Santiago De Queretaro by Private Architecture and Cultural Guided Tours

Private Architectural and Cultural guided tours are the highlight of any visit to Santiago de Queretaro, a city which is located in the centre of Mexico.

This city is known for the Spanish colonial architecture that has been very well preserved. It has one of Mexico’s eight Historic Centres and it has been declared, since 1996, as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. This is mainly due to the 17th and 18th-century civic buildings and churches that can be admired on sightseeing tours.

Due to the important parts of history that Santiago de Queretaro has witnessed, there is a lot to be discovered here and plenty of monuments which tell a fascinating story.

When deciding on a time to visit this beautiful city, you should find out when the main traditional festivals are on. These include fairs and celebrations that can go on for days. The atmosphere is brilliant and locals are very happy to share their festivals will all who come to visit.

Let the activities begin!
The Aqueduct
1 On a sightseeing tour, visit The Aqueduct. This structure of 74 arches is the symbolic monument of Santiago de Queretaro that was built to bring fresh water to the city. The arches are of pinkish quarry stone and stand 23 meters high. The water supply to the city is still coming through the aqueduct. The sixty private fountains and ten public fountains that were built in 1738 is where it is stored.
San Felipe Neri Temple
2 The San Felipe Neri Temple or The Cathedral is a wonderful place to take a guided tour of. It was the architecture of this Temple that showed the change of styles from baroque to neo-classic. The red volcanic rock used to build this Cathedral makes the architecture look that much more impressive. The interior has many stunning features and when it is lit up at night, it is a truly beautiful sight.
The Temple of La Santa Cruz
3 The site where Santiago de Queretaro surrendered to the Spaniards is where you will find the Temple of La Santa Cruz and convent. It was built on the site in the 17th century and one of its attractions apart from its historic sights is the shrubs that have cross shape spines growing. It was here that Emperor Macmillan I of Mexico lived his last night before execution. Visit this room along with the convent and art gallery.
The City Museum
4 The City Museum can be located in the 1771 former convent of the Capuchin Nuns of San Jose de Gracia. On a guided tour of this museum, the visitor will get to appreciate the extent of Santiago de Queretaro’s history. There are many exhibition halls which have cultural artifacts and artistic pieces on display with descriptions and tales to go along with them. The building itself has much history which your guide will run through.
The Temple of Santa Rosa de Viterbo
5 On a nighttime city tour, the Temple of Santa Rosa de Viterbo looks stunning, but you can only really appreciate the design and features of its facade in the daylight. There is a mix of Moresque and Gothic architecture which includes the support wall in a kidney shape, the cone shaped row of the tower and the burlesque masks. The interior is just as impressive with unique altarpieces, carved doors and ornate features.
Theater of the Republic
6 Within the Historic Centre is the Teatro de la Republica, Theater of the Republic. It is famous for being the place where, in 1854, the Mexican National Anthem was sung for the first time, Macmillan I and his generals were tried and sentenced to death here in 1867 and in 1917 the Mexican constitution was written and signed. It is understandable as to why this theater has such an important place in Mexico’s history.
The Hill of Bells
7 The Hill of Bells which in Spanish is Cerro de las Campanas, is a beautiful park to see on a city tour of Santiago de Queretaro. Again this is a place of huge historic importance due to it being the place where the struggle between the Republic and the Spanish Empire ended and it is where the execution took place of Macmillan I and his generals. See the chapel that was built by the Austrian Government in 1901 to commemorates this.
El Cerrito Archaeological Site
8 For all tourists interested in archaeology, then a guided tour to El Cerrito will be perfect for them. Located outside the city of Santiago de Queretaro, it is a settlement that is pre-Hispanic with influences of the Teotihuacan. The main structure is from where the name El Cerrito comes from due to this pyramid plinth looking like a hill from a distance. There have been lots of great archaeology finds during excavation.
The Villa de San Sebastian Bernal Town
9 Not far from Santiago de Queretaro is the picturesque and activity filled town Villa de San Sebastian Bernal which is well worth a sightseeing tour. On the journey to here, you pass the monolith which is third tallest in the world Pena de Bernal. It is here you can do such things as zip lining and climbing. In the town, there are lots of historic buildings, great food markets where you can taste the delicious local cuisine.
Casonas, Colonial homes
10 On a city tour of Santiago de Queretaro, you will see some majestic and beautiful colonial buildings which are now used for many different things such as luxury hotels, museums, government offices or restaurants and bars. A true architectural masterpiece is the Casa de la Marquesa and possibly the most stunning is the Casa de Ecala. The one with a tragic history is Casa de la Zacatecana and the haunted one is La Casa de Don Bartolo.

Travel Tips for Santiago de Quer