Of all the northern cities, this is the most cosmopolitan. It is a fast-moving city, but not the neurotic type; it is dynamic, interesting wherever you see it.
Its sunsets on the beach and party nights are unbeatable. The city does not sleep, it only recovers for another day and another night where one and a thousand stories intertwine to form the new Tijuana expression.
Friday
7:00 hours
Although we left Mexico City very early, we arrived at noon due to the time change. This is important to take into account to manage the day well and make the most of it.
One of the traditional hotels is the Grand Hotel Tijuana, with a good location and excellent views of the Club Campestre. It also has interesting services such as its own casino and shopping center.
3:00 p.m.
Eager to experience a good massage in a unique setting, we took our way to Playas, the neighborhood overlooking the sea, at the southern end of the city. By the Scenic Highway we arrive at Real del Mar, the perfect place to spend the day, since it is a space on a small hill overlooking the sea where there is an immense golf course and another horse riding course, of course it has a spa, but we They had a surprise, in one of the bungalow rooms they set up everything for relaxation therapy. Between aromatic salts and soft music, Magdalena Gómez's hands took us to another level, using seven different techniques in a very own creation. We come out like new.
5:00 p.m.
For lunch we went to a very good restaurant called La Querencia, where we became friends almost immediately with its owner and main chef, Mr. Miguel Ángel Guerrero, with whom we talk about the personality of Tijuana and the love of the land. At the same time that we enjoyed Miguel Ángel's pleasant talk, “BajaMed” dishes paraded. Don't leave without trying the finely flavored carpaccios. We really had a great time.
20:00 hours
We ran to catch the sunset on the boardwalk. We practically "winnow" the car and go down some stairs between some houses. The sea was a few steps away, the air was cold, but it did not bother, on the contrary. There were some people running with their dog, others walking, and most, just enjoying the view at the seaside.
22:00 hours
We walked along Avenida A, now Revolution, famous for its cantinas and bars, such as La Ballena, whose bar was advertised as the longest in the world.
Today the Avenida Revolución continues to be a tourist attraction, both for foreigners and for Mexicans who visit the city. It's something you don't see anywhere else in the country, blocks and blocks of bars, casinos, canteens, dance halls ... We first tried Plaza Sol, what looks like a shopping plaza is a center that has about 20 bars of all styles : pop, country, norteño, electronic, retro, salsa and more… We suggest you start “warming up” in Sótano Suizo, a music venue from the eighties and nineties with good cuisine. When we got out of there we got into a couple more northern music and then pop, but we wanted to try “la Revolución”, so we went straight to Las Pulgas, one of the most popular places, where very famous live groups perform. The place is a dream for dancers at heart and closes at dawn.
Saturday
10:00 hours
After having breakfast a hot and spicy birria that gave us back our soul, we received an invitation to visit the cavas of L.A. Cetto, founded by Don Ángelo Cetto, an Italian citizen who arrived in the city of Tijuana in 1926, and who after starting with a winery, acquired his first ranch in the Valle de Guadalupe, becoming over time one of the wine growers most important in Tijuana. The glasses lined up for a tasting waited when we were just sitting down and chatting with the sommelier. We had a great time, as well as learning a little about the region's wines, which are the pride of all Mexicans. Apart from tasting the best Cetto wines, such as Don Luis Viognier 2007, recently a gold winner in Spain, you can visit the packaging, distribution and one of their cellars. Great idea to start the day.
12:30 hours
Brewing beer in Tijuana has a long tradition, so we could not choose a better place to eat than La Taberna, a very European concept where you can taste the six types of Tijuana beer, whose plant is right there and you can also visit . Drinking straight from the huge containers and tasting the sparkling liquid with the help of the brewery engineer is a very good experience. The one we liked the most was the Morena, with a caramel flavor with a lot of body and extremely creamy.
20:00 hours
After taking a nap and swimming in the pool, we arranged to visit another trendy restaurant in town, Cheripan. Today's martinis are and they make them masterfully there, that's why it's always full. It is an Argentine restaurant with the usual cuts, but the quality of the meat is first class. The specialty is the beef sweetbreads.
22:00 hours
Caliente is a chain of casinos scattered throughout the city and the matrix has a reopened galgódromo and more than a thousand gaming machines. We went out to see the greyhounds, they are a true marvel. The place was practically full and everyone was doing their thing, betting on the dogs, in the different bars, on the gaming machines and in the bingo hall. Just going through it with the manager took us almost an hour and it was a lot of fun living the casino life up close.
Sunday
10:00 hours
One of the must-sees if you go to Tijuana is Rosarito and Puerto Nuevo. The former has been visited by tourists since 1874, according to the San Diego Union, attracted by hunting deer, quail and rabbit, and mainly lobster fishing. Tourism development began with the establishment of the Rene’s restaurant, in 1925, and the Hotel Rosarito Beach, in 1926. Now the hotel offer is more than two thousand rooms.
After taking a walk down the boulevard, we went to Baja Studios. We are so proud to see the immense potential they have to handle the most challenging productions! The adventure began with the Titanic, it is strange, with a sinking, this great production company with Mexican collaborators re-emerged. The place has a very entertaining interactive museum where dozens of very interesting film effects are shown. You can also see the facilities, including forums, production halls, shop, and so on. He spends the day flying.
13:00 hours
There is no better idea than to eat lobster in Puerto Nuevo, ten minutes from Rosarito. In fact, it is one of the main reasons why thousands of visitors flock to this small fishing village. Because it's different? It's a simple concept, but great: the best lobster in the world, melted butter, beans from the pot, rice and huge handmade flour tortillas. The combination of our kitchen with something that is considered a luxury product is strange to many, but when it comes to making tacos, it seems that they have always been on our table! There is no doubt that you get used to the good immediately.
16:00 hours
The time to leave was approaching and making the count, while the car traveled the scenic road by the sea, I was reflecting on how well we had had and how much we needed to know.
It is very sad that certain events blur the character of the city. Yes, it produces a strong impact in the first instance because it is imposing, brave, indomitable. But if you take the time to be more sensitive and reflective, a fun, lively, inclusive, plural, free Tijuana will be revealed before your eyes and much loved by those who believe in it every day.
How to get…
Tijuana is located 113 km north of Ensenada, and just 20 minutes from the North American city of San Diego, on the Transpeninsular Highway No. 1.
Transportation
The city has an international airport called Abelardo L. Rodríguez, to which airlines such as Aviacsa, Azteca, Aerocalifornia, Mexicana, Aeroméxico and Aerolitoral arrive. Due to its proximity to the city of San Diego, California, it is possible to find buses that connect with this town, as well as with other parts of the country.
