Jalpan de Serra
About:
Located approximately three and a half hours from Queretaro’s capital, Jalpan is the largest town in the Sierra Gorda, known for its subtropical climate and the exuberant nature that surrounds it.
Called “the heart of the Sierra Gorda”, Jalpan de Serra is the economic center of this region in the north of the state of Queretaro. In its center, the first Franciscan Mission, of the five that have the UNESCO World Heritage designation and the only one presided over by the famous Majorcan religious, San Junipero Serra.
In front of this building, the Historical Museum of the Sierra Gorda is located in what was an old Spanish fort during the colony, in the XVI century. It tells the story of the past of the Queretaro highlands since prehistoric times.
On the outskirts of this Magical Town, you can enjoy water activities at the Jalpan Dam, such as kayaking, water bicycles, even boat rides, and sport fishing. However, something that stands out in this place, considered a RAMSAR Site because of the importance of its wetlands for the ecosystems of the area, is the sighting of the large number of birds that pass through the place during sunset, from different points of the boardwalk that runs along one side of the dam, adapted with benches and structures to enjoy the view and a confined bicycle lane, ideal for exercising very early in the morning and enjoy the sunrise.