The state of Queretaro is located in central Mexico, 136 miles away from the capital city; an approximate 2-and-a-half-hour drive. The state’s capital, Santiago de Queretaro, stands out for its magnificent colonial-Spanish architecture, which remains in perfect condition; one of the reasons why this city captivates all its visitors.

The history that exude its buildings and monuments, can be admired through an assortment of constructions from the baroque period, such as the distinctive Queretaro aqueduct, with its distinctive pink-rocks-based construction.

Let us start by defining the following…

What is the Meaning of Queretaro?

In 1531, a powerful Otomi chief named Conin, founded the city of Santiago de Queretaro. Back then, Hernan Perez de Bocanegra was in charge of converting Conin to catholicism, gave him the name of Don Fernando de Tapia, as a reward for his great contribution to achieving the conquer of the city.

This way, the name of the city comes pays homage to the apostle Santiago, and from a Purepecha word that meats “place of big boulders”. That was how the city was named Santiago de Queretaro.

In present days, there is a wide range of historic attractions and tours in Queretaro that await to be discovered.

These are some of them:

Zenea Garde, Santiago de Queretaro

In a different time, this space was part of the San Francisco temple,  and later it became a very important square for buying and selling, as it had a very convenient location for all travelers.

The first bullfights in Queretaro took place here, and with the arrival of the 18th Century, the distinctive Neptune god fountain was placed.

After several ararmed conflicts, the square went through an important restauration process carried out by governor Benito Zenea, whose name was given to the park a few years later. After general Alvaro Obregon’s murder, the name was changed to Obregon Garden, though some decades later it would go back to Zenea Garden, as remains nowadays.

Both for locals and visitors, Zenea Garden is a place to enjoy a wide variety of cultural expresions and remember the history of the city under the shade of a tree.

Santa Rosa de Viterbo, Santiago de Queretaro

This Queretaro’s distinctive work, carried out by the architect Ignacio Mariano de las Casas, dates back to the begining of the 18th Century, and originally, it was a convent for training beatified girls, with inspiration of virgin Santa Rosa de Viterbo.

For some years, the decision was made to turn the enclosure into Queretaro’s General Hospital, and later, making the most of the architectural differences that can be admired on its strutures, it was used to hold the Queretaro’s Institute of Culture & Arts, which can be visited in present days.

These are only some of the activities you can enjoy when visiting Queretaro, a stated filled with history, culture, delicious food, and a lot of archeology, just like in almost all the Mexican territory. If you wish to learn about other options of tourism in Mexico, explore the options available in some beach destinations, such as Quintana Roo, where you will enjoy white beaches, turquoise blue waters, Maya archeology sites, and fantastice all-inclusive resorts in Mexico.