What to do in Chignahuapan? 4 Reasons to meet him

The end of the year is approaching and the celebrations of the coming months need us to be prepared, in this post “What to do in Chignahuapan? 4 Reasons to meet him“, we are talking about a destination that you will appreciate visiting…

The state of Puebla is a perfect place to discover the charms of Mexico, some examples are the imposing architecture, like the one you find in its capital; excellent gastronomy, such as its chiles en nogada; the surprising of an archaeological zone, like the one you find in Cholula; beautiful crafts, such as its impressive products made in talavera…

And of course you can not miss the magical towns, symbols of tradition and culture, there are 10, Cuetzalan, Cholula, Atlixco, Chignahuapan, Zacatlán de las Manzanas, Huauchinango, Pahuatlán, Tlatlauquitepec, Xicotepec and Tetela de Ocampo.

This time we are going to learn more about Chignahuapan, an amazing place that you have to visit before Christmas, discover why…

Chignahuapan is in the northern mountains of Puebla, 2 hours from the capital of the state of Puebla, 2 hours and a half from Mexico City and Poza Rica de Hidalgo, 1 hour and a half from Pachuca and 1 hour and 15 minutes from Tlaxcala. , indicating that the sightseeing tour can be quite entertaining if you choose to wander around the area.

You can get there by car (depending on the destination of origin you will have to consider the costs of toll booths), by bus or, if you have little time, you can take a tour from Puebla.

Reasons to know Chignahuapan

Chignahuapan is an excellent plan for a weekend trip; declared a magical town in 2012, it offers a wide and varied list of activities, many of which you can enjoy in the same day, but you cannot miss the charm of the nights in the place, so, if your time helps, it’s a good idea to sleep there.

There are several reasons to visit Chignahuapan and here we mention some…

Photo: Unknown Mexico

1. The beauty of the center and surroundings

Highlighting the beauty of the town, especially its historic center, as one of the main reasons to visit it is valid since it has charming places such as the main square and its Mudejar-style kiosk, with colors that stand out and make it a beautiful postcard.

A few steps from there you will find the 16th century Parish in honor of Santiago Apóstol, with a facade full of details that make you fall in love; worthy of portraying both day and night.

On one side, the Municipal Palace will also surprise you with its architecture and incredible murals inside that expose the history of the town.

The ideal complement to the beauty of the destination is the Casa del Ajolote, located in front of the main square, where you can appreciate and learn more about the axolotl, some beautiful Mexican amphibians in danger of extinction.

There is still more to visit… Discover the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception square a few streets away, the place where the image of the Virgin carved in cedar is kept, considered the largest in all of Latin America that is found indoors.

In your tours you will surely have the opportunity to see some murals that embellish the streets of the town, take the opportunity to take some beautiful photos.

If you are not fond of long walks, in the center you have the alternative of hiring a ride on the Axolot bus, it is a good option to get to know the main attractions of Chignahuapan.

With a duration of a little over an hour, the walk is through places like the Honguito Church, the Paseo de las Catrinas, the Lagoon, you will also visit a sphere factory and Casa Esmeralda, where you will delight yourself with their products.

Photo: Government of Mexico

2. The gastronomy of Chignahuapan

Visiting a magical town goes hand in hand with trying the delicacies of the local cuisine, so don’t feel bad if as soon as you arrive at the destination you choose to advise yourself on the recommended places to delight your palate.

Going to the market is always a good idea, the typical dishes made by the best cooks are usually there. Try some tlacoyos, a delicious barbecue and leave room for cheese or fig bread.

Eating in Chignahuapan is also an activity that you can do on Romero Vargas street, a few steps from the square, where you will find sellers of tacos, snacks and traditional sweets, and for thirst, you can dare to taste the pulque.

For those who have time, you can ask for a tour to a hacienda where they produce pulque, to learn about the entire production process, taste rich varieties, and try more gastronomic delights.

Casa Esmeralda should also be on your agenda of ideal places to visit, it has a wine cellar, you can try cheeses, pulque, mezcal, liquors, etc. There is a market where you can buy a variety of local products such as sweets, honey, chocolate, handicrafts and much more.

3. Special events

This is an excellent reason that, on different dates of the year, brings together many people.

The main one is Christmas, Chignahuapan is recognized for its production of spheres.

The amount of spheres that you will find is impressive, shapes, colors and hundreds of themes, you will have to be patient to walk and choose the deco for your tree.

There will also be beautiful nativity scenes, many Santa Clauses, reindeer made of pine, Christmas trees, all part of an extensive list of special decorations for those dates.

The good thing is that there are factories and stores to buy decorations throughout the year, so you can go whenever you want… The ideal would be to go one day for your decorations and return one weekend to enjoy the beauty of Christmas in Chignahuapan.

In this way, you will be able to admire the huge Christmas tree in the center, meet Santa Claus and the Grinch, stroll through the illuminated village in the lagoon, among other activities that represent the Christmas spirit.

Another celebration with special mention is the Day of the Dead, when the Calzada de las Almas is inaugurated, with huge rugs that represent the 9 steps of the road to Mictlán.

At night, the march of a thousand lights is amazing, with hundreds of people walking from the civic square, through the road of souls, to the lagoon.

The next activity is the Festival of Light and Life that takes place in the Chignahuapan Lagoon and is unmissable, with unique theatrical performances.

Then, you can go to the Paseo de las Catrinas, where you can see beautiful murals, appreciate the offering and a monumental rug, a unique work of art.

The Pulque and Barbecue Festival in Chignahuapan, in July, is a plus.

Photo: On the radio

Photo: Government of Mexico

4. The beauties of nature

The natural environment that surrounds the destination is very beautiful and enjoying nature will not be a problem.

It begins with a visit to the Chignahuapan Lagoon, there are 9 water holes with a beautiful blue color thanks to the presence of water lilies.

There you have ample spaces to enjoy a day of camping, you can take your food and even make a meat as there are grills; In addition to enjoying the tranquility of the place, you can rent a kayak or a boat and take a nice walk.

Add to your journey through this beautiful destination a visit to the Salto de Quetzalapan waterfalls, they are 20 minutes from downtown, an invitation to enjoy nature and test your physical condition since to see them you must go down (and then go up) more 300 steps; with a waterfall of more than 200 meters, the view is fascinating and completely worth the effort.

Other fun activities are a zip line ride, crossing the suspension bridge, two experiences that you will surely enjoy.

Finally, one of the main attractions of Chignahuapan is its hot springs that you can enjoy in the spa about 25 minutes from downtown.

You can get there by car or public transport from the center.

You will find a huge complex in the middle of the mountain and surrounded by vegetation; the prices are accessible.

Among the activities that you can do you have several pools with thermal water, some outdoors and others covered; In addition, it has slides, slides and a wading pool for the little ones.

VIP access provides access to indoor swimming pools with hydromassage and sauna area.

Add to that a restaurant with a buffet menu, lockers, a shower area before entering and a hotel with excellent service.

Photo: Chignahuapan Hot Springs Hotel and Spa, facebook