“BAJIO” SIX DAYS TRAVEL PLAN

“BAJIO” SIX DAYS TRAVEL PLAN
Bernal, Querétaro City, Guanajuato City and San Miguel de Allende
A unique experience visiting four different destinations in the safest and cultural areas of
México. From Magic towns to colonial cities full of history, legends and traditions. Some
of them are declared World Heritage Sites by Unesco. We invite you read more about the
travel plan and get ready to come and enjoy!
DAY 1
Peña de Bernal
Welcome / Enjoying the Magic Town of Peña de Bernal (Bernal Peak)
DAY 2
40 min drive to the city of Querétaro
Historic Center and Aqueduct tour
DAY 3
Half day in Querétaro / Afternoon: two hour drive to the city of Guanajuato
DAY 4
Walking tour / Learning about culture, legends, traditions / Visiting the “Cubilete Hill” to
enjoy the view of the city and the valley
DAY 5
One hour drive to San Miguel Allende / Tranvia and walking tour / Free time in the
afternoon
DAY 6
Departure to Querétaro International Airport (80 min)
Groups from 4 to 14
Average cost from:
$ 1,350 Single
$1,100 Double each
$1,700 Single
$1,500 Double each
Regular plan
Premium plan
3 stars hotel
4 stars hotel
Includes: Hotel, 80% of meals, transportation, guided tours, tips and taxes.
Estimated cost for larger groups upon request. Airfare is not included but we can
coordinate a group reservation with your airline. We suggest you choose a nonstop flight
connected from Houston to Querétaro International Airport (United or American Airlines)
QUERÉTARO
The state of Querétaro is a treasure in the center of the colonial heartland of México. It is
described as an international multicolored mosaic, which maintains its authentic
traditions and extraordinary riches. Green mountain ranges contrast strikingly with the
reflection of rosy orange sunsets upon unique baroque architecture, preserved in its
original beauty.
THE CITY OF QUERÉTARO
In 1996 UNESCO declared the historic center of Querétaro a World Heritage Site.
According to UNESCO's website, the "old colonial town of Querétaro is unusual in having
retained the geometric street plan of the Spanish conquerors side by side with the
twisting alleys of the Indian quarters. The Otomi, theTarasco, the Chichimeca and the
Spanish lived together peacefully in the town, which is notable for the many ornate civil
and religious Baroque monuments from its golden age in the 17th and 18th centuries. In
2008, National Geographic listed Querétaro as one of the top 15 historic destinations of
the world.
The most prominent feature of the city is its enormous aqueduct. The rest of
Queretaro's notable sites are located in the historic center, which is pedestrian-friendly
and filled with colonial architecture. One way to see this part of town is the “Noche de
Leyendas” (Night of Legends), which is a hybrid between interactive theater and a
recounting of history. A group of actors guide visitors through the streets of the city
narrating stories about what has happened in these places.
The most important sites to visit are: Regional Museum of Querétaro, Plaza de
Armas, Palacio de la Corregidora, several Churches and Monasteries, Museum of Art and
Teatro de la República. Near downtown, one can also visit: Cerro de las Campanas, “El
Cerrito” archeological site.
PEÑA DE BERNAL
Peña de Bernal (in English: Bernal Peak) at 350 meters (1150 ft), is the third-tallest
monolith in the world, after the Rock of Gibraltar and Sugarloaf Mountain. Peña de
Bernal is located in San Sebastián Bernal, a small town in the Mexican state of
Querétaro.
A study mentions that the monolith was formed some 100 million years ago
during the Jurassic period, when it must have been at least three times higher than today.
Many people make a pilgrimage to the highest point hikeable, visiting a little chapel
about halfway up.
GUANAJUATO
Most of the state’s architecturally significant buildings are in Mexican Baroque style,
especially in the capital city of Guanajuato. This was because the mines of the state
were at maximum production during the 18th century, when this style was fashionable.
THE CITY OF GUANAJUATO
The city of Guanajuato is located in a narrow valley, which makes the streets of the city
narrow and winding. Most are alleys that cars cannot pass through, and some are long
sets of stairs up the mountainsides. Many of the city’s thoroughfares are partially or fully
underground. The historic center of the city is filled with colonial area mansions,
churches and civil constructions built with pink or green sandstone and small plazas. The
city was the result of the discovery of mines in the mountains that surround it. These
mines were so rich that the city was one of the most influential during the colonial period.
One of the mines, La Valenciana, accounted for two-thirds of the world's silver
production at its height. The city is home to the Mummies Museum, which contains
naturally mummified bodies that were found in the municipal cemetery between the mid
19th and 20th centuries. It is also home to the "Festival Internacional Cervantino", which
invites artists and performers from all over the world as well as México. The city was also
the site of the first battle of the Mexican War of Independence between insurgent and
royalist troops at the Alhóndiga de Granaditas. The city was named a World Heritage
Site in 1988.
SAN MIGUEL ALLENDE, GUANAJUATO
Its Baroque/Neoclassical colonial structures were "discovered" by foreign artists who
moved in and began art and cultural institutes such as the Instituto Allende and the
Escuela de Bellas Artes. This gave the town a reputation, attracting artists such as David
Alfaro Siqueiros, who taught painting. The town is full of beautiful colonial buildings,
gardens, and the Gothic-styled Parroquia, one of México 's most famous cathedrals.
This amazing town attracted foreign art students, especially former U.S. soldiers
studying on the G.I. Bill after the Second World War. Since then, the town has attracted a
very large number of foreign retirees, artists, writers and tourists, which is shifting the
area’s economy from agriculture and industry to commerce catering to outside visitors
and residents. The main attraction of the town is its well-preserved historic center, filled
with buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries. This has been declared a World Heritage
Site.
Condé Nast Traveler ‘s annual poll asked readers to select their top 50
destinations in the world, and San Miguel de Allende ranked in 7th place. Here’s what
one Condé Nast Traveler reader has to say about San Miguel de Allende: “This is smalltown colonial Mexico at its best! In the midst of cobbled streets, arts and native crafts,
marvelous restaurants, music from jazz to klezmer (you thought Mexico only has
“Mexican” music?!) and much more. Warm welcome for English-speaking visitors.”