Huejotzingo is a historic small city in the Central Mexican state of Puebla. Known as the "cradle of evangelization" because it was the first area in which the Franciscan missionaries built a church and monastery. It is a fascinating place, rich in stories and traditions with cultural events that include a unique carnival celebration complete with re-enactments of battles between the treacherous French and local Mexican heroes (think Cinco de Mayo). The town is a charming place for a romantic weekend getaway and its popularity is in no small measure due to its convenient access from the city of Puebla and from Mexico City. It is one of Mexico's designated Pueblos Mágicos.
Understand
[edit]The town has a population of just under 30,000 (2020).
Get in
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By plane
[edit]Puebla International Airport (PBC IATA) is just 3 km from Huejotzingo. It is a fast 5-10 minute ride by taxi. The Puebla airport is served by a number of carriers including Volaris from many domestic destinations and international service on United Airlines from Houston and American Airlines from Dallas.
By bus
[edit]From Mexico City TAPO bus terminal, Autobuses Super Rapidos operates buses departing every 30 minutes for Huajotzingo. The trip will take about 2½ hours and cost about M$150 (one way).
- 1 Terminal Huejotzingo, Carlos Zetina 605. Super Rapidos (Estrella Roja) buses stop in Huejotzingo en route between Mexico City's TAPO terminal and Puebla's CAPU terminal. A ticket office and waiting area are available, though waits are short since buses run frequently. Be aware that these are local buses and even if you select a reserved seat when buying a head of time, locals view all seats as first-come first-serve.
Get around
[edit]The small colonial downtown area is very easy to get around by walking, but the city is a bit spread out and is largely a suburb of Puebla today. Uber and other ride-hail apps work fine here, there are local peseros and combis, and a huge abundance of taxis. Your hotel desk staff can call a taxi if you need one, or you can find them at several sitios in town.
See
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- 1 Convento de San Miguel Arcángel (Monastery of St. Michael the Arcangel, Museum of Evangelization), Av. Cuauhtemoc 1211. One of the most historically important churches in Mexico, this was the first church established by the Franciscans in 1524. The church quickly outgrew its first incarnation and was replaced by a newer church in 1529, but outgrew that as well. The current church standing here was built on top of the previous ones in 1544 (still making it older than the vast majority of Mexican churches). The monastery is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although the main church is closed for renovations in 2024 following a severe earthquake, the site's Museum of Evangelization is open (and very interesting) and tours of the old monastery are available. The building is a stunning example of 16th-century architecture with artistic embellishments everywhere including a huge number of frescoes, architectural detailing over portals and window, and relief sculptures along myriad passageways. There are also some unexpected treats, like mummies discovered in a kitchen area. The monastery is known for its fortified castle appearance. Although most visitors assume that was done as a defensive strategy against possibly hostile indigenous peoples, the current thinking is that it is meant to represent the walls of Jerusalem.
Do
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- (Carnival). Carnival in Huejotzingo isn't just a time to let off steam before the looming austerity of Lent, it's a time to get dressed up in mid-19th-century military garb to take on a role in the reenactment of the Battle of Puebla, when the French invaded Mexico and had their collective butts handed to them on a platter by a Mexican militia. American college kids know the story of the infamous battle of Cinco de Mayo in which the brave Mexicans defended the right to get obnoxiously drunk on margaritas and cheap tequila shots.
Buy
[edit]- 1 Mercado Municipal Hermanos Serdán, Av. 20 de Noviembre, ☏ +52 862 668 1281. Daily 02:00 - 12:00, (few vendors on Sunday). The town's traditional marketplace does business several hours earlier than markets in most Mexican towns, but that means that the market is at its peak around breakfast time when you can find dozens of vendors preparing traditional regional foods. The market has a large number of fresh farm-to-market food vendors selling a wide variety of produce, meats, cheeses and other food products.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Cantaritos "El Leñador", Av. la Perla LB, Primero, ☏ +52 227 111 0575. Th-Su 13:00 - 22:00, closed M-W. Casual family-friendly palapa-style restaurant serving a mix of Mexican and international foods including tacos, pizzas, burgers and more. Kids play area. Large free parking lot. M$200.
- 2 El Paso Birria, Av. Carlos B. Zetina 804 Primer Barrio Ignacio Allende 5983, Av. las Margaritas, Col. Vicente Ferrer, ☏ +52 222 812 2399. M-Sa 08:00 - 23:00, Su 08:00 - 18:00. Popular birria restaurant with a casual dining area and a variety of different birrias to choose from. Locals recommend the quesabirria. Terrace area with childrens play area. M$200.
- 3 Natural Sport, Anaya 620, Segundo Barrio, ☏ +52 227 102 3458. M-F 08:30 - 17:00, Su 08:30 - 14:00, closed Sa. Spacious, clean, modern restaurant offering a buffet with various entrees, fresh fruits, vegetables, and aguas frescas. Excellent choice for the budget traveler. M$110.
- 4 Restaurante Colonial, Av. Miguel Jerónimo Martínez 575, Primero Cuarto, ☏ +52 248 123 5869. Daily 10:00 - 18:00. Casual restaurant serving Mexican traditional cuisine with regional specialties like the chiles en nogada. Locals recommend the chilaquiles. M$200.
Drink
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Hard cider is the favorite local beverage in Huejotzingo. Several local brands are available and cidery tours are available. The town has five large producers and more than a dozen artesanal cideries and cider tasting rooms where you can taste a variety of the town's tastiest offerings.
- 1 Sidra San Francisco, Cjon. San Francisco, Primero Barrio, ☏ +52 222 617 2583. Daily 09:00 - 17:00. Working cider production factory that welcomes visitors to see the process and taste the products.
- 2 Sidra Soamy, Av Los Arcos 268, Primero Barrio, ☏ +52 227 276 0072. Daily 09:00 - 20:00. Variety of natural and flavored ciders. Also produces fruit flavored soft drinks.
- 3 Sidras Maipú y Mai-Frut, Miguel Hidalgo 1004, ☏ +52 227 276 7661. M-Sa 08:00 - 17:00, closed Su. Produces several varieties of cider.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Hotel Aristos, Av. Miguel Jerónimo Martínez 1114, Cuarto Barrio (MEX-190), ☏ +52 227 276 2001. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Budget hotel with clean rooms that are minimally furnished but have hot water. M$400.
- 2 Hotel San Miguel, Mendoza 903, Cuarto barrio, ☏ +52 222 958 5616. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Budget hotel with barebone rooms and amenities. Cash only (no credit cards).
- 3 Hotel Posada Kenmar, Av. Miguel Jerónimo Martínez 310, Primero Cuarto, ☏ +52 227 276 3543. Check-in: 13:00, check-out: 12:00. Clean, modern hotel in the heart of the downtown area. Spacious well-equipped rooms. Courtyard has play area for children.
Connect
[edit]As part of the Puebla metropolitan area, Huejotzingo is very well connected with 5G cell service common throughout town. Virtually all local hotels and restaurants offer free WiFi connectivity.