4 places to visit near Queretaro
El Cerrito pyramid
Pyramid El Cerrito
It is situated in the El Pueblito village (often known as The Pueblito Pyramid) just 7 km from Querétaro historical centre. The area was inhabited from 600 A.D. by Teotihuacan and Toltec cultures, later by Chichimec, Otomis and Tarascans, with documented population at El Pueblito from 1600, although it was never discovered until 1998 when the excavations started.
The Pyramid is 30 m high and 118 m wide; and consists of 13 terraces. The guided tours are free on Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am to 2.30 pm.
On top of the pyramid is The Fort – a house built in 1876 where Fernandez family used to live, is still there and cannot be destroyed because due to the law all the houses older than 100 years in Querétaro state have to be conserved.
50 skulls were found under the staircase which is named Altar of the Skulls now. There is a hall with four small altars. The archeologists found ceramic bowls, burnt seashells, figurines, arrow heads, engraved tablets and much more around El Cerrito.
Tequisquiapan, the Parroquia and Tramvia
Tequisquiapan
Known as just Tequis (or just Tx in written abbreviation) among the locals, is a very colonial little town North of Querétaro. A bus (Flecha Azul company) takes you there in an hour from The Central Bus Station in Querétaro for 41 Mexican pesos one way. With marimba music at the streets, colourful houses, market and many shops with souvenirs from the area, baloons for children, small train for a town tour and the impossible-to-describe atmosphere, will make you never want to leave the town. You can buy here almost anything, from lamps, precious stones, jewelery, sweets, nuts, glass figures, cowboy hats and belts, traditional white clothes and much more. You will get lost in between all the things they sell here.
Visit the Church Santa María de la Asunción situated at the main square and the kiosk (el kiosco is at every main square of every town in Mexcico).
Then the Museo de la Canasta at Juárez No. 20 for 25 Mexican pesos where you will find out the tradition and the history of making a basket in the area, what material use and how to do it on your own. You will learn that the art of making a basket is older than the discovery of the fire and people used to heat up food in a basket. The museum is open Monday to Friday from 11am to 2pm, and 4pm to 7pm; Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 8pm and closed on Thursday.
Museo del queso y el vino offers degustation of the best cheese and wine and if you are a lover of both of them, should not miss it. A good option is to take the little train around the centre together with the degustation. There are more tours: Legends of the ghosts in Tequisquiapan, Haciendas in Tequisquiapan or some others to close interesting places that offer tour guides at the main square.
I literally stood at the centre point of the United States of Mexico which is 5 min walking from Tequis centre and you can’t miss it.
Tequisquiapan is also famous for its spa and thermal water, so you should try to visit some during your stay here.
Peña de Bernal
Peña de Bernal
288m high, the third biggest monolit in the world lies next to the village of Bernal. It was formed by volcanic eruption couple of million years ago and then the volcano became inactive and only the magma remained.
You can climb la Peña walking until like a half where a little chapel is, then it is necessary to climb up very carefully, the last part is vertical and really difficult without the proper equipment. Many people fell down and hurt themselves or died, so we just walked a bit up to the kiosks with refreshments and souvenirs from the area and took some photos.
The view is something amazing!
lake in Colon
Colón
The only town in Mexico named after Christopher Columbus is a small town North of Querétaro with 8 000 inhabitants. Lovely and quiet is its lake with typically green water like in most of Mexican lakes and rivers, some blue boats and ducks enjoying the peaceful life with no one around. Definitely a nice place for a walk in the nature. I visited Colón with a friend who had a music class at the primary school, before it I had not even heard of the town.
Colón is famous for its cave paintings hundreds years old. As well, it is possible to spend time fishing and hunting in the forest.
