanced by aromatic herbs, drives more people to the butcher shops than the desire to buy steaks.
12. What are the gastronomic specialties of the town?
Cadereyta has some typical dishes that you cannot miss on your visit to the Magic Town. One of them is the Nopal en Penca or Nopal en su Madre, a local recipe in which the nopalito is cooked inside a good penca. The barbecue of lamb with its soup is one of the most renowned regional specialties, as well as the dulce de biznaga.
13. Where can I practice some outdoor entertainment?
45 minutes from Cadereyta is the Zimapán dam. This beautiful body of water, with its contours of hills and hills covered with vegetation, is a paradise for ecotourism, especially for flora and bird watchers. In the middle of the Zimapán dam is the La Isla Tzibanzá Camp, which has cozy cabins and offers fishing excursions. Nearby are the Tzibanzá springs, another interesting natural attraction that you can discover through a guided tour.
14. Are there rivers and waterfalls?
Not far from Cadereyta de Montes is Maconi, a place with an old mine, streams and waterfalls. The most impressive and beautiful waterfall is Velo de Novia, about 75 meters high. Also in the vicinity of Maconi there is a cave system with stalactites, stalagmites and columns. You can still see an old aqueduct that carried the water for the boilers of the foundries adjacent to the mine.
15. How is your craft?
Among the artisans of Cadereyta there are skilled saddlers who make beautiful belts, gun holsters, cowboy boots, chaps, leather bags, wallets and other pieces. They also manufacture products with natural fibers from the environment, such as backpacks, ayates and mecapales. In Vizarrón you can buy marble pieces such as ashtrays, soap dishes, jewelry boxes, chess sets and small tables. In front of the Cadereyta bus terminal there is a parador where many of these crafts are offered.
16. What else is outstanding in the nearby towns?
About 20 km from Cadereyta is the Magic Town of Bernal, with its famous rock, the largest monolith in America in the northern hemisphere and the third largest in the world. The 288 meter rock is one of the Mexican temples for the sport of climbing. Bernal also has interesting architectural and cultural attractions and has a long tradition of making blankets, tablecloths and other textile pieces made on old looms. Another nearby town with several attractions is Tequisquiapan.
17. What can I see in Tequisquiapan?
The Magic Town of Tequisquiapan is located 32 km away. This beautiful colonial town is one of the most welcoming points of the Querétaro Cheese and Wine Route, with its vineyards, wineries, cheese shops and restaurants frequented by tasters and tourists who are fond of good tasting. In the viceregal architecture of Tequisquiapan the temple of Santa María de la Asunción, the central square and its large houses with wide portals and balconies are distinguished.
18. What are the best hotels in Cadereyta?
Some of the best hotels in Cadereyta de Montes are in the vicinity of town. The Hotel Hacienda San Antonio, on the road to Santa Bárbara, is a beautiful accommodation with spacious and clean rooms and excellent service. The Posada Las Vegas, in the center of Cadereyta, has a convenient location and its prices are very convenient. The Hotel del Lago, in Hacienda Tovares, is a kilometer and a half from the town. Other good options located between 12 and 15 km from Cadereyta are Posada Real de Bernal, Hotel Feregrino and Casa Mateo Hotel Boutique.
19. Where to eat in Cadereyta?
The best places to eat in Cadereyta stand out for their simplicity. La Casita, on Calle Melchor Ocampo 29, is a spacious and pleasantly decorated restaurant that offers a meal with homemade seasoning. The Don Chon Barbecue restaurant, announces its specialty with the name, offering the best lamb barbecue around. El Tapanco is a fast food restaurant with very good prices. El Hacendado serves typical Queretaro food and its customers praise the briaga chicken and the loin en pasilla.
20. Is it true that it has a planetarium?
In 2015 Cadereyta de Montes inaugurated its small planetarium, located at Km. 1 of the Highway to Santa Bárbara. It offers a guided tour and is equipped with a telescope that can be used by the public to observe the sky, charging a modest fee. The Dr. José Hernández Moreno Planetarium is called to be the scientific and modern face of tourism in the traditional town of Cadereyta.
We hope you liked this virtual tour of Cadereyta de Montes and that you will soon be able to take a real tour of the beautiful Magic Town of Queretaro. See you at the next opportunity.
