Around Mexico City
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1. Barrio del Artista
Centro | Neighborhood/StreetWatch painters and sculptors at work in the galleries in this neighborhood, amid bronze monuments to poblano authors and poets. Farther down...
Watch painters and sculptors at work in the galleries in this neighborhood, amid bronze monuments to poblano authors and poets. Farther down Calle 8 Norte, you can buy Talavera pottery and other local crafts from the dozens of small stores and street vendors. There are occasional weekend concerts and open-air theater performances.
Calle 8 Norte 410, at Av. 6 Oriente, Puebla, Puebla, 72000, MexicoSight Details
Rate Includes: Daily 10–6 -
2. Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Ocotlán
Religious Building/Site/ShrineOn a hill about 1 km (½ mile) northwest of the center of Tlaxcala stands the ornate Basilica de Ocotlán. You can see its churrigueresque facade...
On a hill about 1 km (½ mile) northwest of the center of Tlaxcala stands the ornate Basilica de Ocotlán. You can see its churrigueresque facade, topped with twin towers adorned with the apostles, from just about everywhere in the city. The church is most notable as a pilgrimage site. In 1541 the Virgin Mary appeared to a poor peasant, telling him to cure an epidemic with water from a stream that had suddenly appeared. Franciscan monks, eager to find the source of the miracle, ventured into the forest. There they discovered raging flames that didn't harm one particular pine (ocotlán). When they split the tree open, they discovered the wooden image of the Virgen de Ocotlán, which they installed in a gilded altar. Many miracles have been attributed to the statue, which wears the braids popular for indigenous women at the time. Behind the altar is the brilliantly painted Camarín de la Virgen (Dressing Room of the Virgin) that tells the story. At the base of the hill is the appealing Capilla del Pocito de Agua Santa, an octagonal chapel decorated with images of the Virgen de Ocotlán. The faithful come to draw holy water from its seven fountains.
Calle Guridi y Alcocer, Calle Hidalgo 1, at Privada del Norte, Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, 90100, Mexico246-462–1073Sight Details
Rate Includes: Daily 7 am–8 pm -
3. Cacaxtla
RuinsTlaxcala's most famous site isn't in the town at all. At the nearby archaeological site of Cacaxtla you'll see some of Mexico's most vividly...
Tlaxcala's most famous site isn't in the town at all. At the nearby archaeological site of Cacaxtla you'll see some of Mexico's most vividly colored murals. Accidentally discovered in 1975, the main temple at Cacaxtla contains breathtaking scenes of a surprisingly vicious battle between two bands of warriors. The nearly life-size figures wearing jaguar skins clearly have the upper hand against their foes in lofty feathered headdresses.The site, dating from AD 650 to AD 900, is thought to be the work of the Olmeca-Xicalanca people. Other paintings adorn smaller structures. The newly restored Templo Rojo, or Red Temple, is decorated with stalks of corn with cartoonlike human faces. Perhaps the most delightful is in the Templo de Venus, or Temple of Venus, where two figures are dancing in the moonlight, their bodies a striking blue.On a hill about 1½ km (1 mile) north of Cacaxtla is the site of Xochitécatl, with four Classic Period pyramids. You can see both sites with the same admission ticket. Head south from Mexico City toward Puebla on Carretera Federal 119. Veer off to the right toward the town of Nativitas. Both sites are near the village of San Miguel del Milagro.
About 19 km (12 miles) southwest of Tlaxcala on Carretera Federal 119, Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, 90710, Mexico246-416–0477Sight Details
Rate Includes: MX$55, Daily 9–5:30 -
4. Calle de los Dulces
Centro | Neighborhood/StreetPuebla is famous for all kinds of homemade goodies. Calle de Santa Clara, also known as Sweets Street, is lined with shops selling a wide variety...
Puebla is famous for all kinds of homemade goodies. Calle de Santa Clara, also known as Sweets Street, is lined with shops selling a wide variety of sugary treats in the shape of sacred hearts, guitars, and sombreros. Don't miss the cookies—they're even more delicious than they look.
Av. 6 Oriente, between Av. 5 de Mayo and Calle 4 Norte, Puebla, Puebla, 72000, MexicoSight Details
Rate Includes: Daily 9–8 -
5. Callejón de los Sapos
Centro | Market/BazaarAlley of the Toads" cuts diagonally behind the cathedral. The attached square has a bustling weekend antiques market with all sorts of Mexican...
"Alley of the Toads" cuts diagonally behind the cathedral. The attached square has a bustling weekend antiques market with all sorts of Mexican art, from elaborately carved doors to small paintings on pieces of tin offering thanks to a saint for favors. There are also cafés filled with young people listening to live music on weekend nights.
Calle 6 Sur from Av. 5 to 7 Oriente, Puebla, Puebla, 72000, Mexico -
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6. Casa de la Cultura
Library/ArchiveWhat was originally a coffee processing plant now houses a public library, the town archives, and a somewhat haphazard ethnographic museum,...
What was originally a coffee processing plant now houses a public library, the town archives, and a somewhat haphazard ethnographic museum, which often displays works by local artists. Opposite the building across Avenida Miguel Alvarado is Cuetzalan's daily crafts market, open from noon to 5.
Av. Miguel Alvarado 18, Cuetzalan, Puebla, 73560, Mexico233-331–1201Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Daily 10–6 -
7. Catedral
Centro | Religious Building/Site/ShrineConstruction on the cathedral began between 1536 and 1539. Work was completed by Puebla's most famous son, Bishop Juan de Palafox y Mendoza...
Construction on the cathedral began between 1536 and 1539. Work was completed by Puebla's most famous son, Bishop Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, who donated his personal fortune to build its famous tower, the second largest in the country. The altar was constructed between 1797 and 1818. Manuel Tolsá, Mexico's most illustrious colonial architect, adorned it with onyx, marble, and gold.
16 de Septiembre from 3 to 5 Oriente, on the zócalo, Puebla, Puebla, 72000, Mexico222-232–2316Sight Details
Rate Includes: Weekdays 10–11:30 and 1–5:30, Sat. 10–11 and 2–5, Sun. 3–5:30 -
8. Catedral de Cuernavaca
Religious Building/Site/ShrineCortés ordered the construction of this cathedral, also known as Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, with work beginning in 1525. Like...
Cortés ordered the construction of this cathedral, also known as Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, with work beginning in 1525. Like his palace, the cathedral doubled as a fortress. Cannons mounted above the flying buttresses helped bolster the city's defenses. The facade may give you a sense of foreboding, especially when you catch sight of the skull and crossbones over the door. The interior is much less ominous, though, thanks to the murals uncovered during renovations.
Hidalgo and Av. Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62000, Mexico777-312–1290Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Daily 8–2 and 4–9 -
9. Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción
Museum/GalleryThis cathedral is atop a hill one block south of Plaza Xicohténcatl. Its most unusual feature is its Moorish-style wood ceiling beams, carved...
This cathedral is atop a hill one block south of Plaza Xicohténcatl. Its most unusual feature is its Moorish-style wood ceiling beams, carved and gilded with gold studs. There are only a few churches of this kind in Mexico, as Mudejar flourishes were popular here only during the really early years after the Spanish conquest. The austere monastery is home to the Museo Regional de Tlaxcala, which displays 16th- to 18th-century religious paintings as well as a small collection of pre-Columbian pieces. A beautiful outdoor chapel near the monastery has notable Moorish and Gothic traces.
Calz. de San Francisco, Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, 90500, Mexico246-462–0262-museumSight Details
Rate Includes: Church: free; museum MX$48, Church: daily 7–6; museum: Tues.–Sun. 10–5 -
10. Centro Cultural Santa Rosa
Centro | Museum/GalleryThe former convent houses a museum of crafts from the state's seven regions. The museum also contains the intricately tiled kitchen where Puebla...
The former convent houses a museum of crafts from the state's seven regions. The museum also contains the intricately tiled kitchen where Puebla's renowned mole poblano sauce is believed to have been invented by the nuns, as a surprise for their demanding bishop.
3 Norte 1203, Puebla, Puebla, 72000, Mexico222-232–7792Sight Details
Rate Includes: $30 pesos, Tues.–Sun. 10–5 -
11. El Santuario de Guadalupe
Religious Building/Site/ShrineThis church shows a Gothic strain in its needle-slim tower and the pointed arch of the main door. Its common name, La Iglesia de los Jarritos...
This church shows a Gothic strain in its needle-slim tower and the pointed arch of the main door. Its common name, La Iglesia de los Jarritos (Church of the Little Pitchers) refers to its landmark spire, prettily adorned by 80 clay vessels. There is a cemetery in front of the church that is often full of vibrantly colored flowers.
Calz. de Guadalupe, Cuetzalan, Puebla, 73560, Mexico-No phoneSight Details
Rate Includes: Daily 9–6 -
12. Ex-Convento de San Gabriel
Religious Building/Site/ShrineThis impressive, huge, former convent includes a trio of churches. The most unusual is the Moorish-style Capilla Real, with 49 domes. Construction...
This impressive, huge, former convent includes a trio of churches. The most unusual is the Moorish-style Capilla Real, with 49 domes. Construction began in the 1540s, and the building was originally open on one side to facilitate the conversion of huge masses of people. A handful of Franciscan monks still live in one part of the premises, so be respectful of their privacy. La Biblioteca Franciscana (open weekdays 9 to 5) is a fascinating on-premises library of over 24,000 volumes from the 16th through 19th centuries, with occasional exhibitions.
2 Norte s/n, east of Cholula zócalo, Cholula, Puebla, 72760, Mexico222-261–395-library phoneSight Details
Rate Includes: Daily 7–7 -
13. Gran Pirámide
RuinsGran Pirámide was the hub of Olmec, Toltec, and Aztec religious centers and is, by volume, the largest pyramid in the world. It consists of...
Gran Pirámide was the hub of Olmec, Toltec, and Aztec religious centers and is, by volume, the largest pyramid in the world. It consists of seven superimposed structures connected by tunnels and stairways. Ignacio Márquina, the architect in charge of the initial explorations in 1931, decided to excavate two tunnels partly to prove that el cerrito (the little hill), as many still call it, was an archaeological trove. When seeing the Zona Arqueológica, you'll walk through these tunnels to a vast 43-acre temple complex that was dedicated to the god Quetzalcóatl.On top of the pyramid stands the Spanish chapel Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (Our Lady of the Remedies). Almost brought down by a quake in 1999, it has been wonderfully restored. From the top of the pyramid you'll have a clear view of other nearby churches, color-coded by period: oxidized red was used in the 16th century, yellow in the 17th and 18th centuries, and pastel colors in the 19th century. You can obtain an English-language guide for about $15.
Calz. San Andrés at Calle 2 Norte, Cholula, Puebla, 72600, Mexico222-247–9081Sight Details
Rate Includes: MX$48, Daily 9–5:30 -
14. Iglesia de Santa María Tonantzintla
Religious Building/Site/ShrineThe exterior of this 16th-century church might be simple, but inside waits an explosion of color and swirling shapes. To facilitate the conversion...
The exterior of this 16th-century church might be simple, but inside waits an explosion of color and swirling shapes. To facilitate the conversion of the native population, Franciscan monks incorporated elements recalling the local cult of the goddess Tonantzin in the ornamentation of the chapel. The result is a jewel of the style known as churrigueresque. The polychrome wood-and-stucco carvings—inset columns, altarpieces, and the main archway—were completed in the late 17th century. The carvings, set off by ornate gold-leaf figures of plant forms, angels, and saints, were made by local craftspeople. Flash photography is not allowed.
Av. Reforma, Cholula, Puebla, 72600, Mexico-No phoneSight Details
Rate Includes: Daily 9–6 -
15. Jardín Borda
GardenThe Borda Gardens, among the most popular sights in Cuernavaca, were designed in the late 18th century for Don Manuel de la Borda, son of Don...
The Borda Gardens, among the most popular sights in Cuernavaca, were designed in the late 18th century for Don Manuel de la Borda, son of Don José de la Borda, the wealthy miner who established the beautiful church of Santa Prisca in Taxco. The gardens were once so famous they attracted royalty. Maximilian and Carlotta visited frequently. Here the emperor reportedly dallied with the gardener's wife, called La India Bonita, who was immortalized in a famous portrait. Novelist Malcolm Lowry turned the formal gardens into a sinister symbol in his 1947 novel Under the Volcano. A pleasant café and a well-stocked bookstore sit just inside the gates.
Av. Morelos 271, at Hidalgo, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 62000, Mexico777-318–1050Sight Details
Rate Includes: MX$40; free Sun., Tues.–Sun. 10–5:30 -
16. La Hacienda de Panoaya
Museum/GalleryLa Hacienda de Panoaya. La Hacienda de Panoaya, also known as Parque de los Venados Acariciables (pettable deer), has plenty of animals for...
La Hacienda de Panoaya. La Hacienda de Panoaya, also known as Parque de los Venados Acariciables (pettable deer), has plenty of animals for curious kids, with ostriches, emus, and llamas as well as deer (horseback rides are also a possibility). But the menagerie is only part of the game; there are also two museums, and activities like zip-lining, a maze, and water sports. The Museo Internacional de los Volcanes has some interesting information on volcanoes, but it's primarily a big thrill for kids, who love to scream at the recorded sound of an eruption. Meanwhile, the Museo Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz honors its namesake, a nun, scholar, and author who learned to read here and went on to produce some of the most significant poetry and prose of the 17th century. De la Cruz's intellectual accomplishments were truly exceptional in her time, as was her fervent defense of women's rights. The hacienda is a 15-minute walk out of town along the Boulevard Iztaccíhuatl. Carretera México–Cuautla, Km 58, Amecameca, México, 56900. 597/978–5050. www.haciendapanoaya.com. MX$40 (access to public/green areas); packages available for admission to additional attractions. Zoo daily 10–5; museums weekends 10–5.
Carretera México–Cuautla, Km 58, Amecameca, México, 56900, Mexico597-978–5050Sight Details
Rate Includes: MX$40 (access to public/green areas); packages available for admission to additional attractions, Zoo daily 10–5; museums weekends 10–5 -
17. Mercado de Artesanías El Parián
Centro | Market/BazaarThis market is the place for kitschy versions of such tourist souvenirs as toy guitars and colorful sombreros. Feel free to haggle. For better...
This market is the place for kitschy versions of such tourist souvenirs as toy guitars and colorful sombreros. Feel free to haggle. For better-quality goods, La Casa del Artesano, alongside the market, is the state-sponsored shop for regional craftwork.
Av. 2 Oriente and Calle 6 Norte, Puebla, Puebla, 72000, Mexico222-232–5484Sight Details
Rate Includes: Daily 10–8 -
18. Museo Amparo
Museum/GalleryHome to the private collection of pre-Columbian and colonial-era art of Mexican banker and philanthropist Manuel Espinoza Yglesias, Museo Amparo...
Home to the private collection of pre-Columbian and colonial-era art of Mexican banker and philanthropist Manuel Espinoza Yglesias, Museo Amparo is one of the country's grandest museums. It exhibits unforgettable pieces from all over Mexico, including more than 2,000 pre-Hispanic artifacts. The collection includes colonial-era painting, sculpture, and decorative objects and a small modern art section notable for works by Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, Miguel Felguérez, and Vicente Rojo.
Calle 2 Sur 708, at Av. 9 Oriente, Puebla, Puebla, 72000, Mexico222-229–3850Sight Details
Rate Includes: MX$35; free Mon., Wed.–Fri., Sun., and Mon. 10–6, Sat. 10–9 -
19. Museo de Arte Religioso de Santa Mónica
Religious Building/Site/ShrineThis former convent (sometimes called Ex-Convento de Santa Mónica) opened in 1688 as a spiritual refuge for women whose husbands were away on...
This former convent (sometimes called Ex-Convento de Santa Mónica) opened in 1688 as a spiritual refuge for women whose husbands were away on business. Despite the Reform Laws of the 1850s, it continued to function until 1934. It is said that the women here invented the famous dish called chiles en nogada, a complicated recipe that incorporates the red, white, and green colors of the Mexican flag. Curiosities include the gruesome display of the preserved heart of the convent's founder and paintings in the Sala de los Terciopelos (Velvet Room), in which the feet and faces seem to change position as you view them from different angles.
Av. 18 Poniente 103, near Av. 5 de Mayo, Puebla, Puebla, 72000, Mexico222-232–0178Sight Details
Rate Includes: MX$36; free Sun., Tues.–Sun. 10–5 -
20. Museo de la Memoria
Museum/GalleryTo the west of Plaza Xicohténcatl is this fascinating museum with a colonial-era facade but a strikingly modern interior. By focusing on the...
To the west of Plaza Xicohténcatl is this fascinating museum with a colonial-era facade but a strikingly modern interior. By focusing on the folklore and festivals of various indigenous cultures, its displays recount the region's past and present.
Av. Independencia 3, Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, 90500, Mexico246-466–0791Sight Details
Rate Includes: MX$15, Daily 10–5
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