File 21-loc-n-cent-highlands-mex13

Book 13 Initial Mapping Anita Banh Date 08/02/12 Road Scale All key roads labelled? Hierarchy Date Title Hydro Chapter Northern Central Highlands Editor Cxns Spot colours removed? Hierarchy Nthpt Masking in Illustrator done? Symbols Author Kate Armstrong MC Cxns Date Book Inset/enlargement correct? Off map Notes dest'ns Border CR Locator Key na Author Cxns Date

Basefile MEX12 Final Ed Cxns Date KEY FORMAT SETTINGS

New References na Number of Rows (Lines) Editor Check Date

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Land Highlight Area Edge White Boundary Lines

Northern Central Highlands

Why Go? Querétaro...... 634 From cobbled lanes to pretty plazas, deserts to cloud forest, Tequisquiapan...... 641 the northern central highlands region is as varied as its his- tory, cuisine and cultures. It was here that former mineral Guanajuato...... 643 wealth created colonial cities and revolutionary activity left León...... 654 ghost towns in its wake. Known as the Cuna de la Independ- Dolores Hidalgo...... 655 encia (Cradle of Independence), the territory is renowned San Miguel for its part in the country’s fight for autonomy. de Allende...... 657 Particular jewels include silver-ridden Guanajuato and Aguascalientes...... 671 , plaza-filled San Luis Potosí, arty San Miguel de Allende and nature-filled Sierra Gorda. And as for the cui- San Luis Potosí...... 676 sine… Travel a few kilometers for another take on a trusty Real de ...... 682 tortilla or regional specialty. Culture vultures can feast on Zacatecas...... 686 pre-Hispanic sites and art museums, concerts, nightlife, fes- La Quemada...... 695 tivals and callejoneadas – the northern central highlands continues centuries of pomp and ceremony. It sure knows how to put on a good (if noisy) party. Best Places to Eat ¨¨Cafe Rama (p666) ¨¨Las Mercedes (p652) When to Go ¨¨Los Dorados de Villa (p693) Guanajuato ¨¨El México de Frida (p680) °C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm 40/104 24/600 ¨¨San Marcos Merendero (p674) 30/86 16/400

20/68

8/200 Best Places 10/50 to Stay 0/32 0 ¨¨Posada Corazón (p664) J F DNOSAJJMAM ¨¨Casa Estrella de la Jul & Aug Days Late Oct Villages Late Mar or Apr Valenciana (p650) are mild and wild- are abuzz as they Traditional reli- ¨¨Hotel Emporio Zacatecas flowers bloom; prepare for Day of gious festivities (p691) it’s the perfect the Dead celebra- abound during time for DIY tions (Nov 1 to 2). Semana Santa ¨¨Community lodges (p642) explorations. (Holy Week).  Northern Central Highlands 633 85 MEX 85 MEX MEX 120 Valles Mante Ciudad Ciudad Ciudad San Joaquín Victoria 70 MEX 85 MEX Jalpan Linares Tamaulipas Tequisquiapan Ezequiel Montes 31 55 MEX MEX MEX 101 la Biosfera Reserva de Sierra Gorda Río Verde Nevada (3540m) 57 MEX Cerro Peña Querétaro 80 MEX Bernal del Río Potosí San Juan 57 San Luis Pozos MEX León Put a positive spin on a positive Put Ride high on the Nuevo MEX 120 San Luis de la Paz Potosí 57 MEX (cable car) over teleférico over car) (cable (p686) Zacatecas of the top La Bufa the pinnacle, up to 5 6 death in Museo Nacional de in Museo death Aguascalientes la Muerte, (p671) (3700m) Cerro El Santuario de Atotonilco Cedral Querétaro 51 MEX 57 MEX San Luis Potosí Dolores Hidalgo Charcas 62 54 MEX de Allende San Miguel 43 MEX Felipe San Acámbaro Real de Catorce This This historically volatile region sparked 51 Silao MEX 49 MEX imecs, who imecs, were used as labor in slave the mines. the criollo fight for and in was which Spain, Querétaro plotted independence from San Miguel de Allende and from launched Dolores Hidalgo in revolutionary 1810. his released A Madero century Francisco later Plan de San Luis and Potosí the 1917 sign- ing of Mexico’s constitution in Querétaro Ojuelos de 80 MEX Guanajuato 54 Irapuato MEX del Oro MEX 15D Loreto La Piedad León 37 MEX del Bajío Concepción San Tiburcio Lagos de Moreno 70 MEX Aeropuerto Internacional Sense the spirits of of the spirits Sense Marvel at the missions at the missions Marvel Guadalupe and stay in communities in communities and stay jewel, wilderness within the de la Biosfera the Reserva (p642) Gorda Sierra 3 4 miners in the picturesque, in the picturesque, miners of town ‘ghost’ reawakening (p682) de Catorce Real MEX 80D Cañitas de Felipe Pescador MEX 110 Malpaso La Quemada Zamora 71 Aguascalientes MEX Fresnillo 54 MEX Río Grande 44 Zacatecas 49 Aguascalientes Jalpa MEX Juan Aldama Jerez 23 MEX 100 km 60 miles Villanueva Juchipila Chapala Sombrerete Cuencamé Auza Chalchihuites Miguel Tequila MEX 40D Jalisco

Cancer MEX 40 15D MEX Guadalajara Valparaíso Parque Nacional Sierra de Órganos Meander through through Meander Feed your soul with soul your Feed 45 MEX Time Zone art, food and fiestas in and fiestas food art, de Miguel popular San Allende (p657) 2 Northern Central Highlands Highlights 1 winding cobbled alleys and alleys winding cobbled in museums marvelous (p643) Guanajuato Mountain 0 0

Tropic of Durango Until Until the Spanish conquest, the northern central highlands were inhabited by fierce as to Aztecs the known tribes seminomadic Chichimecs. They resisted Spanish expan- but peoples Mexican other than longer sion cen- 16th late the in pacified ultimately were tury. The wealth amassed subsequently by Chich- of at was many cost the Spanish the History