Hola amigos! In 2022 I moved to Queretaro, Mexico to start a two year volunteer service in community climate change work. After traveling the world freely, I returned back to my Mexican roots and to having pesos in my pocket™.
I called the city of Santiago de Queretaro my home base for a bit, which is the capital of the state of Queretaro. Queretaro is one of the smallest states in Mexico but the city itself is pretty sprawling, populated, and urban. It’s one of the fastest growing economies in Mexico with the most mild climate, sits at 5000 feet high, has a gorgeous UNESCO-heritage centro, and a really high quality of life. I once passed through Queretaro on a bus journey from Guadalajara to Mexico... little did I know this would be my future home!
Although I can’t say Queretaro tops my Mexico bucket list, it is definitely worth visiting for a few nights if you’re traveling through central Mexico. If you're in central Mexico, Queretaro is a great, calmer alternative to CDMX or a little more grungy and urban option than the pricey San Miguel de Allende. Alas, here are some of my favorite parts of the city I once called home:
Mirador de Los Arcos
Lining the central heart of the city is an old aqueduct that supposedly was once built to bring water through the mountains to someone's love interest... and the remaining arches are the icon of this city and made for a beautiful backdrop on my old walk to work. The mirador is a great place to come in the afternoons or after dark for one of the better views of the city, and located right off the centro.
Templo De la Cruz
This church and plaza is another must-see location in the city center, and it is lined with affordable pizzerias, street food, and has a lovely fountain where I like to sit and people watch. For one of the most Queretaro style dishes you gotta buy a Queretana here, which is a gordita the size of your head full of solely cheese. ALSO on September 13, a separate Fiesta de Los Concheros filled the streets with thousands of dancers in drum circles, wearing colorful feather headdresses and performing traditional danza. Even if you're not here during September, Templo De la Cruz is one of my favorite stops.
Walking around the Centro Historico
As with many of Mexico's culturally-rich downtown areas, you'll find the UNESCO World Heritage site that is the centro, lined with colorful homes, cobblestone streets, lovely coffee shops and artisan buys. Some of my favorite little nooks of this zone are
Jardin Zenea which has a nice ambiance and bandstand, and has free public dancing most weekend nights. Be ready to cumbia, merengue, salsa, and bachata!
Avenida 5 de Mayo has colorful streets and touristic shops during the day and (subpar) bars by night.
Jardin Guerrero is another big open plaza where you will probably find street performers or cultural events. I love to sit here and people watch or do a little lap on my skateboard.
Plaza de Armas which sits in front of the state government and is normally lit up with lights, Christmas trees, and other decorations depending on the season.
When I moved here, I was fortunate enough to arrive just in time for Día de la Independencia, the biggest holiday of the year, celebrated on September 17. Queretaro was a formative city in Mexican independence, which makes September the best time of year to visit (in my opinion!) as it is all decked out in red white and green.
Mercado La Cruz
While not the biggest nor the cheapest as far as Mexican markets go, the mercado is well located and is a nice stop for a quick, traditional dish. The gorditas are the most popular regional food, packed with yummy cheese and toppings inside a regular or blue corn tortilla. Yes that is indeed me enjoying a whole cup full of grasshoppers, I have become quite the fan!
Getting outdoors....
Because the city is expanding so rapidly, there is a strange contrast on the outer edges where the development just stops and leaves nothing but green, green hills. You can take advantage of the hills and natural beauty by heading up to the natural space called El Cimatorio just a quick Uber ride up the hill. Even if you hike all the way up to the top near the radio towers and loop around, its still only 6 miles of hiking so nothing too tricky.
La Corregidora or El Cerrito
is probably the most underrated adventure in the city, as the second tallest pyramid in Mexico. It's crazy that this place is not higher up on the tourist radar because it is actually right in the urban area and easily accessible. After Mexico City's Tenochitlan pyramids, this is the tallest pyramid in the country and is FREE if you use your student ID after graduating ;) beyond the structure there is not much beyond a small museum, but regardless it's definitely a good way to spend part of an afternoon and a Queretaro must-see.
Nightlife
The nightlife here is a bit underwhelming but Mexico is never a bad place to party thanks to the national beers being some of my favorites! For pregaming a night out, I can highly recommend the chain Cerveceria Chapultepec's or 25 & 50 bars that are throughout the city. Here you can get really tasty mojitos, margaritas, or even just a good beer all for the same insane price of 25 (or 50) pesos. I can't quite figure out the catch since this is a super price for this city, and there is always popping reggaeton playing in the building.
For later in the night and dancing, you should head to La Terraza, where the locals go to dance to old school reggaeton. If you're willing to pay cover and really wanna dance with the serious Latin music crowd, you'll enjoy Club Habana or Club Latino.
Best Cafés and Restaurants
Although Queretaro is a relatively tame city by Mexican standards, it excels in cafés. When I'm eating in Queretaro, I'm likely just at one of the above cafeterias snacking on a toast or pastry. Some of my favorites are...
Black Juice and Coffee Lab: a games cafe with cheap coffees, tasty avocado toast, and a perfect space to do some computer work. I have spent days of my life in here and they've never kicked me out!
Koffein: tasty coffee and bagel sandwiches in a hip setting.
Maco Café: I feel like I'm in a colorful cooperative living space in here! Beautiful old wooden details and the most tasty coffee, brunch menu, and lunch.
Valar Terraza and Brunch: I used to be a regular here because I lived around the corner, and it has a great rooftop and chilaquiles special.
Mushi Reposteria: good coffee and lattes, and affordable 2-person pizzas
VegCo: a brand new, totally vegan restaurant with the most gorgeous interior.
Mirthala: a more upscale but nonetheless scrumptious cafe right underneath the Arcos
Diktatur: a cheap dinner place, almost everything on the menu is under 50 pesos, from gyros, to wraps, to burgers, and one of the most extensive cocktail lists I've ever seen
I told you it's a long list!
Besides everything I've mentioned for tourists, Queretaro is pretty suburban with lots of Walmarts, chain stores, strip malls, cars, traffic, and people. It is a great stopover and a very livable place that most people would describe as quite charming and comfortable. Come say hey if you find yourself on this side of the world :) if you need me i'll be here ! saludos friends
To see more of the surrounding region in Queretaro, be sure to check out my pueblos magicos guides or the guide to the Sierra Gorda!
