Hi, I have already bought a package trip to Puebla for a week in late February'07. But then I have read in your forum that it's quite boring and one day is enough? This worries me but it's all been paid for already... FYI: My fiance and I are in our early thirties; I have been to Mexico before for a monthlong trip and my favorite place was Chiapas; we are interested in culture. In mornings, we will be taking cooking/language classes. What are some things we could do for the rest of the day? Any interesting side trips? We won't have a car, so we would rely on local buses. Thanks!

Well, I love Puebla. I think you'll be fine for six days since you'll be taking morning classes.

The charm of Puebla lies in its churches and squares. It has MANY churches, so, if that interests you, you can take your time exploring all of them.

The nearby town of Cholula is worth a visit, also for its colonial churches, especially the sanctuary on the hill--you can't miss it. There are some Indian ruins there as well, but I didn't explore those.

I think there is a major national park nearby, possibly where the volcano is. But I didn't go. You'd have to look into this.

Mexico City is only a couple of hours away by bus. You could certainly go there. Of course it's a huge metropolis that you couldn't expect to see in one afternoon, so you'd have to have a specific activity in mind once you got there (such as the anthropology museum, the basilica of guadalupe, the zocalo and cathedral, the neighborhood of Coyoacan, etc.)

If you like vegetarian food at all, La Zanahoria, in Puebla, is one of my favorite restaurants in the world.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Another vote for the Cholula trip to walk under the ancient pyramid and visit the convents. On the way back, stop at the churches in Tonantzintla and Templo de San Francisco. The first is particularly wonderful, the interior covered with local carving. No photos (they sell postcards) as it is an active church with people praying and chanting.

A place we didn't know about when we visited but which sounds very interesting is Tlaxcala -- about fifteen miles north with bus service from Peubla.

I think with those day trips and the city itself you will have an enjoyable week. The Barrio is pretty lively, and there's a good regional museum with pre-Columbian artifacts. Give us a short report when you get back.

Thanks! The trip is an engagement present for my fiance, who's never been to Mexico, so I am a bit nervous that Puebla might turn out to be not as wonderous as I found some other parts of Mexico to be... We would have already spent a couple of days in Mexico City (plus Teotihuacan) before arriving in Puebla, although coming from Manhattan, I do find the metropolis of MC rather stressful. But we will definitely check out both Cholula and Tlaxcala. Thank you for your tip. We are not vegetarians, but my fiance is a serious foodie, so we will definitely check out the restaurant you suggested! If anyone else has any other suggestion, I would really appreciate it, and yes, I will report back afterward since I don't see too many postings on Puebla!

We spent a week in Puebla a couple of years ago with another couple and loved it. It is a UNESCO city with gorgeous tiled buildings. And I think (I'll look this up) that Chile Rellenos were first made here. The food is excellent. Lots of things to see and do. We walked downtown around the large square and went in the tourist info office and met a young man who was getting a degree in tourism. We hired him to go with us for 2 (or 3?) days to show us the area. We took the buses and went to several interesting places with him. I'll dig up my trip report and give you more information if you are interested.
You'll love Puebla! I believe that on Sunday there is a fantastic market every week. We stayed right downtown and had the windows open and the church bells were magnificent.

That sounds very reassuring, indeed. Thanks, everyone Yes, I would love more info if it's not trouble to dig up your trip report!

Foodies, eh.

Try the restaurant as the Mesones-Sacristia hotel.

http://www.mesones-sacristia.com/index_content.html

We stayed there and very much enjoyed our dinner there one night. A few weeks back I saw the restaurant singled out for praise in one of the travel publications -- probably the NY Times. It's near the Sunday market mentioned above.

I'm sure your cooking school will have lots of ideas. The people of Puebla are sharp and sophisticated. As New Yorkers (we're in the area, too) you'll like that.

You might want to check out what the Camino Real Hotel offers in the way of brunch or even their regular menu. The one in Oaxaca has delicious local food in a gorgeous setting. (By the way, this chain of hotels is known for it's authentic buildings and grounds--renovated convents and such--so it may be worth it to just walk around and have a drink. I've only been to the one in Oaxaca, but it was very special.)

I'm not sure la zanahoria will impress a foodie. It's very casual. But I dream about the veggie burgers even still!

There are some government buildings across from the cathedral in Puebla that you can look inside, and it's definitely worth it to see the ornate interiors.

In addition to the Cathedral, there is church of santo domingo known for its sumptuous interior and its particularly sumptous chapel of the rosary. Don't miss it.

As you're probably starting to guess, Puebla isn't famous for any one particular sight. But it's a very lovely city filled with many lovely sights. Perfect for young lovers who just want to stroll and enjoy the culture.

Thanks, everyone! It sounds like we won't get bored circling the same square for hours (and young love can go only so far), which was my worry... As long as there are side trips to be had, adding to the charming town that beckons exploring, I am reassured!

My husband and I love Puebla. We "discovered" Puebla last summer and stayed there for two weeks. We were taking language lessons four days a week, two hurs per day. We went on side trips to Cholula and Tlaxcala--in one day. Other than that we stayed in Puebla. It is a big city of possibly 2 million but the zocalo is a great people watching site and we were never bored. We went again for 10 days at Christmas and have already bought our tickets for a two week visit this summer. We always study Spanish while there at a great school very close to the centro historico. The climate is great. We are in our 50's. We met a couple on our last trip in their 30's and they said Puebla was the most beautiful Mexican city they have seen and they live in Guadalajara!

Can you believe I recently read an article in the travel section on Puebla(don't remember which paper) that warned people that, despite its attractions, Puebla is an ugly city?!

That writer must have spent an inordinate amount of time on the outskirts of town.