Puebla’s one of my favorite colonial cities in central Mexico and it’s an easy day trip from the capital. There are more than one thousand colonial buildings in the historic center alone, many brightly painted and adorned with painted ceramic tiles called azulejos. Nicknamed the ‘City of Angels’, Puebla is home to more than 70 churches. Several blocks of pedestrianized streets extend away from the central plaza, or zócalo; perfect for strolling, window shopping or browsing the local artisans’ markets. Puebla’s also known for being one of Mexico’s top culinary destinations and the birthplace of chiles en nogada. The city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
From the World Heritage inscription:
Puebla, which was founded ex nihilo in 1531, is situated about 100 km east of Mexico City, at the foot of the Popocatepetl volcano. It has preserved its great religious structures such as the 16th–17th-century cathedral and fine buildings like the old archbishop’s palace, as well as a host of houses with walls covered in tiles (azulejos). The new aesthetic concepts resulting from the fusion of European and American styles were adopted locally and are peculiar to the Baroque district of Puebla.
Travelers headed to Puebla should book airline tickets to Hermanos Serdán International Airport located in the nearby town of Huejotzingo (roughly 45 minutes outside the city) or Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport. Only three airlines (Continental, Volaris and Aeromar) operate flights to Puebla’s airport and there are currently no commercial flights between Mexico City and Puebla. Visitors arriving in Mexico City on international flights can travel by bus direct from the airport to Puebla.
The nearby suburb of Cholula is home to the impressive Church of Our Lady of the Remedies built atop the Great Pyramid of Cholula — the widest pyramid ever built.
Planning a visit? If you’re interested in finding out more about transportation, events and local attractions in and around the ‘City of Angels’ check out All About Puebla.
Photo credit: via flickr
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We see you there: http://www.internations.org/events/view/day-trip-to-beautiful-tows-of-puebla-cholula-with-stunning-vulcano-views:::26009