Atlixco
Founded in 1579 and located in the state of Puebla, not far from Mexico City (97.36 mi / 156.7 km), Atlixco is best known for its production of ornamental plants and for one of the largest Christmas markets in Mexico.
The semi-humid temperate climate is perfect for the cultivation of flowers, which is why the town is also known as 'Atlixco de las Flores' (Flower Atlixco). It is one of Mexico's top producers of roses, gladiolas and poinsettias. Around 1.5 million poinsettias are produced in the state of Puebla every year.
The second most popular variety of avocado in the world, 👉the Fuerte avocado, was found in Atlixco at the beginning of the 20th century on the property of Frenchman Alejandro Le Blanc. It is now the main commercial variety of avocado in the United States.
1. What to see
1.1. Capilla del Cerro de San Miguel
1.2. Museo de la Navidad
1.3. Villa Iluminada
1.4. Jardín Mágico
1.5. Plant nurseries
2. Where to eat
2.1. VICA cocina de un valle
2.2. Enchiladas Lolita (est. 1972)
2.3. La Casa de Don Porfirio
3. Where to stay
4. How to get there
What to see
📷 Capilla del Cerro de San Miguel
The chapel is closed, but it's worth climbing the hill to admire the views from the top (there are 4 lookout points). You will take beautiful pictures of the Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl volcanoes here and you will find a swing on the side of the hill that has become a tourist attraction recently. The climb takes about 15 minutes.
They open the chapel on September 29, when hundreds of Catholics come here to celebrate Archangel Michael. This celebration sometimes coincides with the ethnic festival of Huey Atlixcáyotl (Great Celebration of Atlixco in the Aztec language) that takes place on the last Sunday of September. This festival is dedicated to Aztec god Quetzalcóatl and it brings even more color to the valley of Atlixco with its rituals, music, folk dances, traditional costumes and local food.
📷 Museo de la Navidad
12 pm - 7 pm Sat-Sun
Entry fee: 60 MXN
Museo de la Navidad (the Christmas Museum) has three rooms: Sala Nórdica (the Nordic Room), where you will enjoy the Santa Claus North Pole town atmosphere, Sala de la Nostalgia (the Nostalgia Room), where you will feel like a child again as all the decorations are several times bigger than they should be, and Sala Magic Color (the Magic Color Room), that recreates the typical Christmas atmosphere of Mexican towns.
📜 You can visit the museum on foot or by train. The train tour fee is 80 MXN.
📷 Villa Iluminada
November 24 - January 7
The Villa Iluminada Christmas fair usually starts at the end of November and ends at the beginning of January (the dates change every year). You can ice skate, enjoy the amusement rides, walk along the decorated streets with their thousands of lights, ride the Christmas train or have an excellent Puebla-style meal in one of the many local restaurants. You will also find many food stands where you can try local snacks. This Christmas wonderland stretches along 0.9 mi (1.5 km) and it can get very crowded, so if you travel with children, don't lose sight of them.
📷 Jardín Mágico
9 am - 6 pm daily
Entry fee: 55 MXN
Jardín Mágico (the Magical Garden) is a fairy tale botanical garden that boasts 40 gigantic topiaries, Japanese and French gardens, an orchidarium and a hedge maze.
📷 Plant nurseries
To better understand why this magical town is known as Atlixco de las Flores, visit at least one of its many plant nurseries.
🌸 Viveros Gardenias
📍 Calle 20 Poniente 2703, Solares Chicos
📅 8:30 am - 6:30 pm Sun-Fri
8:30 am - 5:30 pm Sat
🌸 Viveros de Atlixco
📍 Calle 20 Poniente 2705, Solares Chicos
📅 8 am - 7 pm daily
🌸 Megaviveros
📍 Heroes del 4 de Mayo 3101, Cabrera
📅 8:30 am - 7:30 pm daily
Where to eat
VICA cocina de un valle
📍 Calle 2 Oriente 7, Centro
📅 1 pm - 9 pm Mon-Thurs
1 pm - 9:30 pm Fri-Sat
1 pm - 7:30 pm Sun
💚 Try: cecina con relish de jitomate y aguacate (beef jerky with tomato and avocado relish)
Enchiladas Lolita (est. 1972)
📍 Calle 3 Poniente 304 A, Centro
📅 9 am - 6 pm Wed-Mon
💚 Try: enchiladas atlixquenses enmoladas (Atlixco-style rolled flour tortillas with lettuce, onion, radish, avocado, cream and cheese, topped with mole sauce)
La Casa de Don Porfirio
📍 Portal Hidalgo 3, Centro
📅 8 am - 10 pm Mon-Sat
9 am - 10 pm Sun
💚 Try: desayuno del Cerrito de San Miguel (👉Mexican-style eggs with beef jerky)
Where to stay
📍 Portal Morelos 7, Centro
Hacienda Santo Cristo Hotel & Spa ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📍 Paseo de Las Bugambilias 3118
Hotel Boutique Rincon Sagrado ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📍 Tepexco 503
How to get there
From Mexico City:
🚗 By car (recommended route: Mexican Federal Highway 150D)
📜 You can stop in Puebla and Cholula (another magical town) on your way to Atlixco.
🚌 By bus
Go to Terminal Central Del Sur Taxqueña, one of the four main bus stations in Mexico City. See the ADO bus schedule 👉here. You can take the same bus back to Mexico City. These buses leave every hour from 11 am to 4:30 pm.