Mexican history is a box of surprises: the Sierra Gorda of Querétaro and the Peninsulas of Baja California and Yucatán are home to mysteries and legends, haciendas and missions.

In the north of the state of Querétaro the Sierra Gorda rises, silent shelter of five churches that represent the power of the Franciscan missions and which have been awarded World Heritage Site status by the UNESCO: the missions of Jalpan de Serra, Nuestra Señora de la Luz in Tancoyol, San Miguel Conca, Santa María del Agua de Landa and San Francisco.

Meanwhile, along the coast of Baja California there are constructions that date from the age of evangelization, such as that dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto Concho, San Francisco Javier Viggé Biaundó and Santa Rosalía de Mulegé.

Even if you are not traveling to these areas, there are sure to be missions nearby, given the intense wave of evangelical activity undergone by the country, especially the central areas, after the conquest.

Apart from their mysticism, the missions of Santo Domingo and Santo Tomás de Aquino bore witness to great battles, as they functioned as military garrisons on the Mexican border.

Another trace of colonial Mexico are the haciendas, which sometimes also belonged to the religious orders, though they were usually dedicated to agricultural production: Morelos, Yucatan, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Guanajuato, Puebla, Durango, Jalisco, Chiapas and Coahuila all have buildings that have since been converted into hotels, but still display the machinery and spaces used for production. The majority of these haciendas are located in rural surroundings and with the elegant details of their architecture, are well worth traveling to.

A few examples not to be missed in Mexico are the Hacienda Parador de San Javier, Guanajuato; Katanchel, in Merida; Uayamón, in Campeche and Sepúlveda, symbol of Lagos de Moreno, in Jalisco.

Finally, there are also the Ex Hacienda Misión La Muralla; the Hotel Hacienda Jurica y Misión Concá in Querétaro; Cantalagua, in Contepec (Michoacán); and San Miguel Regla and Huasca de Ocampo, in Hidalgo, among others.