Discover Ciudad De Cuetzalan

Ciudad De Cuetzalan brings together a long history of church architecture, museum collections, traditional dances, and regional cuisine. The surrounding municipality also offers an archaeological highlight, while the nearby area features natural attractions. Before your trip, you can decide whether you would like to shape your stay around culture, cuisine, or nature.

Church and Local History

The Parroquia de San Francisco de Asís is located in the center of Cuetzalan and was built in the mid-16th century. An eclectic-style clock tower, 68 meters high, was added in the early 19th century. The original construction and the later addition can therefore be distinguished chronologically; the tower's height and style also give it a distinct architectural character. For those interested in church architecture, this offers both a clear historical date and a well-defined stylistic feature to consider. Cuetzalan was named Mexico's first Pueblo Mágico in 2002. This distinction provides another clearly dated milestone in the destination's history.

Museum: Collections and Dances

The Museo Regional de Cuetzalan Emma Flores de Morante displays everyday clothing, handicrafts, looms, archaeological objects from Yohualichan, photographs, and some documents. Its paleontological collections include items from the Cambrian and Ordovician periods, dating back 500 to 600 million years. Archaeological and ethnographic collections also show depictions of music, dance, and handicrafts representative of the Sierra Nororiental in the state of Puebla. At the museum, visitors can learn about local dances, including the Voladores de Cuetzalan, the Danza de los Santiagos, and the Danza de los Negritos, as well as ceremonial masks. Those primarily interested in archaeological finds will encounter different exhibits here from visitors who want to explore local dance and mask traditions.

Traditional Dances and Fiesta

Cuetzalan preserves the traditional Danza de los Quetzales and the traditional Danza de los Voladores. Performances of the Voladores, Quetzales, Santiagos, Negritos, and Toreadores dances are part of the Fiesta de San Francisco de Asís. A large market is also set up in the center of Cuetzalan for the fiesta. If you are planning a trip around the fiesta, check the dates in advance.

Yohualichan and Nature

Yohualichan, an important Totonac ceremonial center in the heights of the Sierra Madre, is located in the surrounding municipality. The site features monumental pyramid structures, including one with numerous niches, as well as a ball court nearly 100 meters long. This is an archaeological highlight distinct from the construction phases of the Parroquia: here, the focus is on pyramid architecture and the ball court, while at the church it is on its 16th-century construction and the later tower.

In the area near the destination, Reserva Azul has an ecological reserve with cloud forest. Cuetzalan also has a diverse range of flora and fauna. Cascada las tres caídas (Las Brisas) is located in San Andrés Tzicuilan, 3 km from the center of Cuetzalan. By private car, it takes about 10 minutes to reach one of the parking areas set up there. The distance is measured from the center, while the travel time refers to the drive to the parking area—two different points of reference.

Cuisine and Coffee

Cuetzalan's culinary specialties include Tlayoyos, filled with Alverjón, beans, potatoes, and fava beans. Between 1860 and 1870, Jesús Flores planted the first coffee plants in Cuetzalan. Cultivation was favored by the climatic and altitude-related growing conditions of the Sierra Nororiental of Puebla. Tlayoyos offer a specific culinary point of reference, while the history of coffee provides a historical connection to cultivation in the region.

Discover more destinations: Tepeyahualco, San José Ayotla, Tepeojuma, Tlachichuca, Tlapacoya, Santa María Zacatepec, San Matías Tlalancaleca, Santa María Coronango

For the full travel overview: Puebla.