Living in a big city can be very stressful due to the large number of people who go to very crowded places, traffic at peak times, among many other factors. And if we also talk about Mexico City that has more than 20 million inhabitants, that can be crazy!
For those moments when I need a break I have many destinations that allow me to forget everything and in this series of posts I will tell you about my favorite options, which work for city dwellers and tourists who visit Mexico.
Tequisquiapan
Tequisquiapan is a “magical town” that is located in the state of Querétaro and is about 170 kms. from Mexico City, which can be reached in approximately 2 hours by car. It is a very popular destination, and its known for its thermal waters that have healing properties, in addition to its climate that is very pleasant and warm most of the year. Its name means “place of water and tequesquite”. Tequesquite is a mineral salt that has been used as a food seasoning in Mexico since pre-Hispanic times.
My recommendation is to arrive to Tequisquiapan in the morning to be able to have lunch in any of the restaurants located in the main square: Plaza Miguel Hidalgo, which is surrounded, as in most of the colonial towns of our country, by a church, and colonial style buildings. In a small town like this it is necessary to be clear about where to park your car because it is a place that is enjoyed walking through its cobbled streets in order to admire its colonial buildings and temples. So my parking options are Estacionamiento Tequisquiapan or, the second one, Estacionamiento Tequis.
From there you only walk a few blocks and arrive at the main square, where you can admire the kiosk surrounded by ash and juniper trees, and the portals, in addition to the facade of the Parish of Santa Maria de la Asunción, but the first thing is to choose a place to enjoy the exquisite cuisine of Queretaro. My favorite places are “K´puchinos”, which has a buffet on weekends, or “La Charamusca” with à la carte service. In any of them you can enjoy delicious dishes such as: enchiladas queretanas, corn gorditas, mole, quesadillas, barbacoa de borrego, café de olla, traditional sweet bread, and many more options of our varied Mexican food.
After eating you can continue to visit the main square and the streets that surround it because they are full of art galleries, craft stores, decoration stores, clothing stores with incredible designs in blanket fabric, which is very fresh and appropriate for the climate of the region. You can also find bars there to enjoy the afternoon with cocktails prepared with tequila, mezcal, or taste the wines of the region, such as Freixenet Wine Bar, whose vineyards are very close to town.
Obviously Tequisquiapan has many lodging options and its most important hotels are also in the main square, Hotel La Plaza, Hotel Maridelfi and Hotel Relox are the best known, but when I visit this place I prefer to book a cabin in Quinta Patricia that is very close from the main square, just a 10 min-walk.
Quinta Patricia is a very quiet place because it is in a more residential area, it has large gardens and a pool that is essential to enjoy under the Tequisquiapan sun, and its cabins have different capacities according to the size of your group, because you can go only with your partner, with a group of friends, or with your family. All the cabins are cozy and have a space outside with a grill so you can prepare roast meat or a barbecue while enjoying the gardens and pool during the day or a little bohemian night. In the mornings you can also order in advance the breakfast that they will set up in the gardens to enjoy the view of the facilities. This way you will feel like being at home while you relax on this getaway.
In Tequisquiapan there are many activities and places to visit, both in the town and in the region, and for this reason I use this point as a base to explore other nearby places, as this is the starting point for the Wine and Cheese Route in the region. In this post series I will also share images and details of those options.
One more space that is essential to visit is the Rulfo Bookshop, which has more than 25 years of history, a very pleasant space where you can also have coffee and cookies while reading a book or leafing through a magazine with ease, while enjoying background music that always accompanies visitors. A well-used place that promotes culture and with an incredible decoration in which the books surround you, even over your head!
There´s another small place that is a must visit: Cheese and Wine Museum, where you can learn a little bit about the production of wine and cheese in the region. You can even taste wine icecream in this place that also has a restaurant section.
Among other activities you can also fly in hot air balloons and while you are in the air you´ll surprise yourself with the majestic landscapes that stand out in front of the mountains, an enjoy the silhouette of Tequisquiapan while the clouds pass above your head. It´s a tradition to make a toast with a sparkling wine while you´re in the heights, and obviusly take a lot of pictures from above!
Well, this first post is long enough for now. In the next post i´ll talk about wine, chesse and beer in the zone, so… just wait for it!
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