Best Things to Do in Cuetzalan

Cobblestone streets and narrow alleys embedded in lush green mountains: Cuetzalan is probably one of the places in Mexico with the best air quality. Surrounded by nature, with ferns as big as trees, many waterfalls, and caves, it’s a great destination for nature lovers. But its medieval-vibe town with Sunday market stalls and the Danza de los Voladores is another plus for anyone loving town vibes. At the local market, you can still see many inhabitants in their traditional Nahua clothes. Cuetzalan has been a Magical Town (Pueblo Mágico) since 2002 for a good reason and is definitely one of the highlights of the Puebla federal state in the heart of Mexico. The best time to visit is at the weekends, to see the Voladores and enjoy the local Sunday market.

At a Glance: Cuetzalan’s TOP 9 Highlights

Stroll Along Cuetzalan’s Alleys
Visit the local Market on Sundays on the main square
See the Danza de los Voladores on Sundays
Visit Waterfalls
Explore Caves
Visit the Archaeological site of Yohualichan
Visit the San Francisco Parish Church
Visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Join a City night tour of the cemetery

1. Stroll Along Cuetzalan’s Alleys

Wander through Cuetzalan’s beautiful narrow alleyways and enjoy the medieval vibe of its cobble-stone streets. At the tourist information at the main square, you can book a guided tour through Cuetzalan and learn some Nahuatl, the regional indigenous language.

2. Visit the Local Market on the Main Square (Sunday Tianguis)

At the weekend, especially on Sunday mornings, the main square (zócalo) of Cuetzalan is turned into a local market (“tianguis”). You can find market stalls vending local vegetables and fruit, live chicken and turkey, artisanal handicrafts, and much more. This is the market where the locals buy what they need for the week. You can see many of them in traditional clothing and speaking Nahuatl, the traditional indigenous language of the region that is still being used today.

While you’re at the main square, take a good look at the watchtower: The Roman number for 4 is written as “IIII” instead of “IV”.

3. See the “Danza de los Voladores” on Sundays

On Sundays, you can witness a special event: The Dance of the Flying Men, “Danza de los Voladores”. 5 people in traditional clothing climb up a large pole from which 4 of them hang themselves upside down tied to a rope. While the 5th man stays on top of the pole playing a traditional instrument, the other 4 slowly sail down in circles toward the ground. This spectacular event dates back to pre-Hispanic times, and it’s supposed to be a prayer to the gods for rain and fertile grounds. Ask the local tourist office at the main square for the exact times when the dance takes place, as this may vary.

4. Visit Waterfalls

There are many waterfalls (cascadas) closeby to Cuetzalan, so if you love nature, make sure to bring your hiking boots. It’s recommended to hire a tour guide to safely get there, as the paths can be pretty narrow and steep. But it’s worth it: The air at the bottom of a waterfall is so clean and fresh, you’ll love it!

El Salto: There’s a zipline near this waterfall.
Las Golondrinas: This waterfall has a natural pool where you can take a swim.
Cascada Corazón del Bosque: A waterfall surrounded by tree ferns; you can get here by foot or by horseback.
Cola de Caballo: A three-hour ride on horseback gets you to this waterfall where you can swim in the river pools.

5. Explore Caves

A large network of caves surrounds Cuetzalan many of which you have access to through tour guides. It’s the largest dry cave system with underground rivers in Latin America. Visit Gruta Chichicazapan, Cueva del Chivostoc, and Gruta Aventura. The latter is the easiest to access and the closest to town.

6. Visit the Archaeological Site of Yohualichan

This archaeological site was once a ceremonial center and is about 10 km (6 miles) north of Cuetzalan. You can get there by taxi or by colectivo (small vans). They discovered this site during construction work, and until now not all has been excavated as parts of it lie beneath houses and shops. There’s a big square surrounded by pyramidal structures and a Mesoamerican ballcourt. Entry fee is about 75 pesos (5 USD).

This site is considered the first Totonac settlement. It had its peak period around 600 AD until it was abandoned to emigrate to Tajín, another archaeological site 90 km (56 miles) north of Cuetzalan. One outstanding architectural feature of Yohualichan is the traditional niches you can find all over the structures, a characteristic of the Totonac culture.

7. Visit the San Francisco Parish Church

This church is devoted to St. Francis of Assisi and lies north of the main square where the Danza de los Voladores takes place. It has a romantic-renaissance style and was built in the 17th century.

8. Visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe

This neogothic church from the 19th century is also known as “Iglesia de los Jarritos” (church of the jugs) because the tower is decorated with small clay jugs. The church’s entrance opens up to a beautiful cemetery with tombs and crosses. Don’t miss the city night tour (see next point)!

9. Join a City Night Tour Over the Cemetery

How better to get to know a city than by joining a city tour? And if you stay overnight, then I’d recommend taking the night tour, because this will also lead you from the main square to the cemetery in front of the aforementioned church. Be ready for interesting details about Cuetzalan, the church, and the cemetery!

…What Else Can You Do in Cuetzalan?

Visit the Coffee Plantations Reserva Azul

About 2 km (1.2 miles) from Cuetzalan, the coffee plantation Reserva Azul offers guided tours where you learn more about the history and the production of coffee. The coffee tour takes place at weekends at 4.30 pm. You can find more information at https://www.reservaazul.com/recorridos.

Where to Eat in Cuetzalan

Restaurante Terraza “Mis Raíces”

A nice restaurant with a view of the main square from its terrace. The food is great, and sometimes they have live music.

Café Restaurante Bar Museo “La época de oro”

Directly at the main square, this restaurant is like a small museum and sometimes they have live music. The food is ok, it’s a bit more expensive, but the interior is something different.

La Peña Taller Gastronómico

A restaurant with typical Mexican cuisine, a nice interior, and live music at night. They have hand-made tortillas and great cocktails.

Where to Stay in Cuetzalan

La Peña Hotel Boutique & SPA

This new 4-star hotel is in the city center, about 250 m from the main square. It has a restaurant, secure parking, and the air-conditioned rooms have either a view of the mountain and the city or of the patio. Air conditioning is a great plus for this area to help against the moisture and the cold on some nights. Great location and great comfort.

Hotel Boutique TEKALI INN

A beautiful hotel in the city center (about 300 m from the main square) with a terrace to sit outside and parking spaces. All rooms have air conditioning and hydromassage showers. In the mornings, you can have breakfast (continental and a la carte) in the hotel. The rooms are all individually styled.

Posada El Volador

A hotel just 2 blocks from the main square with free parking and a balcony and seating area for each room. Unfortunately, no air conditioning or heating, consider this when you’re traveling here in winter.

Villa de los Vientos

If you’re looking for a different type of stay, Villa de los Vientos offers small cabins and tents on a hill with a great mountain view and a sun terrace. There’s a pool, a garden, and free parking. Keep in mind that this hotel is around 2.5 km (2.5 miles) from the city center, and if you go on foot, it means going uphill and downhill.

How to Get There

Cuetzalan lies in the north of the federal state of Puebla, about 180 km (111 miles) from the city of Puebla. From here, take a bus from the CAPU terminal. You’ll need around 3.5-4 hours to arrive. Here you can see which bus line goes to which destination: http://www.capu.com.mx/lineas-bus.html. You can also drive by car; but keep in mind that the streets of the last part of the route (about 50 km) are not in the best condition, so drive with caution.

So…Is it For Me?

If you love nature, waterfalls, and caves – then grab your hiking boots, and off you go! But also if you just like to stroll through the cobbled streets of a picturesque small town, you won’t be disappointed. Cuetzalan belongs to one of the most beautiful places I’ve been so far in Mexico, so spending some days here is definitely worth it! Make sure you come on the weekend to see the Danza de los Voladores! And keep in mind that it can get cold at night, especially in the winter season.