Loreto Attractions

135km/84mi from Mulegé you come to the picturesque little town of Loreto (population 11,000; fiesta: 8th September, Dia de Nuestra Senora de Loreto), which was founded by the Jesuits in 1697 when they built the now restored mission church, and is thus the oldest Jesuit foundation on the peninsula. Loreto was the setting-off point for the exploration and Christianisation of Lower California, which is well documented in the mission museum. Between 1776 and 1830 the town was also the capital of Lower California. This coastal town on the Gulf of California is popular as a base for trips to the offshore islands and for deep-sea fishing and diving.