Nowadays, Queretaro is known as a dynamic state with a high standard of living, made up of picturesque towns and booming cities; this charming land has four World Heritage Sites by UNESCO: the historic downtown of the capital city of Santiago de Queretaro, the five missionary churches in the Sierra Gorda mountains, the Royal Inland Road (Camino Real de Tierra Adentro) and the Places of memory and living traditions of the Otomí-Chichimecas people of Tolimán. The state also offers visitors three Magical Towns, Bernal, Cadereyta, and Jalpan de Serra, and a Biosphere Reserve: the Sierra Gorda of Queretaro. Weather Precipitation Rainy Days (52) (442) www.queretaro.travel Country Code/ Area Code Winter (Jan-Mar) 17º C - 63ºF 27 mm - 1 in 5 out of 90 Spring (Apr-Jun) 22º C - 71º F 179 mm - 7 in 19 out of 21 Summer (Jul-Sep) 20º C - 68º F 405 mm - 13 in 32 out of 92 Autumn (Oct-Dec) 17º C - 68º F 61 mm - 2.4 in 10 out of 92 Where is it? Queretaro is situated in the central region of Mexico. It is 220 km (138 mi) north of, 619 km (309 mi) from Acapulco, and 737 km (459 mi) from Monterrey. Aqueduct of Queretaro 134
Arriving by land Queretaro Bus Terminal Extension of Luis Vega y Monroy 800, Balaustradas, Queretaro, Qro. Telephone: (442) 229-0063 and 211-4001 Driving time to downtown: 15 minutes. Bus lines that offer direct connections (first class, plus, executive or luxury) to Queretaro from the following locations: Arriving by plane International Airport of Queretaro Queretaro-Tequisquiapan State Highway 200, No. 22500 76270 Colón, Queretaro. Phone: (442) 192-5500 Distance to downtown Queretaro: 22 km (13.670 mi). 20 mins. Code: QRO Airlines with direct flights to Queretaro From Bus Lines Travel Time Number of Departures From Code Airlines Flight Time Airport to Guadalajara Primera Plus 3:00 22 Enlaces Terrestres Nacionales, Primera Plus, Omnibus de Mexico 4:15 35 Dallas, U.S.A. DFW American Airlines 2:40 Houston, U.S.A. IAH Continental Airlines, 2:00 Monterrey, Mex. MTY Aeromexico 1:10 Guanajuato Primera Plus 2:30 6 Enlaces Terrestres Nacionales, Primera Plus, Omnibus de Mexico, Futura, Transportes del Norte, Herradura de Plata 2:55 130 Distance and price chart From Airport to Km Distance Mi 215 133 Average Fare pesos * 256 History Guadalajara 365 227 350 Guanajuato 150 93 150 216 134 200 *First class, executive and luxury service. Prices are subject to change. The peso/dollar, peso/euro exchange rate is variable. At press time, the exchange rate was 1 USD = 13.40 pesos, 1 = 18.90 pesos Founded in 1531, the city has been the site where significant events of the history of Mexico have taken place, like the active roles played by the political administrator of the city, Miguel Domínguez, and his wife, Josefa Ortiz, in Mexican Independence. In 1847, when the United States invaded Mexico, Queretaro was made the capital of the nation; and it also hosted the drafting and promulgation of the Mexican Constitution, in 1917. Convent of St. Augustine 135
Attractions Historic Center Characteristics: Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996, the Historic Center of Queretaro boasts splendid civil and religious buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries, including the Former St. Francis Convent, now a Regional Museum; the Casa de la Marquesa, a mansion converted into a luxury hotel; the Theater of the Republic, place of the enactment of 1917 Constitution, and the former Convent of San Agustín, now the Museum of Art. Also the aqueduct, built in the 18th century, is considered among the most important structures of its kind in Mexico, notable for its architectural design. Surroundings Bernal and Tequisquiapan Bernal, designated a Magical Town, is a picturesque destination famous for its impressive crag, 350 meters (382.9 yards) tall, the third largest monolith in the world. Is located at 92 km (57 mi) from the City of Queretaro. Don Bartolo s house Tequisquiapan, 58 km (36 mi) distant from the city of Queretaro, is a beautiful provincial town that has kept its colonial character, with old stone-paved roads and a number of hot springs that have made the town into an important tourist destination. Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve Characteristics: This is a key area for biodiversity in central Mexico. Within its limits is one of the largest forested areas in the country, stre- tching over 383,567 hectares (1,481 square miles), just over 30 percent of the total territory of Queretaro. The importance of this reserve lies in the fact that it is home to over 200 animal species and 1,800 types of flora. The reserve also features a great many caves and caverns, and the archaeological site Valle Verde. Location: Northern part of the state. 136
Measurements and Capacities: Rooms on Ground Floor and 2nd Level M2 Rooms 4th Level M2 Conventions Room A 3,240 Banquets 1 864 Room B 1,296 Banquets 2 1,328 Room C 621 Corridor L4B 468 Room D 607 Terrace L4 576 Corridor 686 Lobby L4P 432 Terrace Pb 2,350 Congresses 1 125 Lobby 2,430 Congresses 2 132 Business Center 108 Congresses 3 125 Lobby L2P 576 Corridor L4c 304 Lobby L2O 288 Lobby N40 432 Queretaro Congress Center, designed according to international quality standards, offers countless opportunities to its visitors and event organizers. Its infrastructure offers 18,991 m 2 of space, divided into 4 levels, with space for exhibitions, congresses, banquets or work sessions, and is complimented by a parking area with a capacity for 1,550 cars. It offers handicapped facilities, air-conditioning, wireless internet and food and beverage services. The facility is located only 20 minutes from the Queretaro International Airport, with national and international flights, and 3 minutes from the spacious Coach Terminal which offers connections to all parts of the country and departures to every 15 minutes. Phone.: (442) 238 5000 ext 5841 http://occ.queretaro.travel/ Conventions Center 137
138