Loreto is a city and the municipal seat of Loreto Municipality in Baja California Sur, Mexico. It sits on the Gulf of California along the east coast of the Baja California Peninsula. The settlement occupies relatively flat land at an average elevation of ten meters above sea level. To the west lies the Transpeninsular Highway and the Sierra de la Giganta mountain range, while the Arroyo Loreto borders it to the south.

Founded in 1697 by Jesuit missionary Juan María de Salvatierra, Loreto was the first Spanish colonial settlement in the Viceroyalty of New Spain on the peninsula. It served as the capital of the Province of the Californias until 1777 and later as the capital of Baja California until 1829. The Jesuits were expelled in 1767, after which Franciscans and Dominicans took control of the missions. The municipality was officially created in 1992.

The historic center features seven buildings from the 18th to 20th centuries designated as federal historical monuments. The most significant is the Mission of Our Lady of Loreto, which marks the start of El Camino Real. Adjacent to the mission stands the Jesuit Missions Museum, housing religious art and tools from the Spanish colonial era. The town also contains active sister city relationships with Hermosa Beach, Cerritos, and Ventura in California.

Loreto is a major tourist destination known for its sport fishing and cultural festivals. Visitors attend the Fiestas de la Virgen de Loreto in September and the foundation celebrations in October. The economy is closely linked to tourism, particularly fishing tournaments like the Loreto Dorado International Fishing Tournament. The area offers access to whale sanctuaries and cave paintings in the nearby Sierra de la Giganta.

The city had a population of 14,724 as of 2010. It experiences a hot arid climate with high humidity, featuring summer highs around 34 °C and winter winds. Loreto International Airport provides daily flights from California, while Federal Highway 1 connects it to other regions. The town caters primarily to North American travelers seeking recreational activities in the Sea of Cortez.