From the mountain village of Tepoztlán to the year-round Christmas town of Tlalpujahua, these are the top five Pueblos Mágicos in Mexico to visit during the holiday season.
Tepotzotlán, State of México
Located just an hour’s drive from Mexico City, Tepotzotlán is a colonial town in the State of México well-known for hosting pastorelas and posadas – traditional religious plays celebrating the birth of Christ. The local church also performs Christmas carols.
Other attractions in the town include the Temple of San Francisco Javier, one of the most celebrated architectural wonders of the Mexican Baroque period, and the National Museum of the Viceroyalty.
Tepoztlán, Morelos
Less than two hours outside of Mexico City is the (very) similarly named, but quite different town of Tepoztlán, tucked away at the foot of an imposing mountain, and one of Mexico’s first officially designated Pueblos Mágicos.
With a cozy mountain vibe and cobbled streets lined with Christmas lights, visitors can enjoy the Ponche Fair (Dec. 8 and 9), brave the steep climb to the mountaintop ruins at Tepozteco, or visit the former Convent of the Nativity.
Not to be missed are the tepoznieves, artisanal ice cream that made according to pre-Columbian tradition with snow from the Popocatépetl volcano.
Chignahuapan, Puebla
Located in the north of Puebla, Chignahuapan is known as “the town of eternal Christmas” due to its year-round blown-glass Christmas ornament production.
To showcase its Christmas creations, some of which are even used to decorate the Vatican in Rome, the town hosts an annual Tree and Christmas Ornament Fair until Dec. 3, where visitors can buy hand-made Christmas ornaments from hundreds of local artisans.
Chugnahuapan’s main plaza also boasts Mexico’s tallest Christmas tree at 64 meters tall, along with a 12-meter diameter Christmas bauble.
Tlalpujahua, Michoacán
Found across the border from the State of México in Michoacán, Tlalpujahua is also a year-round production center of Christmas ornaments.
Running until Dec. 17, the town holds the annual Christmas Ornament Fair featuring over 28 million baubles produced locally using artisanal methods.
The town holds a weekly Christmas parade every Saturday until Dec. 16.
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
Last but not least is San Miguel de Allende, one of Mexico’s most popular international tourist destinations and one of the best places to spend Christmas according Condé Nast.
The first Friday of December sees the Christmas tree lighting in the main square (Jardín Principal) and the city’s streets are adorned with Christmas lights. Visitors may encounter groups of adults and children singing Christmas carols on the streets, nativity scenes, and of course posadas, which reenact Mary and Joseph’s Biblical journey to Bethlehem.
With reports from Excélsior, México, Donde ir, MVS Noticias, Ambas Manos and Time Out Mexico
