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Discovering Cantona: Impressive Ruins of an Ancient City in Puebla
One of the most extensive archaeological sites in Mexico lies in the northeast of the Puebla state, close to the border to Veracruz: Cantona. And it might well be the site with the most ball game courts: Archaeologists have found 27 so far, more than in any other Mesoamerican site. This pre-Hispanic city was once one of the most extensive of its time. At its peak, it was home to over 90.000 people who lived here in 7500 housing units. Nowadays, you can climb many of its pyramids and temples, walk the cobbled streets, and enjoy the peace and quiet as the site is little visited. You might even have…
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9 Best Things to Do in Chipilo
An Italian enclave in the heart of Mexico: Who would expect to hear Venetian, an Italian dialect, spoken in the heart of Mexico? In Chipilo you can hear it, and you’ll also find Italian delicacies produced in the region. The history of this village is interesting: It was founded in 1882 by a dozen families from Venetia in Italy who arrived here being promised fertile lands by the Mexican government. As this promise didn’t hold, the pilgrims switched to producing dairy and meat products. Today, Chipilo de Francisco Javier Mina, which is the full name of this small town, also produces high-quality furniture. In the streets, you can find trattorias,…
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9 Best Things to Do in Tehuacán
The Cradle of Corn, pyramids, and a famous goat dish: Admittedly, it’s easy to overlook Tehuacán as it doesn’t belong to the popular Magical Towns (Pueblos Mágicos) that attract masses of tourists. And the pyramids in the old part of the city are less known and you have to know how to reach them (see my tips on how to get to the pyramids). Actually, we were only traveling through on our way to the cactus forests in Zapotitlán Salinas. But luckily we decided to spend the time in between the changing of buses to explore the city a bit more. About Corn and Presidents You might not believe it,…
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7 Best Things to Do in Zapotitlán Salinas
Cactus forests, salt mines, and insects for breakfast: Zapotitlán Salinas lies in the biosphere reserve Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, the home of many endemic cactuses. Its position inside a triangle of mountain ranges blocks the precipitation of the seas and makes this area so dry and hot that not much can grow. Additionally, the ground is salty as it once used to be at the bottom of the sea. There are even salty springs that are the reason for the salt mines you can find here. Thus also the full name of the town – Zapotitlán Salinas (salinas means salt mines). With roughly 2,700 inhabitants, Zapotitlán Salinas is small and can be explored…
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11 Best Things to Do in Chignahuapan
Christmas spheres and hot springs: These are only two of the things that Chignahuapan is known for. The Magical Town (“Pueblo Mágico”) lies high up in the mountains of the Sierra Norte, only 15 km away from another Magical Town: Zacatlán de las Manzanas. Like in Zacatlán, you can buy cheese bread (“pan de queso”) here, but also fig bread. Factories for Christmas spheres are spread all over town, and their products can be bought at small shops all around the main square with its beautiful wooden Mudejar-style gazebo. The largest indoor Virgin Mary sculpture is featured in one of its churches, and a museum displays various species of the…
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14 Best Things to Do in Cholula
A pyramid, churches, and fireworks: It’s said that Cholula has a church for each day of the year. And you’re bound to believe it when walking through the streets and stumbling upon yet another church or chapel. Each has its unique architectural style and invites you to take a peek inside. Actually, Cholula is divided into two towns: San Pedro Cholula and San Andrés Cholula. In the center of both lies the pyramid, the world’s largest archaeological site by volume. Hidden mostly under a huge hill, a church resides on its very top, overlooking Cholula and providing a great view of the volcano Popocatépetl in the distance. Named a Pueblo…
