Robert Harding

Querétaro

Wandering through the delightful colonial heart of Querétaro with its shady squares, grand fountains and historic mansions, you'd never guess that this is one of the fastest-growing cities in the northern hemisphere thanks to a booming aerospace and technologies industry. Except perhaps you can, as in order to reach the colonial heart of Querétaro, you'll have to first pass through some fairly striking examples of urban sprawl and contend with the powerhouse city's legendary bad traffic. However, it's well worth the effort to do that, as Querétaro's star is clearly in the ascendent, with an optimistic and mercantile population rising to the challenges of life in modern Mexico. The town's historic heart is characterized by charming andadores (pedestrian streets), gorgeous plazas and historic churches. The sophisticated restaurants serve up quality cuisine and the many museums reflect Querétaro's important role in Mexican history.

Explore Querétaro

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MUCAL
While a museum of calendars might not sound riveting, this extraordinary museum is unexpectedly interesting. It takes a wide angle view of calendars and…
T
Templo y Convento de la Santa Cruz
One of the city's most interesting sights, this convent was built between 1654 and about 1815 on the site of a battle in which a miraculous appearance of…
M
Museo de Arte de Querétaro
Querétaro's art museum, adjacent to the Templo de San Agustín, occupies a splendid baroque monastery built between 1731 and 1748. It's worth visiting to…
T
Templo de Santa Rosa de Viterbo
The 18th-century Templo de Santa Rosa de Viterbo is Querétaro's most splendid baroque church, with its pagoda-like bell tower, unusual exterior paintwork,…
M
Museo Regional de Querétaro
The ground floor of this museum holds interesting exhibits on pre-Hispanic Mexico, archaeological sites, the Spanish occupation and the state's various…
T
Teatro de la República
This lovely old functioning theater, complete with impressive chandeliers, was where a tribunal met in 1867 to decide the fate of Emperor Maximilian…
M
Museo de la Ciudad
Inside the ex-convent and old prison that held the deposed Emperor Maximilian, the 11-room Museo de la Ciudad has some good alternating contemporary art…
C
Casa de la Zacatecana
This is a finely restored 17th-century home with an impressive collection of 18th- and 19th-century furniture and decorations, which veer between the…
C
Cathedral
The 18th-century cathedral features both baroque and neoclassical styles, with an emphasis on straight lines and few curves; it's said that the first Mass…

M
MUCAL
While a museum of calendars might not sound riveting, this extraordinary museum is unexpectedly interesting. It takes a wide angle view of calendars and…
T
Templo y Convento de la Santa Cruz
One of the city's most interesting sights, this convent was built between 1654 and about 1815 on the site of a battle in which a miraculous appearance of…
M
Museo de Arte de Querétaro
Querétaro's art museum, adjacent to the Templo de San Agustín, occupies a splendid baroque monastery built between 1731 and 1748. It's worth visiting to…
T
Templo de Santa Rosa de Viterbo
The 18th-century Templo de Santa Rosa de Viterbo is Querétaro's most splendid baroque church, with its pagoda-like bell tower, unusual exterior paintwork,…
M
Museo Regional de Querétaro
The ground floor of this museum holds interesting exhibits on pre-Hispanic Mexico, archaeological sites, the Spanish occupation and the state's various…
T
Teatro de la República
This lovely old functioning theater, complete with impressive chandeliers, was where a tribunal met in 1867 to decide the fate of Emperor Maximilian…
M
Museo de la Ciudad
Inside the ex-convent and old prison that held the deposed Emperor Maximilian, the 11-room Museo de la Ciudad has some good alternating contemporary art…
C
Casa de la Zacatecana
This is a finely restored 17th-century home with an impressive collection of 18th- and 19th-century furniture and decorations, which veer between the…
C
Cathedral
The 18th-century cathedral features both baroque and neoclassical styles, with an emphasis on straight lines and few curves; it's said that the first Mass…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Querétaro.

See
MUCAL
While a museum of calendars might not sound riveting, this extraordinary museum is unexpectedly interesting. It takes a wide angle view of calendars and…
See
Templo y Convento de la Santa Cruz
One of the city's most interesting sights, this convent was built between 1654 and about 1815 on the site of a battle in which a miraculous appearance of…
See
Museo de Arte de Querétaro
Querétaro's art museum, adjacent to the Templo de San Agustín, occupies a splendid baroque monastery built between 1731 and 1748. It's worth visiting to…
See
Templo de Santa Rosa de Viterbo
The 18th-century Templo de Santa Rosa de Viterbo is Querétaro's most splendid baroque church, with its pagoda-like bell tower, unusual exterior paintwork,…
See
Museo Regional de Querétaro
The ground floor of this museum holds interesting exhibits on pre-Hispanic Mexico, archaeological sites, the Spanish occupation and the state's various…
See
Teatro de la República
This lovely old functioning theater, complete with impressive chandeliers, was where a tribunal met in 1867 to decide the fate of Emperor Maximilian…
See
Museo de la Ciudad
Inside the ex-convent and old prison that held the deposed Emperor Maximilian, the 11-room Museo de la Ciudad has some good alternating contemporary art…
See
Casa de la Zacatecana
This is a finely restored 17th-century home with an impressive collection of 18th- and 19th-century furniture and decorations, which veer between the…
See
Cathedral
The 18th-century cathedral features both baroque and neoclassical styles, with an emphasis on straight lines and few curves; it's said that the first Mass…

Guidebooks

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