Baja
Peninsula
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Photo
by Nadine Markova |
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on the image for larger version |
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Baja California, sometimes referred to as “Baja
California Norte” is located on the Baja California Peninsula in
the far northeastern region of Mexico. Its shores are brushed by the waves
of the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Sea of Cortez to the east. The
state – bordered by Sonora on the northeast, Baja California Sur
on the south and the state of California on the north – is one of
the least humid areas in the world, nurturing a contrasting landscape
of untouched beaches, arid deserts, fertile valleys and steep, cacti-covered
mountain ranges, all found on one strip of land.
The region was formerly inhabited by nomadic groups who left their remarkable
cave paintings as proof of their existence. These, coupled with the remains
of Jesuit missions, are some of the state’s major historical attractions.
Baja’s stunning beaches are by far the state’s main attraction,
and due to their proximity to California, quick weekend getaways are quite
popular among California residents. Aside from relaxing at the beach,
Baja also offers visitors several recreational options and tourist facilities,
including scuba diving, sport fishing, whale-watching, bullfights, grey
hound races, delightful restaurants with exquisite seafood, bars, discotheques
and cabarets.
Baja California is Mexico’s wine country. The mission grape brought
over and planted by the Jesuits in the 18th century found its perfect
home in an area that compares in climate to California’s Napa Valley
and France’s Rhone Valley. In 1834, Dominican priests began growing
grapes at the nearby Northern Mission of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mision
de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe del Norte), now known by the abbreviated
name of the Guadalupe Valley (Valle de Guadalupe). The Guadalupe Valley
is one of the few places in the world where premium wine grapes can be
grown.
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Photo
by Pablo de Aguinac |
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on the image for larger version |
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Today, Mexico’s largest wineries can be found in three regions
conveniently located near the town of Ensenada, 70 miles south of the
U.S. border: San Antonio de las Minas, the San Vicente Valley and the
Santo Tomas Valley. Guadalupe Valley is located in San Antonio de las
Minas. The varieties of red wine produced in Baja California are Cabernet
Sauvignon, Ruby Cabernet, Zinfandel Grenache and Mission. The white wines
are Chenin Blanc, Palomino, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Saint
Emilion and Málaga.
Popular cities in Baja California include Tijuana, just south of the
border. Tijuana is the gateway to several resorts along the border and
the closest point to the renowned spa in the city of Tecate, the lunar
landscape of la Rumorosa and the spectacular Sierra de Juarez. The city
also continues to serve as the stopover point for travelers on the way
to the beaches and cliffs on the California coast, and is the ideal starting
point for travelers interested in exploring the diverse Baja California
Peninsula. But Tijuana is also a popular getaway in its own right, and
is currently transforming itself into a destination famous for its haute
cuisine.
Just 65 miles east of Tijuana is the capital of Baja California, Mexicali,
an authentic Mexican city in the center of a rich farming region. Mexicali
is not a traditional tourist attraction, so many tourists go there for
its authentic feel. An interesting feature about this city is its more
than 50 Chinese restaurants. Also worth visiting in Baja California are
the charming cities of Ensenada and Rosarito just south of Tijuana along
the Pacific coast.
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