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Querétaro is a rising star among Mexico’s tourist destinations, and it has swiftly risen to the top of our favorites list. It’s just such a lovely colonial city to visit in Mexico’s high mountains. We discovered so many exciting things to see in Queretaro that it was well worth our time to stay for at least a few weeks.
Where is Queretaro Located?
Queretaro is the capital city of one of Mexico’ state called Queretaro. It is located in the central region of Mexico which is also commonly known as Bajio.
Queretaro is located in the northwest of Mexico City (the capital of Mexico) Around 214km far, around 64km southeast of the city of San Miguel de Allende. From flights, Queretaro is a 1-hour flight from Mexico City (if it’s a direct flight), a 2-hour flight from Houston, Texas, and around a two-and-a-half-hour flight from Dallas, Texas.
Some History of Queretaro
Before we dive into the history of Queretaro, let’s first discuss how big of a city it is. Having a gross population of around 1 million, Queretaro is one of the fastest-growing cities of Mexico. It is located on the edge of the famous tourist destination, Sierra Madre Oriental. The city is around 760 Square KM in the area.
Now The History 
It was a big part of the Aztec Empire at the time of the great Spanish Conquest. At that time, the city of Queretaro also known as the Rocky Place was home to the people of Chichimeca and Otomi.
Hernan Perez originally founded the Spanish Settlement in 1531 also with an Otomi leader famously known by the name of Conin. At that time, the development of the city was quite slow. In 1606, it was just developed officially as a town. However, the city we know today, a colonial developed Queretaro was developed later that became of the trophies of Mexico’s independence.
Look for the best Queretaro Hotels in Queretaro.
Best way to go to Queretaro?
Now that the history lesson is over, let’s find the best way to go to Queretaro. The best way to go to Queretaro really depends on the factor of where you are, where you live and what’s the best route you can take to get to the destined city.
So to solve that problem, we have compiled different routes you can take to get to Queretaro depending on where you want to travel.
By Flight
Queretaro and the United States are usually connected with direct flight to and from the United States as well as Queretaro. There are several domestic direct-flights that connect Queretaro to different destinations across Mexico. If you want to take an international flight, say from Europe or even Canada, you are most likely going to have a stay in the United States as most flights from the EU and Canada tend to be connecting flights and not direct.
Airport Transportation: The airport in Queretaro (named Queretaro’s airport) is 32-kilometer away from the center of Queretaro. The best way to get to the city from the airport is by taxi. These cost around 300 to 380 Mexican Dollars(M$). These days, you can also check Uber and if it’s offering a cheaper ride, definitely take that option.
By Bus
Now comes the option of traveling locally. If you want to travel to Queretaro from Mexico, there are plenty of good options you can choose from. One of them is economical buses. These buses are usually long-distance if you want to travel from Mexico City (a 3-4 hour ride), San Miguel de Allende (a 1 hour and 15 min ride). The one you can take from Guadalajara is a long one comprising of around 4 to 5 hours of bus travel to Queretaro.
Bus Transportation within the city: It is best recommended to take a taxi t your hotel if you arrive at the Central de Autobuses (yes a bus station). The taxis don’t cost too much s they follow a fixed fare. You pay before getting in the taxi. The Bus station is a 6km ride from the city center so it’s not a long ride.
Best Things to do in Queretaro
Now, let’s assume that you have reached the city of Queretaro and you’re looking for some events, some social activities or looking to do some party.
This city is so packed with events, history and national parks that if you’re a tourist even for a week, you’ll never visit all of them.
Here is the list of events, activities, and historical destinations you can visit in Queretaro.
Museums in Queretaro
There are so many museums in Queretaro, it makes you wonder if this city is the most museum-packed city on the PLANET. As a matter of fact, there are around 20 museums in the city all of them located within a few kilometers of the historic center.
If you don’t have time to visit all of them or you just don’t have a thing for history, the most famous and worth-visiting museums are the Vermin Museum and the Calendar Museum.
Hike Up the Pena de Bernal (one of the largest Monoliths in the world)
If you’re visiting Queretaro, you have got to hike the Pena de Bernal. Here The town where the Monolith is called Bernal is just an hour’s drive away from the city of Queretaro. You will see this massive piece of rock sprouting up from the ground. What a sight.
Of course, you need proper hiking gear to reach the top of this big monolith, but it is really worth the hassle. The view you get after this long two-hour hike is just mesmerizing.
El Cerrito (An Ancient Pyramid)
Egypt isn’t the only place where you can find some old, ancient pyramids. There is also a big one right here in Queretaro. This pyramid was used as a worship spot by the Mesoamerican civilizations for a full millennium. The El Cerrito was built around 800 AD.
Apart from these famous destinations that we have discussed above, there are some others you take into consideration when visiting Queretaro. These include visiting the National parks, Visiting the packed markets of the city, the best-looking public infrastructure hence, the buildings.
The Roman Style Aqueduct is one of the best sights in the city. It is 30 meters high and is used to deliver water to the cities from the mountains. Isn’t it amazing?
So, Did you decide yet?
