Travel Days: Sep 24 – 25

Santiago de Querétaro is the capitol of the state of Querétaro, in the middle of the country just a few hours away from Mexico City. It is one of the safest cities in all of Mexico, if not the safest, and its historic center is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

It is a thriving city with stunning architecture that balances both colonial and modern designs, plenty of squares and gardens, a gorgeous aqueduct, and a very walkable downtown.

Querétaro has a strong economy based mostly on tech and industrial companies (mainly automotive and aerospace manufacturing). It’s home to a number of prestigious universities and academies. 

Also known as the “Pearl of the Bajio”, Querétaro boasts a high quality of life. Surrounded by vineyards, it’s a great base for exploring this wine region.

 Despite all this, it sees very little international tourism compared to other parts of Mexico. It seems to fly under the radar, only popping up on travel blogs as an easy day trip from Mexico City. 

We only stayed here one night and one full day on our way to San Miguel de Allende. Our bus pulled in around 8pm. I thought we would just check into our hotel and crash early, but to my surprise the center was well and alive on a Sunday night.

Plenty of people were out and about, enjoying drinks and dinner al fresco in the many little squares. Others gathered around street vendors, standing up while chowing down on tacos, gorditas and quesadillas. Fairs and temporary exhibits (Halloween themed?) were set up for children to enjoy. Shops were open late, creating a sort of night market vibe in the narrow, brightly lit pedestrian streets. Karaoke seemed to pour out of nearly every bar window. 

We were surprised to learn that there was nothing special going on, no holiday or festivities. This was just a typical Sunday night in Querétaro. We wandered around for a bit, taking in the buzzy, slightly chaotic atmosphere. After we had enough of restaurant promoters coming up to us, talking up their establishment and trying to lead us to a table, we decided to sit down and have a bite. We chose a little taco/quesadilla joint on a busy pedestrian street, just slightly a step up from a street vendor cart.

The next morning, we checked out and stored our bags before setting out to explore the town in daylight. It’s a beautiful, charming town, definitely a great mix of old architecture and historical elements but with the energy of a modern city. Nearly every street and square was proudly decorated in red, white and green- seemingly leftover decor from Independence Day celebrations the week prior.

We wandered the many squares, passing by little fountains and gardens and colorful street markets selling detailed handicrafts. Some streets were full of people getting about their day, while others were quiet, with only flowering plants lining the stone walls. Eventually, we made our way past some beautiful churches to the Mirador de los Arcos where we had a great view of the aqueduct and the surrounding cityscape. There were a few tourists snapping photos here and there, but overall I would not label Querétaro as touristy.

We found a cute, cafe (La Biznaga) and settled in for breakfast: huevos divorciados (eggs with both red and green salsas) and molletes (open faced sandwiches with refried beans and melted cheese, these also had eggs and shredded chicken). These dishes plus coffees, freshly blended juices, and pastries made for a very filling and delicious breakfast at less than $10 total. 

We took a different route back to the hotel to gather our bags, winding along the little river.

Although we were in Queretaro for less than 24 hours, I think we got a good feel for the town. I wouldn’t say it’s a “go-out-of-your-way”, “must-visit”, but it’s certainly an enjoyable small city. After collecting our bags, we made our way to the bus terminal, destination: San Miguel de Allende.