Querétaro

Querétaro is a city in central Mexico, it is capital of the state of Querétaro. Its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the city is notable for the many ornate civil and religious Baroque monuments from its golden age in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Understand
The city's full name is "Santiago de Querétaro", and although it is spelled out fully on the doors of every taxi in the city, nobody uses the full name in conversation.

The city is a strong business and economic center and a vigorous service center that has experienced high levels of migration from other parts of Mexico. The city is grow fast because of IT and data centers, logistics services, aircraft manufacturing and maintenance, call centers, the automotive and machinery industries, and the production of chemicals and food products. The region of Querétaro has a rapidly growing vineyards agriculture and hosts Freixenet, a wine producer from Spain. Wine production in Querétaro is the second largest in Mexico after that of the Baja California region.

Major international corporations in the aerospace, electronics, automotive, chemical, food, and financial areas have their national headquarters in Querétaro.

Get in
Querétaro is northwest of Mexico City,  southeast of San Miguel de Allende and  south of San Luis Potosí.

By plane
Aside from TAR, Querétaro is served by Aeroméxico Connect, American Eagle, United Express, VivaAerobus and Volaris.

Ground transportation
Buses operated by Coordinados, a brand of Primera Plus, run between the airport and Querétaro roughly every 1-2 hours. Tickets are M$60 (pesos) and are sold from a dedicated office at the arrivals hall. Tickets may also be purchased online.

By carpooling
You can have a look for shared rides on Blablacar. Prices are approximately as of December 2021: • San Miguel de Allende – M$50 • León – M$160 • San Luis de Petosi – M$190 • Mexico City – M$190

By bus
There are many buses that go to Querétaro from major cities, such as Mexico City or Guadalajara, as well as to/from the Mexico City International Airport direct. Buses are normally inexpensive and some bus lines offer student discounts in either official Mexican holidays or the summer, winter and April vacation period. First class buses often offer movies and can be very comfortable.

It is on the outskirts of the city, and features separate terminals for first-class bus lines and the local and regional second-class lines.

If you come from Mexico City or León and want to take a second-class van to Querétaro: Roll&bits has multiple daily rides for about M$200 (May 2022). Just book your ticket online on their website. The vans have a big trunk for luggage. In Mexico City it departs in front of the "Monument to Gr. Div. Joaquin Amaro" which is at the auditorio and near the bus stop of metro bus line 7 from the city center. In Querétaro the stop at La Comer Estadio. In Google Maps the stop is called "Lateral Queretaro-Mexico y Mega Estadio". In March 2022 it was better to pick a seat in the front half of the van because of better A/C. The vans are marked with "roll&bits" only on the side of the van, but not on the front. So have a look and don't miss your ride.

By car
There is a toll road from Mexico City to Querétaro. It costs about M$166 for an automobile. The drive is about 2 hours, but add another hour for leaving or entering Mexico City.

You can also arrive easily from Leon (2 hr) and the rest of Guanajuato state, San Luis Potosi (2 hr) and Morelia (2 hr).

By foot
The historical center of town is very compact. It's easy to walk around once you get there.

By e-hailing
Uber, Didi and Cabify cover the city.

By bus
Google Maps and Moovit show you connections to your destination.

There are many privately operated buses on the main roads. If you like, you can buy a route book on any newspaper stand.

By taxi
The minimum price for a taxi ride is M$40. Taxis do not have meters. Fares are established by the government and are determined by zone of pick up and zone of drop off, but might change from cab to cab. Try to ask the fare before boarding to make sure there are no misunderstandings.

See
The Centro Histórico (Downtown area) is considered a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO, and it includes the Cerro del Sangremal (Hill of Sangremal), crowned by the Convent of the Holy Cross and the flat area on the east that extends into the Cerro de las Campanas (Hill of Bells).

There are also tour trolleys available.



Museums

 * Museo de Arte Sacro
 * Museo de Bichos
 * MAQRO Museo de Arte Queretaro
 * MUCAL Museo del Calendario
 * La Zacatecana
 * Museo de la Magia Pasado
 * Museo el Pendulo

Culture

 * Enjoy a concert of the "Orquestra Filarmónica de Querétaro" the state philharmonic orchestra in the most important theater in the country "Teatro de la República" where the constitution was written, the emperor Maximilian I had a trial, and where the national anthem was first played.
 * Take the "Leyendas" (legends) tour, where people dress like historical characters and explain everything in a very colorful way.
 * Go to the colonial theater "Corral de Comedias" where you eat and enjoy mostly classical comedy plays in a Colonial Style place.

Spectator sports

 * Basketball - a team plays in the Arteaga Stadium in the historic center.
 * Bull fighting: Querétaro has two bullrings, one is considered the third most important in Mexico (Plaza Santa Maria), and the other is considered the most beautiful bullring in Latin America (Juriquilla).
 * Baseball: Queretaro's professional home team is the Conspiradores who are having a new stadium built in the ridiculously inconvenient Rancho Mora area. Baseball is a fun evening anywhere, but frankly, there are 19 LMB teams in Mexico with more mature teams and better stadiums.
 * Baseball: Queretaro's professional home team is the Conspiradores who are having a new stadium built in the ridiculously inconvenient Rancho Mora area. Baseball is a fun evening anywhere, but frankly, there are 19 LMB teams in Mexico with more mature teams and better stadiums.

Participant sports

 * Get out and do some sports you can go to the public parks. Play some paintball (or known in Mexico as gotcha) scenery or speedball with turf at Evolution Paintball Field located between Jurica and Juriquilla.
 * In December be sure to visit the "Feria Internacional Querétaro" is an international Cattle Fair, that has more than a million visitors from all over the world, it has rides, a palenque (cock fights and concerts), free concerts of famous Mexican pop stars and many other things.

Buy
In the south-west of the center are ATMs of BanCoppel (24/7), BanBajío and Banco Azteca (inside the elektra store). In the north of the center are Banca Mifel and citibanamex ATMs. Santander ATMs are available throughout the center.

For buying groceries, there are Oxxos and minimarkets. In the centro is the with a bigger variety of products.

In the historical center you will find lots of tourist souvenirs and handcrafts.
 * Galerías Querétaro - Exclusive Liverpool department store, Sanborn's, Sears, Martí Sports, Tous, Zara and many other stores.
 * Plaza del Parque - Shopping center with a Comercial Mexicana (Mexican supermarket), Sanborn's (small department stores where you can find everything), Suburbia (Fashion affordable store) and many more
 * Plaza Boulevares - Shopping and entertainment center with sports club (Sport City), betting club (Yak), Cinemas (Cinemark 12), arcade place, and many stores.
 * Plaza Boulevares - Shopping and entertainment center with sports club (Sport City), betting club (Yak), Cinemas (Cinemark 12), arcade place, and many stores.

Eat
Typical food is the Gordita Queretana. It's round and bigger than usual gorditas. You can find it e.g. in some street food stalls. There it costs M$30 (Jan 2022) filled with meat or cheese. Filled with both it's M$45 (Jan 2022).

in the city center:
. They are open daily in the afternoon and evening. One stall has a big variety of what you want on your taco. On Friday to Sunday in the afternoon and evening there is also a stall serving Gorditas Queretanas.

In the center:
The budget eats are along the street C. Corregidora around the Hotel San Francisco.


 * Los Compadres, Calle 16 de Septiembre 46 - Excellent Mexican food. The "Rico Pozole" is very good.
 * Los Compadres, Calle 16 de Septiembre 46 - Excellent Mexican food. The "Rico Pozole" is very good.
 * Los Compadres, Calle 16 de Septiembre 46 - Excellent Mexican food. The "Rico Pozole" is very good.

Mid-range

 * La Mariposa - Great traditional food and antojitos prepared the old style. Downtown(Coordenates: 20.594565,-100.392535). Suggestions: "Pan de Queso", "Pozole", "Tamales"(spicy and sweet), atole, ice cream and shakes of "Mantecado", "nieve de limon", "Dulce de Membrillo", "Jamoncillos", "Enchiladas Rojas"(also known nowadays as "Enchiladas Queretanas"), "Enchiladas Suizas".


 * Che Che - Great seafood and ceviche (raw fish "cooked" in lemon juice). The main dishes are very big -- plan to share with a friend. The appetizers are very tasty -- a meal in themselves.

Drink
Querétaro has many nightlife districts where you can enjoy all kind of music and people, everything for everybody.


 * Wicklow - Irish pub located downtown with various kind of beers
 * Chava Invita - Classical "Cantina" founded in 1940s where you can take drinks and the food is free.

Budget
The budget sleeps are in the centro in Calle Juarez between Av. Reforma and Av. Zaragoza. Some of them are incredibly basic.

Mid-range and splurge

 * La Casa de la Marquesa - The mansion of the Marquis has been turned into a luxury hotel.
 * Doña Urraca - Old Spanish mansion turned into a hotel and spa, very expensive and elegant.
 * Fiesta Inn - Chain hotel, located far outside the downtown.
 * Fiesta Americana - Hotel beside the Plaza Boulevares mall.
 * Holiday Inn Diamante - The best view of the city, it is on a hill far from the city center/downtown.
 * Plaza Camelinas - Large hotel with enormous character. Location next to highway can be loud.
 * Flamingo Inn - Modest motor court style hotel, clean rooms, excellent choice for the motorist on a budget.
 * Plaza Camelinas - Large hotel with enormous character. Location next to highway can be loud.
 * Flamingo Inn - Modest motor court style hotel, clean rooms, excellent choice for the motorist on a budget.
 * Flamingo Inn - Modest motor court style hotel, clean rooms, excellent choice for the motorist on a budget.

Learn
Querétaro has one of the fastest growing foreign populations in Mexico, and the need to learn Spanish is growing.



Go next

 * Bernal – 60 km
 * Tequisquiapan – 60 km
 * Ranas – 50 km
 * San Miguel de Allende – 70 km.
 * Mexico City