One of the most amazing new routes of Mexico takes travelers back in time, giving them a glimpse into Mexico’s storied beginnings. Much of this route was traveled by some of the main players in Mexico's fight for independence, whose revolutionary advances, little by little, led to the creation of a country filled with a unique culture, beautiful natural surroundings and proud inhabitants.

QUERETARO, MEXICO
The tour starts with the town of Bernal in the state of Queretaro. Here, many Chichimecan groups fought against the colonists, and today the town displays the charm of Mexico's "Magical Towns" through its beautiful landscape and cultural traditions. Bernal is also the home to the third largest monolith in the world, La Peña de Bernal. The majestic monolith is popular among hikers and other adventure travel enthusiasts, who are even greeted by a small chapel halfway through their trek up La Peña.

One of the first stops along the way is the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, a stunning example of the natural beauty found in this part of the country, inviting you to connect with nature in the midst of inspiring surroundings. The reserve encompasses well-preserved wilderness including moist montane forests covered in bromeliads and orchids, pine-oak forests with plunging waterfalls and crystal blue rivers, semi-deserts with a great diversity of cactus and wild oregano, and lowland tropical forests that jaguars call home. Sierra Gorda also houses five Franciscan missions declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003.

Guanajuato, a city that has seen its fair share of revolutionary battles, is also an impressive part of this route. The beautiful buildings, such as the Alhondigas de Granaditas and Basilica Señora de Guanajuato, charming alleyways and mine shafts once set the stage for many battles for independence. History can be seen in every cobblestone, brick and tree throughout the city.

A majestic stop on this route is the city of San Miguel de Allende, which was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2008. The city retains its unique colonial architecture representative of the Viceregal period and a Neo-gothic style cathedral. The city also boasts one of Mexico’s most popular events: the “Sanmiguelada,” a running of the bulls much like the one hosted in Spain. The route also goes through the cities of Guadalajara, land of tequila, mariachi, tortas ahogadas and jarabe tapatio; Tequila, a charming town known as the birthplace of Mexico’s most representative beverage; and Tlaquepaque, home of expert artisans who exhibit their fine work in wood, silver, brass, crystal and leather.

This passionate and historic journey of discovering Mexico's independence also takes us directly to Mexico's Pacific coast, to the picturesque city of Puerto Vallarta. Here, the sun, the sand and the sea bring out the beauty of this country with their color and enchanting ambiance. The Mexican Independence Route, filled with the pride of Mexico, allows foreigners to experience the origins of this fascinating country.

For more information about this captivating route of Mexico, please visit: http://visitmexico.com/wb/Visitmexico/la_cuna_de_la_historia_y_el_romanticismo