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…

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…

“The City of Flowers”: Due to its climate and the fertile volcano soil which allows to grow flowers and plants all through the year, this city has earned its name. And it made plants its main income source: You can find one plant nursery (“vivero”) next to another in the street Calle 20 Poniente. So if you love plants, beware! It’s easy to spend all your money and time just strolling through the nurseries. But the Magical Town (Pueblo Mágico) of Atlixco has more to offer. Only 50 km from the volcano Popocatépetl, you can get a stunning view of the same on a clear day from the hilltop “Cerro…

The city of apples, clockmakers, and cheese bread: Zacatlán really tries hard to stand out. And succeeds! And not to mention the beautiful mosaic murals you can find in various parts of this Magical Town (Pueblo Mágico). Zacatlán is situated on the Sierra Norte mountain range at 2.000 m above sea level in the north of the Puebla state. It’s surrounded by apple orchards and is even home to an endemic apple. Its narrow alleys invite you to take a stroll and discover restaurants, shops, and bakeries known for their cheese bread and apple pastries. Zacatlán lies directly at the rim of the Goldfinches Canyon over which you have a…

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…