Loreto, Baja California Sur

Encyclopedia : L : LO : LOR : Loreto, Baja California Sur

For other uses, see Loreto.

Loreto (or Conchó) was the first Spanish town on the Baja California Peninsula. It served as the capital of Las Californias from 1697 to 1777, and is the current seat of the municipality of Loreto in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. The town of about 10,000 people is located on the coast of the Sea of Cortés, about 350 km (220 miles) north of the state capital, La Paz.

The town was founded in 1697 by Jesuit missionaries. The Misión Nuestra Señora de Loreto was founded in the town in 1752. The town served as the capital of the province of Las Californias from its founding until the capital was moved to Monterey on February 3, 1777. The town then became the headquarters for the Lieutenant Governor of California Viejo (later the province of Baja California).

The town is now a tourist resort, catering mostly to U.S. travelers, with daily flights from the U.S. state of California arriving at Loreto International Airport. Many of the American Tourists enjoy fishing in "pongas" for "dorado" (Mahi-mahi or Dolphin Fish). Local restaurants will even prepare the daily catch of the tourists. Loreto has an excellent museum alongside the historic, but still active, parish. The Spanish Fathers found a steady spring of fresh water on this site. The town has an active sister city relationship with Hermosa Beach and Cerritos, California, USA.

Geting to Loreto by Air

Fly directly to Loreto (LTO) from Los Angeles (LAX) on AeroCalifornia or from Ontario, CA (ONT) on Aeromexico. The flight is approximately two hours. Aeromexico also flies into Loreto from Hermosillo (HMO) which is their hub in Sonora, Mexico and weekend service to San Diego. Flight time from Hermosillo is about one hour. Hermosillo is about one hour and thirty minutes by air from Phoenix.

External Link

[Guide to Loreto] Loreto attractions, tourist information, activities

Baja California missions
Misión San Bruno (1683) · Misión Nuestra Senora de Loreto Conchó (1697) · Visita de San Juan Bautista Londó (1699) · Misión San Francisco Javier de Viggé-Biaundó (1699) · Misión San Juan Bautista Malibat (Misión Liguí) (1705) · Misión Santa Rosalía de Mulegé (1705) · Misión San Jose de Comondú (1708) · Misión La Purísima Concepción de Cadegomó (1720) · Misión de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de La Paz Airapí (1720) · Misión Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Huasinapi (1720) · Misión Santiago de Los Coras (1721) · Misión Nuestra Señora de los Dolores del Sur Chillá (1721) · Misión San Ignacio Kadakaamán (1728) · Misión Estero de las Palmas de San José del Cabo Añuití (1730) · Misión Santa Rosa de las Palmas (Misión Todos Santos) (1733) · Misión San Luis Gonzaga Chiriyaqui (1740) · Misión Santa Gertrudis (1752) · Misión San Francisco Borja (1762) · Visita de Calamajué (1766) · Misión Santa María de los Ángeles (1767) · Misión San Fernando Rey de España de Velicatá (1769) · Visita de la Presentación (1769) · Misión Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario de Viñacado (1744) · Visita de San José de Magdalena (1774) · Misión Santo Domingo de la Frontera (1775) · Misión San Vicente Ferrer (1780) · Misión San Miguel Arcángel de la Frontera (1797) · Misión Santo Tomás de Aquino (1791) · Misión San Pedro Mártir de Verona (1794) · Misión Santa Catarina Virgen y Mártir (1797) · Visita de San Telmo (1798) · Misión El Descanso (Misión San Miguel la Nueva) (1817) · Misión de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe del Norte (1834)

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