Must-see attractions in Around Mexico City

  • The archaeological zone of Cholula.

    Zona Arqueológica

    Cholula

    Located two blocks to the southeast of Cholula’s central plaza, the Pirámide Tepanapa looks more like a hill than a pyramid and has a domed church on top…

  • Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan, Mexico.

    Pirámide del Sol

    Teotihuacán

    The world’s third-largest pyramid – surpassed in size only by Egypt’s Cheops (which is also a tomb, unlike the temples here) and the pyramid of…

  • Pirámide de Tepozteco, built on the peak of the Sierra de Tepoztlan, Mexico.

    Pirámide de Tepozteco

    Tepoztlán

    Tepoztlán's main sight is this 10m-high pyramid perched atop a sheer cliff at the end of a very steep paved path that begins at the end of Avenida del…

  • Pirámide Tepanapa

    Cholula

    The incredible Pirámide Tepanapa looks more like a hill than a pyramid, but it's still the town's big draw, and with miles of tunnels veining the inside…

  • Santa Prisca Church, Taxco, Mexico.

    Templo de Santa Prisca

    Taxco

    The icon of Taxco, Santa Prisca is one of Mexico’s most beautiful and striking pieces of baroque architecture. Its standout feature (best viewed side-on)…

  • Cosmovitral Botanical Garden in Toluca, Mexico is surrounded by stained glass.

    Cosmovitral Jardín Botánico

    Toluca

    At the northeast end of Plaza Garibay, the stunning and unique Cosmovitral Jardín Botánico was built in 1909 as a market. The building now houses 3500 sq…

  • Pyramid of the Moon, Teotihuacan, Mexico.

    Pirámide de la Luna

    Teotihuacán

    The Pyramid of the Moon, at the north end of the Calzada de los Muertos, is smaller than the Pirámide del Sol, but more gracefully proportioned. Completed…

  • Museo Robert Brady

    Cuernavaca

    Let’s face it, who wouldn’t want to be independently wealthy and spend their life traveling around the world collecting art for their lavish Mexican…

  • Quetzalcoatl Pyramid Temple at Teotihuacan Ruins.

    Templo de Quetzalcóatl

    Teotihuacán

    Teotihuacán's third-largest pyramid is the most ornate. The four surviving steps of the facade (there were originally seven) are adorned with striking…

  • Puebla Cathedral.

    Catedral de Puebla

    Puebla

    Puebla’s impressive cathedral, which appeared on Mexico’s M$500 bill until 2019, occupies the entire block south of the zócalo. Its architecture is a…

  • Government Palace, Tlaxcala.

    Palacio de Gobierno

    East of Mexico City

    Inside the Palacio de Gobierno there are color-rich murals of Tlaxcala's history by Desiderio Hernández Xochitiotzin. His style is vividly realistic and…

  • Museo Internacional del Barroco

    Puebla

    This monumental white, architecturally spectacular museum is dedicated to the showy baroque movement – art, fashion, music and literature. The museum,…

  • Museo Casa Figueroa

    Taxco

    A splendid, envy-inducing home-turned-museum, with an interesting collection of vintage art and craftwork from across Mexico, comes to life alongside…

  • Museo Amparo

    Puebla

    This superb private museum, housed in two linked 16th- and 17th-century colonial buildings, is loaded with pre-Hispanic artifacts, yet the interior design…

  • Museo de Arte de Tlaxcala

    East of Mexico City

    This fantastic small contemporary-art museum houses an excellent cache of early Frida Kahlo paintings that were returned to the museum after several years…

  • Santuario de la Virgen de Ocotlán

    East of Mexico City

    One of Mexico’s most spectacular churches is an important pilgrimage site for those who believe the Virgin appeared here in 1541 – her image stands on the…

  • Capilla Real de Naturales

    Cholula

    The Arabic-style Capilla Real has 49 domes and dates from 1540. The mosque-inspired design makes the yellow church unique to Mexico and creates a…

  • Museo Nacional del Títere

    East of Mexico City

    The national puppet museum displays dolls and marionettes from all around the world in a fantastic renovated building on the zócalo. It’s a fun stop for…

  • The Yohualichan Pyramids, a a Pre-Columbian archaeological site from Totonacan indigenous culture, built around 200 A.D.

    Yohualichán

    East of Mexico City

    This ceremonial pre-Hispanic site inhabited by Los Totonacas has niche 'pyramids' similar to El Tajín’s (Veracruz) that are in varying states of ruin. The…

  • Museo de Arte de Tlaxcala

    East of Mexico City

    A branch of the museum that holds interesting temporary exhibits and a good permanent collection of contemporary Mexican art.

  • Xochicalco

    South of Mexico City

    Atop a desolate plateau with views for miles around, Xochicalco is an impressive and relatively easy day trip from Cuernavaca that shouldn’t be missed. It…

  • Cacaxtla

    Cholula

    The large murals at Cacaxtla are intriguingly on display among the ruins rather than in a museum. They evoke a real sense of history where it happened and…

  • Cacahuamilpa Caverns

    South of Mexico City

    One of central Mexico’s most stunning natural sights, the Cacahuamilpa caverns are a must-see for anyone visiting Taxco or Cuernavaca. The scale of the…

  • Cantona

    East of Mexico City

    Given its isolation from any town of significance, the vast and incredibly well-preserved Mesoamerican city of Cantona is virtually unknown to travelers…

  • Catedral de Cuernavaca

    Cuernavaca

    Cuernavaca’s cathedral, Templo de la Asunción de María is plain and solid with an unembellished facade. It stands in a large high-walled recinto (compound…

  • La Malinche

    East of Mexico City

    The long, sweeping slopes of this dormant 4460m volcano, named after Cortés’ now much-maligned indigenous interpreter and lover, dominate the skyline…

  • Royal Chapel interior at ex-convent of San Gabriel.

    Ex-Convento de San Gabriel

    Cholula

    The Ex-Convento de San Gabriel (also known as Plaza de la Concordia), facing the east side of Cholula's huge zócalo, includes a tiny but interesting…

  • La Ciudadela

    Teotihuacán

    This expansive square complex is believed to have been the residence of the city’s supreme ruler, and its rooms may have been the city’s administrative…

  • Museo Juan Soriano

    Cuernavaca

    Opened in 2018, this contemporary art museum is comprised of off-white cubes squatting a few blocks west of the zócalo. Temporary exhibits have included…

  • Zócalo

    East of Mexico City

    It’s easy to pass an afternoon reading or just people-watching in Tlaxcala’s shady, spacious zócalo. The 16th-century Palacio Municipal, a former grain…

  • Ex-Convento Franciscano de la Asunción

    East of Mexico City

    Built between 1537 and 1540, this was one of Mexico’s earliest monasteries and its church – the city’s cathedral – has a beautiful Moorish-style wooden…

  • Jardín Botánico Xoxoctic

    East of Mexico City

    A small but delightful botanical garden in a mountain forest with fine views 4km northeast of central Cuetzalan. Admission includes a Spanish-speaking…

  • Museo del Sitio

    Teotihuacán

    Lying just south of the Pirámide del Sol, Teotihuacán's site museum makes for a refreshing stop midway through a visit to the historic complex. The museum…

  • Jardín Juárez

    Cuernavaca

    Adjoining the northwest corner of the Plaza de Armas is the Jardín Juárez, where the central gazebo (designed by tower specialist Gustave Eiffel) houses…

  • Iglesia de la Compañía

    Puebla

    This Jesuit church with a 1767 Churrigueresque facade is also called Espíritu Santo. Beneath the altar is a tomb said to be that of a 17th-century South…

  • Calzada de los Muertos

    Teotihuacán

    Centuries ago, the Calzada de los Muertos must have seemed absolutely incomparable to its inhabitants, who were able to see its buildings at their best…

  • Museo Casa del Alfeñique

    Puebla

    This renovated colonial house is an outstanding example of the over-the-top 18th-century decorative style alfeñique, characterized by elaborate stucco…

  • Palacio de Tepantitla

    Teotihuacán

    This priest’s residence, 500m northeast of the Pirámide del Sol, contains Teotihuacán’s most famous fresco, the worn Paradise of Tláloc. The rain god…

  • Ex-Cuartel General de Zapata

    South of Mexico City

    About 33km southwest of Cuautla, Tlaltizapán is the site of the excellent Ex-Cuartel General de Zapata, the main barracks of the revolutionary forces…