Thanks to its rugged geography, the state of Querétaro offers us beautiful settings in which you can discover picturesque towns that are ideal to visit in the company of friends or family.
When we go or plan to go to Querétaro, usually our destination is the capital or one of the main cities, such as the picturesque Bernal, the palatial Tequisquiapan or the artisanal San Juan del Río; But we rarely think about the other options that the state offers us, such as archeology, folklore, ecotourism, adventure and exploration, or natural beauty.
Thanks to its rugged topography, which ranges from 400 to 3,260 meters above sea level, the entity's landscape richness is enormous. In it you can discover pristine and unknown places that in addition to being historical, invite you to coexist with nature.
The state of Querétaro is divided into three climatic areas: the North, semi-warm, which covers the municipalities of the Sierra Madre Oriental (composed of two systems: the Sierra Gorda and the Sierra del Doctor); the Central, formed by the Altiplano, a semi-dry area; and the South, temperate and sub-humid, which is located in the Neovolcanic Axis and is also known as Sierra Queretana. These contrasts, ranging from the semi-desert to the alpine, through the tropical, or from the baroque and neoclassical of its architecture to the modernity of its industrial activity, are clear tourist alternatives for those who like to travel through our Mexico.
For example, the downtown area has Santiago de Querétaro as its main jewel and everything it offers for a memorable weekend, including the recreational facilities of Jurica and Juriquilla; the Cañada del Marqués, which houses sites such as the Wamerú Zoo, the El Piojito and La Alberca spas; or the Dam of the Devil with a greenhouse of semi-desert plants. There are also Ezequiel Montes, whose main attraction is the Peña de Bernal, or the beautiful Cola de Caballo waterfall, among lush landscapes and camping sites; the unexplored riches of Colón and Tolimán, arid hills and canyons that hide ancient cave paintings; or the thermal water spas or the SPAs in picturesque Tequisquiapan.
For its part, the southern zone has its fertile agricultural valleys and centuries-old farms; the magnificent landscapes and wooded areas in Huimilpan; the geological faults of the Barranca de los Zúñiga; the ecotourism and camping alternatives that Amealco offers, with the Los Gallos hill and the Calvario hill, where excursions of one or more days are organized; or the Servín lagoon, an ideal place for boat rides and recreational fishing.
Then we find the northern area, with its vast territories where ancient treasures are hidden awaiting the experienced explorer. For example, Cadereyta de Montes has springs and nurseries with one of the richest varieties of cacti in the world. From there you can access the steep mountains of San Joaquín, a generous municipality with wooded landscapes, mysterious caves such as Los Herrera, refreshing waterfalls and the Campo Alegre National Park. Finally, the mining territory of Peñamiller presents springs, spas, caves with cave paintings and an amazing site known as “Piedras Grandes”, where the rocks, when hit, ring like bells.
In the extreme northeast of this area is the Route of the Missions, which apart from the architectural beauties includes the majestic Sierra Gorda, recently declared by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve, which offers different options for adventure, exploration and The ecotourism.
In the surroundings of Pinal de Amoles is the "Puerta del Cielo", the highest point of the mountain range, among an alpine setting with beautiful panoramic views; in Jalpan the dam of the same name, a bucolic site; near Concá is the Sótano del Barro, one of the largest natural depressions in the world and a refuge for countless species of birds; and finally, in the municipality of Landa de Matamoros there is an area of marine fossils, the Moctezuma River and the Las Pilas spring, where you can take several tours through unforgettable landscapes.
In short, visiting Querétaro is to penetrate and travel a territory with endless alternatives: artificial and natural spas like SPAS; what to say about caving and mountaineering; rural tourism and horseback riding, for which one coexists with country people; magical tourism, such as the celebration of the spring equinox in Bernal, without forgetting gastronomy, whose dishes are the work and grace of the inventive imagination of its people, who have taken advantage of the great diversity of flora and fauna in the state. Welcome.
