Danza Los Quetzales in Cuetzalan

Cuetzalan is a scenic colonial town in the highlands of northern Puebla state in Central Mexico. The town has lots of white colonial buildings with dark red bands painted across the bottoms, set among steep cobblestone streets. It has a 1500-year-old archaeological site nearby, coffee plantations, and copious natural attractions that include waterfalls, caves, and hiking trails through the jungle.

Understand

Traditional architecture in the town center

The climate is subtropical and humid with frequent rains. The forests of the surrounding mountains are foggy and fog frequently descends into the town. The average temperature of 23 °C means most of the year will have pleasant conditions, but hot days are a possibility in the summer.

Like most of Mexico, the population is mostly mestizo, but there are quite a few indigenous people in the area who identify as either Nahua or Totonac. Don't be surprised if you hear languages other than Spanish being spoken. Cuetzalan preserves a number of indigenous traditions, including dances, costumes, and regional foods. The Dance of the Quetzals is a popular folk dance in Cuetzalan because the town takes its name from the majestic Quetzal birds.

Get in

From Puebla's CAPU bus terminal, Autobuses Ahorro operates Via buses to the town of Tlatlauquitepec every 30 minutes throughout the day. The 2½-hour bus ride to Tlatlauquitepec costs M$300. Tlatlauquitepec is about 45 km from Cuetzalan and a taxi would take about 30 minutes and cost about M$400. Combis may be available for less.

From Mexico City's TAPO bus station ADO operates 1 AU bus per day to Cuetzalan. The 6-hour trip costs M$500.

• 1 ADO Cuetzalan, Guerrero 20, Centro, ☏ +52 233 331 0411. Small bus station served by ADO and AU buses. 

Get around

Cuetzalan is fairly compact and easy to navigate by foot. Taxis are useful for getting out to the caves or other nearby destinations.

See

Entering the cemetery at the front of Iglesia de los Jarritos

• 1 Iglesia De Los Jarritos (Santuario de Guadalupe), Aldama, Centro. Striking neo-gothic church that gets its name from the small jugs that decorate it. The church tower seems unusually tall for an otherwise narrow church. You enter the church through its cemetery. Because the town is often socked in by fog, it's a place you can get some spectacularly eerie photos. 

• 2 Parroquia San Francisco de Asis (St Francis of Asisi Church), Calle Miguel Alvarado, Col. Centro,. The town's first Christian church, established by the Franciscans in 1547. And extensively renovated in the 19th and 20th centuries. 

Ruins of Yohualichan

• Yohualichan. 10:00 - 17:00 (closed M). Archaeological site that was once the small Totonac city of Yohualican. The site was constructed in the early part of the Classic period (roughly 0-600 AD), making it contemporary with the larger El Tajin site nearby. It is thought that Chichimec incursions from around 1000 AD probably motivated the Totonac to move out of Yohualican. The architecture of the structures incorporates niches, similar to the design of buildings at El Tajin. M$70. 

Do

• 1 Gruta del Duende (Grutas del Cuetzalan), ☏ +52 221 363 5922. 08:00 - 17:00. Huge Karst cave system that caters to adventure seekers. Offers camping and various packages that include cave explorations from mild to wild. The entry-level basic tour costs M$175 per person and is a standard cave tour. A longer cave trip goes into the Grutas Chivostic, which is suitable for more advanced spelunkers. The entire cave route spans over 2 km and can include rapelling into the cave or traversing an aquatic route via an underground river called Río Subterráneo Chichicazapan. Most of the aquatic route is navigated by wading but there are areas up to 6 meters deep, so life jackets are provided. The Cuetzalan caves were in the news in 2004 when a group of British military cavers got trapped for 6 days, causing an international incident. M$175 to M$900 (depending on selected activities). 

Waterfalls

There are several waterfalls on the Tecolutla River. A hiking trail connects the falls. You could likely visit all of these in a single day, but inquire locally for current conditions:

• Cascada de las Brisas
• Cascada las Golondrinas
• El Salto
• La Escondida
• Tres Caidas

Festivals

• Feria del Huipil y Café, first week of October

Buy

• Tianguis - Sunday is market day in Cuetzalan and the local vendors set up as early as 6am. In Cuetzalan, locals like to dress up to go to the tianguis, with men wearing white and women wearing colors that correspond to local villages where they live.

Eat

• 1 Yoloxochitl, 2 de Abril 6, Centro, ☏ +52 233 331 0335. 08:00 - 21:00. Traditional Mexican restaurant with affordable prices and friendly service. (updated Jul 2023)
• 2 La Terraza, C. Hidalgo 33, Centro, ☏ +52 233 331 0416. 08:30 - 19:30. Family friendly and budget friendly with good food, especially at breakfast. (updated Jul 2023)
• 3 Las Ranas, C. Hidalgo 67, Centro, ☏ +52 233 331 8116. 08:00 - 19:30. Traditional regional restaurant, but be sure to order from the daily menu, it lists the regional dishes that are prepared that day. If they think you're a tourist who just wants "regular" Mexican food, then that's what you'll get... but better stuff is available. (updated Jul 2023)

Drink

Yolixpa is the local liquor you've never tried but need to. It is said to date back to the time of the Totonacs, long before the Aztecs would dominate the region. It is an aromatic liqueur based on aguardiente (basically a less refined rum), infused with a blend of aromatic botanicals (aka, herbs). The drink is popular in the town of Cuetzalan, where it is made using from 20 to 30 different herbs, including mint, basil, oregano, thyme, lemon balm, sage, and wormwood. Modern versions are often sweetened with piloncillo, an unrefined brown sugar though the traditional elixir has a bitter flavor. An adventurous epicure would seek out several different examples to compare, contrast, and understand its many faces.

Sleep

• 1 Tekali Inn, Carmen Serdán 08, Centro, ☏ +52 233 688 0263. Check-in: 13:00, check-out: 12:00. Traditional look and feel but modern updates and amenities. Full service restaurant and bar on-site. M$1000. (updated Jul 2023)
• 2 Posada Cuetzalan, Zaragoza 12, Centro, ☏ +52 233 331 0154. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Traditional courtyard hotel with clean, comfortable rooms and on-site full-service restaurant. (updated Jul 2023)
• 3 Posada el Volador, Morelos 13, Centro, ☏ +52 233 103 0567. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Budget hotel with spacious but barebones rooms, comfortable beds, limited parking. M$780. (updated Jul 2023)

Go next

• Poza Rica
• Tulancingo
• Huamantla