Townapedia
Misión Nuestra Señora de Loreto
Misión Nuestra Señora de Loreto · Omar1976, Public domain
Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó (8776614998)
Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó (8776614998) · Andrea Tosatto from Torino, Italia, CC BY 2.0
Loreto restaurant (8776428534)
Loreto restaurant (8776428534) · Andrea Tosatto from Torino, Italia, CC BY 2.0
Loreto (8776424936)
Loreto (8776424936) · Andrea Tosatto from Torino, Italia, CC BY 2.0
Loreto Restaurant (8776432710)
Loreto Restaurant (8776432710) · Andrea Tosatto from Torino, Italia, CC BY 2.0
Loreto meal (8776618836)
Loreto meal (8776618836) · Andrea Tosatto from Torino, Italia, CC BY 2.0

Loreto, Mexico

Loreto is a town of 14,724 people in Baja California Sur, Mexico, founded in October 25, 1697.

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Population14,724 GeoNames
RegionBaja California Sur
Elevation5 m 16 ft
FoundedOctober 25, 1697
Time zoneAmerica/Mazatlan
Nearest airportLoreto International Airport (LTO) 3 km

Why visit Loreto

Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 11 parks and trails, 25 places to eat, 19 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.

Highlights include Blue Nation.

About Loreto

Loreto is a city and municipal seat of Loreto Municipality, Baja California Sur, on the West Coast of Mexico. Located on the Gulf of California, the city had a population of 16,311 inhabitants in 2020. Loreto is a regional economic and cultural center, as well as a major tourist destination on the Baja California Peninsula.

From the Wikipedia article Loreto, Baja California Sur (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Travel tips from other travellers: Loreto on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Things to do1

Faro del Malecón

Lighthouse · 0.9 km

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Museums and landmarks5

Blue Nation

Monument and historic site

Andador Salvatierra

Mo-Su 08:00-17:00

Open in Google Maps · +52 613 124 0607

Plaza bonita

Monument and historic site · 0.6 km

24/7

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Museo de las Misiones Jesuiticas

Museum · 0.6 km

123 Calle Salvatierra, Loreto

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Casa de la Cultura de Loreto

Museum · 1.0 km

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Letras LORETO

Monument and historic site · 0.9 km

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Parks, trails and playgrounds11

Parque Coral Bonita

Park · 1.4 km

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Estadio de Béisbol de Loreto

Sports field and stadium · 0.9 km

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Parque Infantil Panamá

Park · 2.0 km

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Parque Recreativo Ballenas

Park · 1.7 km

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Parque Salvatierra

Park · 0.8 km

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Playa La Dársena

Beach · 0.9 km

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Playa La Negrita

Beach · 1.1 km

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Playa Oasis

Beach · 1.3 km

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Plaza Benito Juarez

Park · 0.7 km

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Puerto Loreto

Marina and boat launch · 1.0 km

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Unidad Deportiva El Calcetin

Park

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Restaurants and cafes25

Waffle-Letas y Mas +

Restaurant · Ice Cream, Dessert · 1.1 km

280 Calle Laimones, loreto

24/7

Open in Google Maps · +52 613 116 0053

Los Mandiles de Santa Lucía

Restaurant · Mexican, Breakfast, Sandwich · 1.0 km

Malecón, Paseo A. Lopez Mateos esq, Centro, Loreto

Open in Google Maps · +52 613 135 1099

Waicura

Restaurant · Breakfast, Burger, Grill, Hotdog, Ice Cream, Local, Mexican

#11 Calle Salvatierra

Su-Fr 09:00-15:00

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Pepegina's Pizza & Restaurant

Restaurant

And. Juán Maria Salvatierra, Centro

Mo-Fr 08:00-21:30

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Traditionnal Mexican food

Restaurant

Avenida Benito Juarez

Su-Mo, We-Fr 18:00-00:00; Sa 18:00-02:00

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1697

Restaurant · Mexican · 0.7 km

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Café Olé

Restaurant · 0.7 km

Calle Francisco I. Madero

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El Zopilote Brewery & Cocina

Restaurant · 0.7 km

18 Davis

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La Cascada

Restaurant · Mexican

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Las Palapas

Restaurant · Mexican · 0.9 km

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Mediterraneo

Restaurant · Mediterranean · 1.0 km

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Mezzaluna

Restaurant · Italian · 0.7 km

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13 more on the map.

History

Loreto was the first Spanish colonial settlement of the Viceroyalty of New Spain on the Baja California Peninsula.

The town was founded in 1697 by Jesuit missionaries, who found a steady spring of fresh water on this site, as the Misión Nuestra Señora de Loreto. The Jesuits were expelled in 1767, and control of the Baja California missions was given to the Franciscans.

In 1769, the Franciscans were ordered to turn over the Baja missions to the Dominican Order and accompany the expedition of Gaspar de Portolá to establish new missions in the unexplored northern frontier that became Alta California. The expedition departed from Loreto on March 24, 1769.

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. In 1768, the province had been split into Alta California (today's U.S. state of California) and Baja California. At first, the two provinces continued with a single governor. Later, the town became the headquarters for the Lieutenant Governor of California Viejo (the province of Baja California).

The Municipality was created in 1992 and Loreto citizens elected their first Mayor (Municipal President) in 1993. The Federal Electoral Institute, as of February 3, 2008, recorded 9,073 registered voters for the Municipality of Loreto.

From the History section of Loreto, Baja California Sur on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to stay19

Churches and places of worship1

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Shopping4

Gas and EV charging2

Schools, colleges and libraries11

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Healthcare1

Map of Loreto

80 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Getting there and nearby towns

Loreto International Airport (LTO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 km away.

  • Ley Federal de Aguas Número Uno 81 km south, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Valle Santo Domingo 82 km southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built November 4, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.