The pretty village of Bernal, 45km east of Querétaro, hunkers under the skirts of the soaring Peña de Bernal, a 350-metre-high chunk of volcanic rock that towers over the plains and is claimed to be the third tallest monolith in the world after the Rock of Gibraltar and Rio’s Sugarloaf. By wandering towards the peak you’ll soon pick up a rough but clearly marked path about two-thirds of the way to the top (the ascent takes up to an hour, half that to get down), where there’s a small shrine and long views stretching out below. Only appropriately equipped rock climbers should continue up the metal rungs to the summit, passing a memorial plaque to an earlier adventurer along the way.

At weekends, half of Querétaro seems to come out here, making for a festive atmosphere, but midweek it is an altogether more peaceful place: the mountain is likely to be deserted and you’ll be just about the only thing disturbing the serenity of the village plaza with its charming little church and terracotta-washed buildings, sumptuous in the afternoon light. Be forewarned, however, that many businesses are only open at the weekends and many more shut for the month of May.

The centre is ringed by narrow streets full of shops selling handicrafts, and there’s even a small tourist office on Hidalgo, which runs west from the plaza, though there isn’t much they can tell you that you can’t discover for yourself in ten minutes. Also on Hidalgo is one of the best places to eat, in the shaded courtyard of Mesón de la Roca, at no. 5, serving moderately priced and well-presented Mexican dishes along with a comida corrida and, for the daring, grasshopper tacos. There are also several cheap comedores, and at weekends perhaps a dozen restaurants to choose from. Flecha Amarilla provide hourly buses from Querétaro’s bus station which drop you on the highway five minutes’ walk from Bernal centre; it’s worth remembering that the last bus back passes at around 6pm. It is also possible to continue to Tequisquiapan by taking a bus to the small town of Ezequiel Montes and changing there. If you get stuck, or just fancy a night here (not a bad thing), there are tantalizing views of the rock from the comfy rooms at Parador Vernal.

The town of Bernal is quaint, if over-touristy. Its draw card is the 350m-high rock spire, the Pena de Bernal, considered mystical by many Mexicans. During the vernal equinox thousands of pilgrims descend on the rock to take in its positive energy. Visitors can climb to the rock's halfway point (allow one hour both ways); only professional rock-climbers can climb to its peak. Beyond that, you can see Bernal in an hour or so. The town has several churches and El Castillo, a 16th-century viceregal building. For a more in-depth explanation of the area, the small tourist office organizes excellent local Spanish-speaking guides. The town comes to life during the weekends; many things are dosed on weekdays.

Peña de Bernal is located in the village of Bernal belongs to the municipality of Ezequiel Montes in the state of Queretaro, Mexico. According to studies, the rock was formed from volcanic activity that exhausted, then the interior lava became solid and erosion suffered through the years took away the remains of the volcano. The solid magma that is left is what constitutes and shapes the monolith. The word "Bernal" which gives its name to both the people and the monolith, according to the website of the municipality is of Arab origin and was used by the conquerors to "call a large and elongated rock that was isolated." Ma'hando which is a word in Otomi and Chichimeca word De'hendo language, also means "between two". Every year on March 21, during the spring equinox, thousands of tourists gather at the rock and the surrounding area are given for a "mystical-religious" party.

It has an altitude of 2515 meters MSL and 288 meters high. This rock formation that has been in existence for over 10 million years and that comes from a volcano through the years he became inactive and in its lava inside solidified. Subsequently erosion and time got rid of the rest of the volcano and was only solid magma. It is located in the village of Bernal, which belongs to the municipality of Ezequiel Montes the village was founded in 1642, when Spanish couples took possession of the lands that were inhabited by Chichimeca Indians, their source of livelihood in the viceroyalty was the mining. In recent years Bernal argues mainly tourist activities. In February 2006 he was listed as "Magic Town" by the Ministry of Tourism of Mexico, "for his symbolic attributes, legends and history", this description is given as recognition of the preservation of cultural heritage both as historic.

In November 2007, the Peña de Bernal received a medal of the Ministry of Tourism recognizing it as one of the 13 wonders of Mexico and regarding it as a tourist destination with great historical significance and cultural. In September 2009, they were enrolled on the list of Intangible Heritage of Unesco: "Places of memory and living traditions of the Otomí-Chichimecas people of Tolimán: the Peña de Bernal, guardian of a sacred territory". Every March 21, at the spring equinox, meet in the rock thousands of tourists, in a mystical-religious holiday. People flock to them and say, "energy charge", believed to transmit the monolithic rocks and mineral deposits inside. The climb to the top of the Peña de Bernal is not easy, although there is path defined in most, the last stretch of about 45 meters, is vertical. There in that stretch, rods shaped staples, nailed to the wall as a nautical ladder. For the type of stone and the possibilities it offers, the Peña de Bernal is an attractive national and international level for practicing rock climbing.