Loreto still has the gentle charm of an authentic, small town that is deeply connected to its past. In fact it’s the oldest Spanish colony in the Californias, founded on orders from the Spanish king by Jesuit missionaries in 1697. Beautiful historical buildings line the cobblestone streets, and there’s a sense of locals going about their business as they have for years, undeterred by the increasing amount of visitors meandering through town. You won’t find an overwhelming selection of shops or restaurants, but that’s just part of the magic. Just walk around and connect with the locals. Sit down, slow down, take it all in, and smile at passersby. When I admired a garden, near the mission, its owner walked out onto the square, and handed me a mango from his tree. A sweet gesture, a simple ‘hello, you’re welcome here’ – that makes travel such a heart opener ; ) A walk around Loreto should include a peak into the old mission church, lunch, or dinner, or just drinks at ‘Mi Loreto’ nearby (see picture, highly recommend!), and, if you’re as book-obsessed as I am, search out (and support!) the local book store, which has a good selection of English language books, as well as Spanish ones, of course. A heartfelt thank you to Villa del Palmar Beach Resort & Spa (Instagram: @villadelpalmarl, Facebook: @https://www.facebook.com/villadelpalmarattheislandsofloreto/) for a fun-filled 3 days, allowing me to discover this gem of a destination!

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Loreto – Pueblo Mágico

Loreto still has the gentle charm of an authentic, small town that is deeply connected to its past. In fact it’s the oldest Spanish colony in the Californias, founded on orders from the Spanish king by Jesuit missionaries in 1697. Beautiful historical buildings line the cobblestone streets, and there’s a sense of locals going about their business as they have for years, undeterred by the increasing amount of visitors meandering through town. You won’t find an overwhelming selection of shops or restaurants, but that’s just part of the magic. Just walk around and connect with the locals. Sit down, slow down, take it all in, and smile at passersby. When I admired a garden, near the mission, its owner walked out onto the square, and handed me a mango from his tree. A sweet gesture, a simple ‘hello, you’re welcome here’ – that makes travel such a heart opener ; ) A walk around Loreto should include a peak into the old mission church, lunch, or dinner, or just drinks at ‘Mi Loreto’ nearby (see picture, highly recommend!), and, if you’re as book-obsessed as I am, search out (and support!) the local book store, which has a good selection of English language books, as well as Spanish ones, of course. A heartfelt thank you to Villa del Palmar Beach Resort & Spa (Instagram: @villadelpalmarl, Facebook: @https://www.facebook.com/villadelpalmarattheislandsofloreto/) for a fun-filled 3 days, allowing me to discover this gem of a destination!

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