Cholula
The archaeological site of San Pedro and San Andrés Cholula and Our Lady of Remedies Church
With a history of approximately 2,500 years, Cholula is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Mexico. It is located in the metropolitan area of Puebla and it is divided into 18 barrios (neighborhoods) that make up two sister towns: San Pedro Cholula and San Andrés Cholula. You will inevitably hear or read that Cholula has 365 churches, one for each day of the year. Actually, it has 37 churches, which is still impressive considering the size of the city (42.86 mi² / 111.03 km²) and its population (118,170). Cholula is also home to Tlachihualtépetl, the largest pyramid in the world.
📜 In most guidebooks and travel brochures I've seen the famous yellow church (Our Lady of Remedies Church) against the backdrop of the Popocatépetl volcano. Actually, the volcano is quite far from the church, not right behind it as it might seem judging from these pictures. The view from the top is spectacular nevertheless.
1. What to see
1.1. The archaeological site
1.2. Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios
1.3. Plaza de la Concordia
2. Where to eat
2.1. Ciudad Sagrada
2.2. La Casa de Frida
2.3. Güeros
3. Where to stay
4. How to get there
What to see
📷 The archaeological site
10 am - 5:30 pm Tue-Sat
Entry fee: 90 MXN
One of the structures of the Great Pyramid
Tlachihualtépetl ('man-made mountain' in the Aztec language), better known as the Great Pyramid of Cholula, is the largest pyramid in the world, four times larger than the Pyramid of Giza, standing at 1476.3 ft (450 m) wide and 216.5 ft (66 m) tall. The construction actually consists of 7 pyramids built one on top of the other and it was made of adobe bricks. Most of it is still covered by vegetation, so it looks more like a hill than a pyramid. At the beginning of the 20th century, 4.97 mi (8 km) of tunnels were dug into the pyramid, and tourists have access to 0.49 mi (800 m) of them.
Exploring the tunnels of the Great Pyramid
Ritual dances at the base of the pyramid
📷 Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios
8 am - 7 pm daily
Free entry
📷 Plaza de la Concordia
This large square is the heart of San Andrés Cholula and it is surrounded by restaurants and shops. It is also two blocks away from the Great Pyramid, so you could have breakfast here before visiting the archaeological site. You will notice the beautiful portico with its 46 arcades built by the Spanish in 1573. The Parish of San Pedro Cholula rises at the end of the portico right next to Casa del Caballero Águila (House of the Eagle Warrior), a 16th-century house where you can visit the museum of the town of San Pedro Cholula.
Where to eat
Puebla-style omelet (with poblano pepper strips) at Hotel Santa Rosa in Plaza de la Concordia (Portal Guerrero 5)
Ciudad Sagrada
📍 Avenida 2 Oriente 615, Barrio de San Miguel Tianguisnahuitl, San Andrés Cholula
📅 8 am - 11 pm Mon-Wed
8 am - 12 am Thurs-Sat
8 am - 6 pm Sun
💚 Try: chile en nogada
📜 In 1821, the nuns of the Santa Mónica Monastery in the state of Puebla created the chile en nogada recipe to celebrate Mexico's independence from the Spanish crown. In the colors of the Mexican flag, chile en nogada is the ultimate Mexican dish and the star of the national day festive meal on September 16. It is a poblano pepper stuffed with fruit, meat and spices, and topped with a walnut sauce with pomegranate seeds and parsley. This recipe was recognized by UNESCO in 2010.
La Casa de Frida
📍 Avenida Miguel Hidalgo 109, San Andrés Cholula
📅 9 am - 6 pm daily
💚 Try: cemita gourmet (Puebla-style sandwich with breaded beef, pork or chicken, cheese, avocado and olive oil)
Güeros
📍 Avenida Miguel Hidalgo 101, San Andrés Cholula
📅 7 am - 10:30 pm Mon-Sat
7 am - 9 pm Sun
💚 Try: chalupas poblanas (small fried tortillas topped with salsa, beef, pork or chicken, chopped onions and cheese)
Posing with a blue corn tortilla at La Piramide (San Miguel, Centro, 72778)
Where to stay
📍 Avenida 2 Oriente 403, San Pedro Cholula
📍 604 Calle 10 Norte, San Andrés Cholula
📍 4 Sur 106, San Pedro Cholula
How to get there
From Mexico City:
🚗 By car (recommended route: Mexican Federal Highway 150D)
📜 You can stop in Puebla on your way to Cholula, and maybe drive a little further and visit 👉Atlixco too, another magical town.
🚌 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.
