Querétaro's historic city centre

How do you get there?

The historic city centre of Querétaro is both one of the most well-known and most visited places in Mexico. Any and every taxi driver knows how to get there, as it sits at pretty much the same distance from any point in the city. If you are travelling there by car, it's recommendable, for questions of security, to leave it in a privately-owned car park - it won't cost you too much. If you decide to park your car in the street, be careful not to leave any valuables inside it.

Description

The centre of Querétaro is a "must see" when coming to visit the city, as it will not only surprise you for its cultural value, but for that of its history too. The city of Querétaro played a very important role in the achievement of Mexico's independence in 1810, so it's for this reason that the architecture in the city centre (which is considered to be Mexican cultural heritage) is very different to that of the rest of the city - it has much more of a colonial style.

All of the houses are usually painted according to a colour coding system, and the shops and businesses must follow it too. Painting in a colour that does not conform with the system and putting up ostentatious advertisements is prohibited. The architecture usually conserves its colonial touch, as it is a very clean and very well-preserved place.

Which places must I visit whilst I am there?

I highly recommend visiting the bicycle company, RodaModa, as you can rent bikes at a very reasonable price (even tandem bikes) if you fancy travelling through the city centre's many streets. It's important to bear in mind that you cannot ride your bicycle down walkways, nor through any squares, so it's for this reason that the experience can end up being a bit limited.

If you decide to make your way around the city on foot, you must visit the Plaza de Armas (which is also called the "Plaza de los Perritos [little dogs]", for the dog fountain located in the middle of the square. It's in this square where you will find very exclusive restaurants serving Mexican cuisine, and you will be able to eat with the Casa de la Corregidora next to you (as you can see in the photo). This house has great historical importance, as it was there where they locked up the mayor of Querétaro's wife so she couldn't warn anyone that the Mexican Plan for Independence had been discovered, and this was achieved by communicating in Morse code. I also recommend visiting the Jardín Zenea.

In the city centre, there are several walkways with shops and stalls where they sell Mexican sweets, typical waters, Mexican games from days gone by, t-shirts, postcards, and other souvenirs (it's the best place to buy souvenirs at an incredibly affordable price).

It's recommendable to buy some souvenirs from the women that you will see in the streets, as it is a way of helping the domestic Mexican economy - they sell typical Mexican dolls (like the one that you can see in the photo below):

Cultural events

The historic centre of Querétaro is the best place when it comes to going to cultural events and places. There is a free monthly magazine that is circulated around the city called "Asomarte", which comes with a calendar and includes different articles about the city and the activities that you can do whilst in the city centre.

There are hundreds of both casual and non-casual restaurants that you can dine at, suiting any and all budget types. You will also find lots of different bars and pubs, as well as some dives like Gracias a Dios, which has an incredible atmosphere.

You will be able to visit the several galleries and theatrical exhibitions open in the city, like those at the Teatrito de la Carcajada and the most famous art gallery, Galería Libertad, where they constantly renew the works on display and entry is free. In the city centre, there are also quite a number of book shops and several churches.

Another recommendable thing is to go to the Querétaro Symphonic Orchestra presentations in the Teatro de la Ciudad, as well as visiting the Teatro de la República, which is historically famous for the Mexican Constitution having been signed there.

Recommendations

• Querétaro is usually a city where its climate varies quite a bit during the course of the day, but the heat and the sun are very much prevailing. If you want to see the city centre and make your way around it on foot, I highly recommend applying plenty of sun cream and wearing very comfortable clothing.
• If you come here by car, avoid leaving valuables inside your vehicle.
• Avoid being in the city centre very late at night, as, although Querétaro is a very safe city, it empties significantly at this time of day and there are very few police officers patrolling the streets.
• Buy yourself some handcrafted goods from local sellers.
• Avoid going on Saturdays and Sundays if you have a car, as it will be difficult for you to get into the city centre; it is very common for some streets to be completely closed off in order to give priority to the many pedestrians walking around.
• If you are there in the months of September and December, you will have an amazing time. Mexican Independence Day is celebrated on September 16th every year, and the tradition is to "make the cry of independence" in Querétaro's historic city centre; the area ends up being absolutely rammed full of people, but the experience is worth it! The governor shares some powerful, yet emotional words before the shout of patriotism is recited. Querétaro's Plaza de Armas fills up substantially, but you will find endless typical Mexican food stands before you are left in absolute awe of the firework display. On the other hand, in December, they decorate the city centre beautifully and again set up stalls selling typical Christmastime food and drink (like punch, for example), as well as a giant Nativity scene.
• Take care of the city centre and don't litter in the streets.
• If you park your car in prohibited areas, it's more than likely that you will be fined. Law enforcement here in Querétaro are extremely attentive when it comes to people not following the letter of the law.
• Go to the different tourist information centres to allow yourself to be indulged by the Mexicans.