Loreto

Loreto is considered the most ancient human settling in the Peninsula of Baja California, and is located 359 km to the north of La Paz by the federal highway 1 in the State of Baja California Sur, Mexico.

Loreto is located in the wonderful landscape where La Giganta mountains range, the desert and the sea of Cortes meet with the islands of Coronado, del Carmen and Danzante. The oldest human settlement in the Californians was founded by the Jesuit Juan Maria Salvatierra in 1697 with the establishment of the mission Nuestra Senora de Loreto.

Loreto has the privilege to have been the first permanent mission and the first capital of all the Caliornias, both the peninsular region and the new or higher California extended to what is now Alaska.

In 1769 the Franciscan father Junipero Serra left Loreto to colonize the new California. San Diego, Sacramento, Monterey, Santa Barbara and San Francisco are some results of this feat.

Loreto has been declared to be the historic capital of the California's by the governments of the California's (both Mexican and US states) and in support of this declaration there exists a manifesto in the Mission museum next to the main chapel where also one can also view important records covering more than three centuries of history.

Because of what has been mentioned above, its extraordinary natural beauty, and numerous activities, Loreto is now seen as the axis of touristic development, strategically planned which consists of Nópolo and Puerto Loreto en a strip of coastline 29 km long, with a cornucopia of services including hotels, an international airport, an 18 hole golf course, a tourist center with sport facilities and a stadium, mobile home parks, and excellent restaurants.

Loreto is the ideal place for experts and amateurs who like adventure in intimate contact wilth nature, such as camping on the nearby islands, aquatic sports which of course includes sport fishing, snorkeling, kayaking, diving, yachting, crossings of the Sea of Cortez, mountain bung in the rugged peaks of the Sierra de la Giganta, observations of the cave paintings and much more. Among its main attractions are the Nuestra Señora de Loreto Mission, built in 1697, which still has its original bells and the museum of the Missions of California, where interesting testimonies about the evangelization and conquest of this Peninsula are exhibited.