The word Amealco comes from "Ameyalco", a word of Nahuatl origin that means "place where water flows from the rocks"
A wooded site of the Querétaro countryside that holds in itself an important gastronomic, architectural and cultural value.
Amealco de Bonfil has an area of 682.1 km that represents 5.8% of the total area of the state of Querétaro. A surface of mystical beauty where calm is breathed, it is a divine work of natural landscapes and incalculable architectural treasures; it is lulled by serenades of bugles, of goldfinches, with the murmurs of the forest during the day that creates the perfect place for the tourist who seeks peace, serenity, unique characteristics that are reflected in the hospitality of the people of Amealca; Amealco is a municipality with customs, traditions and folklore that make this region a watercolor of bright colors and ineffable figures.
Due to its geographical location, it has a wide variety of places for camping, such as San Pablo, Tenazdá, Chitejé de la Cruz, La Beata, El Aserrín, La Laguna de Servín, Cerro de los Gallos, La Piedad, among others. It should be noted that in these places you can observe the stars with the naked eye in a very peculiar way.
These incredible landscapes create an environment conducive to the practice of mountain biking, which is why, in the last 2 consecutive years, the national mountain biking competition has been held, hosting hundreds of people in our municipality who also enjoy hiking and typical gastronomy of the town.
In the municipality there are also hills with history, the most important for hiking being the Cerro de la Cruz, Cerro de San Pablo and Tenazdá. They are free spaces to enjoy with the family and take a day in the countryside in any of these areas preferred by the inhabitants.
Mountain biking, horseback riding, and bird watching are common at La Piedad Waterfalls .
Cerro de Los Gallos Recreational Park has facilities such as a zip line, suspension bridge and recreation areas to spend a picnic with the family.
The Picos de Yosphi are located in the community of San Ildefonso Tultepec. These peaks are believed to have ejected rocks from the volcano that buried the region's mammoths 10,000 years ago.
A town with history
Temples and monuments with great historical and cultural value are erected around the municipal seat.
Santa María Parish
It is characterized by its Neoclassical style architecture, dating from the eighteenth century, its construction began in 1775 and ended in 1905, being the most important temple among the Amealco community.
Former Hacienda de San Nicolás de la Torre
Built by the Frenchman Felipe Martell in the seventeenth century, who was the first owner and second of a Spaniard named José Rivera Ríos, with an initial area of 4,900 hectares, accumulating by the beginning of the eighteenth century; 17,765 hectares. It is built mainly for livestock, stables and for agricultural production, so they were initially grouped by Gonzalo de Salazar and Alonso de la Torre, thus forming the Hacienda de la Torre, it also functioned as one of the main fortresses for its majestic façade with great surveillance everywhere.
Hacienda La Muralla
It was built in 1874 by Francois Yarza, it began as an agricultural and cattle ranch but also served as a headquarters during the Mexican Revolution in 1910.
Walls and buildings are currently preserved in their original state that even show the impacts of bullets and cannons projected during the time of the Mexican Revolution. Today it is a unique themed hotel of the Mexican Revolution within the Republic, which maintains through its staff and facilities, the traditions, gastronomy and clothing of the time.
Ricardo Pozas Arciniega Museum
It is a nineteenth-century building that served as a grocery store, a printing press and a canteen. In 1987 it was donated to the municipal presidency, becoming "Casa de la Cultura "Ricardo Pozas Arciniega".
By 2014, during the 2nd National Festival of Handmade Dolls, it became a representative museum of the town, currently housing about 500 handmade dolls from different states of the Mexican Republic and even from other countries. Inside there are also fragments of "Columbian Mammoth", remains found in the municipality and which are 10 thousand years old and are exhibited within the facilities of the house.
This great event brings together artisans from various municipalities and states of the Republic in November to exhibit their dolls woven with the characteristics of each place. By holding this national festival and contest, the tangible and intangible values of this craft are recognized.
The categories competing in the Contest are: Textiles, Pottery, Vegetable Fibers and New Designs.
Representative handicrafts
Handmade dolls
Amealco produces more than 200,000 pieces of handmade dolls monthly. The rag doll, with which they used to play their children's games, is today, thanks to its production and marketing, one of the main livelihoods for Otomi families. There are more than 550 workshops in the indigenous areas of Amealco, and it is estimated that there are more than 10,500 people working in the different processes of making the doll.
Each handmade doll is unique and represents tradition, customs and roots. A heritage that is taught and transmitted from mothers to daughters, and from daughters to granddaughters, with techniques, materials and features of the identity and cultural heritage of the municipality.
The 2 indigenous communities with the highest production and commercialization of Artisanal Dolls are Santiago Mexquititlán and San Ildefonso Tultepec. Each community makes its dolls in an artisanal way and with great differences in terms of face design and traditional clothing.
Pottery Workshops
The hands of Amealco have historically been creative, since not only the earth provides them with the raw material with the necessary quality to produce clay pieces such as pots, comales, pots, among many others, people put a unique touch on these pieces in each one.
A curious fact about the pottery of Amealco is that much of it is exported, and especially in the upcoming season of "Day of the Dead", or, rather, "Halloween", since thousands of pieces that are exported are the pumpkins with mouth, nose and eyes so typical of that Anglo-Saxon tradition. The market is of course Canada and the United States where the demand is so high, that when the season approaches, more than 50 percent of the potters are engaged in the production of the traditional American pumpkin.
Due to its privileged location between forests and fields, this Magical Town is a natural respite. There are numerous cabins, camping areas, and even glamping; all of them excellent options to rest with your partner or family.
In some of these areas you can even go hiking, gotcha, or archery. Rancho Calixto, La Palizada and Parque La Beata, are just some places that offer you a little bit of everything.
Authentic Gastronomy
Amealco has a gastronomic variety that dates back to pre-Columbian times and translates its Otomi and Chichimeca heritage to the demands of modernity.
TURKEY MOLE
A representative dish of the town not only for its flavor and the type of meat with which it is cooked, but also for the artisanal nature of its preparation. Red mole has become popular in the region for being made of turkey and not chicken as it is traditionally eaten. The "Martes de Mole" as it is known in Amealco, is a tradition that for decades has been maintained, cooking this dish only on Tuesdays and now on Sundays depending on the establishments.
TRADITIONAL BREAD
The arepas of piloncillo, anise bread, half-moons and cemitas, have captivated strangers and visitors for their flavor and their way of making traditional bread. This type of ancient bread still maintains a unique flavor and a touch of tradition that makes it special within the establishments where it is still on sale.
PULQUE
A representative drink of Mexico that in Amealco can be found inside the old pulquerías that date back to the time of the revolution. The story goes that due to the passage of armies in the municipality, they took the opportunity to taste the drink among the inhabitants, since, in Amealco due to the water conditions and climate, it offers a totally special flavor.
Pulque is one of the most consumed beverages by the population of Amealco. In the nineteenth century, Amealco was one of the main places that exported pulque to the center of the state of Querétaro. Currently there are several establishments where you can find pulque and cured and from it "pulque bread" is made, which is a product used by the native peoples for the patron saint festivities.
TRADITIONAL SWEETS
In the municipality, crystallized products are produced, ranging from milk, pumpkin, sweet potato and chilacayote, as well as sugar figs and cocadas.
TOSTADAS DE ARRIERO
Chili tostadas as the locals commonly call it, which consists of a corn-based tostada with beans, nopales and salsa. They opted for the name "Arrieras" since they were easy to make and transport for those who work in the fields and their conditions did not allow them to eat in the kitchen.
The Tostadas de Arriero are made with broken corn and refried in oil; They are consumed with a base of refried beans accompanied by a nopales salad with onion and tomato along with ranchero cheese and salsa.
PORK CARNITAS
Located in the Municipal Market and main streets, its flavor belongs to Mexican gastronomy. In Amealco there are currently more than 30 establishments that are dedicated to the sale of this traditional dish.
BAKED FRUIT
Baked fruit is a typical dish in the municipality, it is offered on weekends in the center of the municipal capital. They are cookies with sugar, some sprinkled with flour prepared from homemade recipes that have been prevalent for decades.
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Travel back in time and learn about the history of Querétaro. Hop on one of the Stagecoaches and tour some of the most emblematic places in the city, enjoy a ride that will make you feel like you are in another era.
Incredible cabins with pools, perfect for vacationing with the family and enjoying hot days to the fullest.
