Blogs from Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico, North America

Yesterday we started our trip pretty early in the morning. It was dark when we started packing up the van but light out by the time we left. The entire drive was nice but the section from Cordoba through the mountain range by Orizaba was great. Jill was the lucky one who got to drive through the mountains and she did a great job...as you can see from the photos it's a pretty scary drive. When we drove through Puebla and to the Arco Norte we saw the volcano Popocatépetl and it was still smoking so we drove a little faster through there :) Our drive on the Arco Norte was pretty uneventful as was the rest of the drive to Queretaro. We met Eloy and Rocio on the edge of town and they took us ... read more

This album, the last one in my Queretaro series, features photos taken in & around & near the Plaza de Armas, the city's main square. Some background info: Santiago de Querétaro, founded in 1531, is located 221 kms NE of Mexico City. With a population of over 1 million in 2010, it is the largest city and capital of the State of Querétaro. Because of its low crime rate and low unemployment, the city’s standard of living is considered the highest in Mexico & Latin America, although some consider it more expensive to live there. The city is also considered one of the cleanest cities in the world. The historic city center was declared a World Heritage Site by the Unesco in 1996. Plaza de Armas (aka Independence Square) is the city’s main square (zocalo) & ... read more

This album features a variety of monuments, fountains & statues often found in the plazas in the city's historic center.... read more

This album includes the 2nd batch of boutique hotel photos I took. There are many more boutique hotels in the city, especially in colonial buildings in the historic center.... read more

This album features photos taken from the mirador (scenic viewpoint) overlooking Queretaro's wonderful aqueduct. Also located here is the large Panteon (cemetery) of Illustrious Queretanos. The aqueduct, one of the largest in Mexico, is the symbol of the city of Queretaro. The 1298 m long structure has 74 stone arches with an average height of 28.5 m. It was built between 1726 & 1735 at the request of the Capuchin nuns to bring drinking water to the city from the springs of La Cañada hills. The Pantheon of Illustrious Queretanos was formally created on Feb 5 1988 & is currently managed by the Municipality of Querétaro although management by the state is being considered. Since the aim of the pantheon is pay tribute to the memory of distinguished men & women of the city & state, ... read more