Querétaro

Querétaro is the Mexican state with the highest economic growth in recent decades, and at the same time one of that has best preserved its historical identity. Its historic center—a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996—displays convents, gardens and gray stone fountains in a state of conservation that few colonial cities in the country can match.

The Aqueduct of Querétaro, with its 74 arches reaching up to 23 meters high, built in the 18th century to supply water to the city's convents, is the most recognizable symbol of a capital that witnessed the end of Maximilian's Empire: it was here that the Austrian emperor was executed in 1867, on Cerro de las Campanas, now a historical site and museum.

The Querétaro semi-desert holds a Wine and Cheese Route that is beginning to gain international recognition: the vineyards of Tequisquiapan, Ezequiel Montes and Bernal produce altitude wines with their own character. The Peña de Bernal—the world's third largest monolith—dominates the horizon from the magical town of Bernal, a destination for hikers and climbers.

The Sierra Gorda queretana, a Biosphere Reserve with five 18th-century Franciscan missions declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is one of the least explored and most biodiverse corners of central Mexico, with microclimates ranging from jungle to pine forests within just a few kilometers.