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La Villa de San Sebastián Bernal, better known as Bernal, is a small and picturesque village in the Querétaro state of Mexico.
La Villa de San Sebastián Bernal is known as a Pueblo Mágico (Magic Town), a peaceful place that can be explore by foot, visiting craft shops, blanket wool products and handmade candy shops. Bernal is 40 minutes by road from the state capital Santiago de Querétaro and 2½ hours from Mexico City.
The main attraction of Bernal is its enormous monolith of massive rock, the Peña. Peña de Bernal (Bernal’s Boulder or Bernal Peak) is 350 m (1150 ft) tall. It is the third-tallest monolith in the world, after the Rock of Gibraltar and Sugarloaf Mountain.
Understand
[edit]San Sebastián Bernal was founded in 1642, when the Spanish families arrived to populate the area. It is being said, that they arrive with the purpose of protecting the area from the constant attacks of the Chichimecas, who were dominating the area.
In 1725, the first construction of the city was given the rank of congregation under the name of San Sebastián Bernal. The construction was turned into a church with three naves dedicated to Saint Sebastian, patron of the town since its foundation. Every January 20th is the feast day of the patron, and it is one of the main celebrations of the town.
Bernal has acquired the title Pueblo Magico (Magic Town). A Magic Town is a town that has symbolic attributes, legends, history, important facts, daily, in order emanating MAGIC in each of its manifestations, cultural, social - and that means now a great opportunity for tourist use.
Get in
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By bus
[edit]To get to Bernal there are buses that can be taken from the main bus station in the city of Querétaro. Buses normally are inexpensive (about M$70) and some bus lines offer student or senior discounts. If you cannot find a direct bus to Bernal, take a bus to Ezequiel Montes and then either connect to a regional (local) bus or take a taxi
- 1 Terminal Autobuses de Bernal, Benito Juárez 376, Los Palacios. Small bus station with waiting area. Served by Flecha Amarilla via the town of Ezequiel Montes.
By car
[edit]Bernal can also be accessed by car. The Autopista Mexico - Queretaro allows visitor to arrive within a reasonable amount of time and by only following the signs to the municipality of Ezequiel Montes.
Get around
[edit]Bernal is a small village, compact, with narrow alleys (callejons) and cobblestone streets. It is ideal for exploring on foot.
See
[edit]Visitors can enjoy the landscape of Bernal, and also visit the picturesque shops that had become landmarks of the town.
- 1 Peña de Bernal. The massive monolith towering over the village is a constant presence and is never far from view, it's the major attraction for visitors to Bernal.
- 2 Museo de la Mascara (Mask Museum), Zona Centro, C. Independencia 19, La Fuente. The museum displays hundreds of historic masks with a focus on masks as an integral part of ritual. There are also masks representing important persons, and exhibits that describe the extraordinary workmanship required to craft masks in the pre-Hispanic era.
Do
[edit]- Rock climbing: climb the third-largest monolith in the world (about 350 meters high).
- Mountain biking: bicycles are available for rent with an accessible price rate.
- Motor crossing: four-wheelers are available for rent, and visitors are able to choose their destination.
- Photography: the landscape of the area allows visitors to take beautiful shots of the rock, the town and its fauna.
- Walk: the town is very small; therefore visitors are able to explore it by foot.
- Escalera al Infierno is a grueling route through the Sierra Gorda for cyclists who take their biking extremely seriously, the 143 km route starts in Bernal
Buy
[edit]Bernal offers a broad variety of traditional sweets, carpentry, clothing and handmade crafts at affordable prices.
Eat
[edit]The town offers a few places such as El Arrayán, El mirador and Piave. However, each establishment is known for great food. Moreover, visitors can find food carts at the base of the Peña if they feel like having a light snack. Handmade gorditas are the typical food served in the town.
- 1 La Rocca, Calle Miguel Hidalgo 5, Zona Centro, ☏ +52 442 678 2974. Daily 08:30 - 22:00. Upscale dining with international touches to a core regional Mexican menu. Outdoor dining patio offers great views of the rock. Creative cocktails. M$300.
- 2 El Mezquite, Iturbide 1, Zona Centro, ☏ +52 442 367 4239. W-Su 09:30 - 18:30. Traditional Mexican patio restaurant with servicable regional cuisine and a spectacular garden, full of mature shade trees, antiques and Mexican artesanias, with the occasional roaming peacock. M$300.
- 3 Tierracielo, C. Porfirio Díaz 10, El Gallito, ☏ +52 441 296 4074. Su-Th 13:00 - 19:00, F-Sa 13:00 - 00:00. Outdoor dining room serving regional cuisine. Rooftop live music on Wednesdays. Off-street parking is in a paid lot. M$300.
- 4 Milo's, C. Porfirio Díaz 1, Centro (inside the Real de la Pena Hotel), ☏ +52 441 296 4726. M-Th 09:00 - 19:00, F-Su 09:00 - 22:00. Upscale hotel dining room serving contemporary Mexican cuisine like a grilled salmon with a mango glaze. Full bar with creative cocktails (the Nigroni is recommended). M$250.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]Visitors have several choices for lodging that range in size, cost and rating. All the establishments provide their guest with a unique experience of the town life. Some of the most notable hotel are as follows:
- 1 Hotel Parador Vernal, Lazaro Cardenas 1, ☏ +52 441 296 4058. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Small traditional hotel with small rooms with basic amenities. No TVs in room and many rooms lack a view (so check room first if you're expecting a view of the rock). Off-street parking. Long walk from historic downtown area. M$1000.
- 2 Hotel Casa Tsaya, Ignacio Zaragoza 9, Centro, ☏ +52 441 296 4534. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Upscale boutique hotel with average size rooms decorated with artworks and traditional Mexican artesanias. On-site restaurant serves traditional Mexican cuisine with some regional specialties. Off-street parking is available in a lot about 2 blocks from the hotel. M$2000.
- 3 Hostal Medieval, Fidel Cabrera Montes # 1, La Fuente, ☏ +52 441 107 4420. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Sprawling hotel that looks like an ancient castle, complete with tower. Rooms are a bit small, but clean and comfortable but with no TV and no air conditioning. Off-street parking is available. M$1000.
- 4 Casa Mateo Hotel Boutique, C. 5 de Mayo 21, Zona Centro, ☏ +52 441 296 4472. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:30. Upscale boutique hotel in the historic downtown (centro) area. Rooms are spacious and clean with upscale amenities like high thread-count sheets and good quality toiletries. On-site restaurant is open limited hours. Off-street secure parking available. M$2530.
- 5 Hotel El Centenario Los Arroyitos, Privada Arroyitos, ☏ +52 441 296 4418. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Hacienda-style property with individual cabinas with spacious, quiet, comfortable rooms. Popular wedding venue with picturesque gardens and views of the rock. On-site restaurant and off-street parking available. M$1800.
- 6 Hostal Quinta Arantxa, Calle Ezequiel Montés 10, Zona Centro, ☏ +52 441 296 4465. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Small family-run hotel with spacious, clean rooms with modern decor. 200 meter walk to historic downtown area. Friendly service.
- 7 El Cantar del Viento, Calle Los Arcos No. 3, Barrio el Gallito, ☏ +52 441 296 4639. Check-in: 13:00, check-out: 12:00. Upscale boutique hotel with clean, spacious rooms. On-site restaurant serves a limited menu for breakfast and lunch. Relaxing patio. Entire property is decorated in Mexican artesanias, creating a comfortably luxurious atmosphere.
Camping
[edit]- 8 T'oho-Do Camping, Calle Ezequiel Montes 21, Zona Centro, ☏ +52 144 1101 1930. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. In-town camping area with flat tent sites. Also has an old Volkswagen Beetle you can sleep in. Picnic tables are re-purposed wire spools. M$200.
- Cool Glamping, State highway 100. Sleep in a geodesic dome with views of Bernal's famous rock. M$4000.
Go next
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