Malinalco
Capilla de Santa Mónica (16th-century chapel)
Malinalco is located in the State of Mexico (Estado de México), 65.24 mi (105 km) from the historic center of Mexico City, and it has a population of 6,523. Its name is a compound word which in Náhuatl, the language of the Aztecs, means 'place of malinalli'. Malinalli, also known as zacate del carbonero is a plant that in pre-Hispanic times was used in rituals and for medicinal purposes. Legend has it that Malinalco was founded by Malinalxóchitl, goddess of snakes, scorpions and desert insects and sister of war god Huitzilopochtli. Malinalli is also the name of the 12th day in the Aztec calendar.
1. What to see
1.1. The archaeological site
1.2. Museo Luis Mario Schneider
1.3. Museo Vivo
1.4. Parroquia del Divino Salvador
1.5. The handicraft market
2. Where to eat
2.1. Casa Vieja
2.2. Los Placeres
2.3. Casa Colibrí
3. Where to stay
4. How to get there
What to see
📷 The archaeological site
10 am - 4 pm Tue-Sun
Entry fee: 70 MXN
The house of the Eagle and Jaguar warriors
These 16th-century Aztec structures are associated with military practices and rituals. The most impressive one is the House of the Eagles, which was a sacred place for the elite Eagle and Jaguar warriors who came here to perform rituals and to train. Reaching the House of the Eagles is not an easy feat, but it was probably my favorite experience in Malinalco. You will have to climb 426 steps to the top of a hill called Cerro de los Ídolos (Hill of the Idols). The views along the way are breathtaking and you should take a couple of breaks to just admire the landscape and connect with the special energy of the hill. I was also impressed to discover so many plants I had not seen before. After all, Malinalco is also famous for its biodiversity, so keep an eye on the details.
📷 Museo Luis Mario Schneider
10:20 am - 6 pm Tue-Sun
Entry fee: 15 MXN
You will learn a lot here about the history, culture and mythology of Malinalco from a local guide. The museum has 5 permanent collections divided into 12 sections, a temporary exhibit space, a botanical garden, a trout aquarium, a bookshop and a souvenir shop.
Argentinian-Mexican writer Luis Mario Schneider spent the last 20 years of his life in this house. In 1977 he was awarded the Xavier Villaurrutia Prize, a prestigious Mexican literary award given to Latin American writers whose works were published in Mexico.
📷 Museo Vivo
10 am - 4:45 pm Thurs-Mon
Entry fee: 125 MXN
If you want to learn more about the flora and fauna of Malinalco, you will love Museo Vivo (Living Museum), home to a butterfly sanctuary (the only one in Mexico authorized to raise, exhibit and release monarch butterflies), and living collections of boa constrictors and turtles, praying mantis insects, tarantulas, as well as a wide range of medicinal plants that are still used in this region. The tour won't take more than an hour and it will give you a glimpse into the rich biodiversity of Malinalco.
📷 Parroquia del Divino Salvador
9 am - 1 pm, 4 pm - 6 pm Mon-Wed, Fri-Sat
9 am - 6 pm Sun
Parroquia del Divino Salvador (the Parish of the Divine Saviour) is a 16th-century Augustine parish that boasts impressive frescoes painted by indigenous artists known as tlacuilos. In their representation of the Garden of Eden they painted the local flora and fauna. 23 endemic species can be identified in these paintings. All of the plants that were painted on the ceiling and the walls of the lower cloister were of cultural or spiritual importance at the time. For example, the huacalxochitl was used in Aztec ceremonies to adorn the warriors or the tlatoani (the Aztec ruler).
📷 The handicraft market
10 am - 5 pm Mon-Fri
10 am - 7 pm Sat-Sun
The local artisans carve wooden masks and instruments like teponaztlis (slit drums made of hollow logs) or huehuetls (upward tubular drums). If you are looking for a smaller souvenir, buy a wooden hummingbird, another famous traditional handicraft of Malinalco. They make the bird's body out of cedar wood and the beak is a maguey thorn.
Where to eat
Mexican scrambled eggs at Casa Vieja
Casa Vieja
📍 Avenida Hidalgo Manzana 018
📅 9 am - 6 pm Wed-Sun
💚 Try: the breakfast combos
Los Placeres
📍 Plaza Principal, Santa Monica, 52440
📅 11 am - 5 pm Tue-Thurs
10 am - 9 pm Fri-Sat
10 am - 6 pm Sun
💚 Try: trucha en totomoztle (trout with green tomatoes and chipotle wrapped in corn husk)
Casa Colibrí
📍 Plaza Principal 106
📅 1 pm - 10 pm Wed
9 am - 10 pm Thurs-Sat
9 am - 6 pm Sunday
💚 Try: sándwich salvaje (roast wild boar sandwich with onions and fries or salad)
📜 Malinalco is famous for its trout, so most restaurants serve trout dishes.
Where to stay
📍 20 de Noviembre 108 Colonia Barrio de Santa Maria, 52440 Malinalco
Quinta Cielo - Hotel Boutique y Restaurante ⭐⭐⭐⭐
📍 San Juan 16, 52440 Malinalco
Paradise Hotel Boutique & Lounge ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📍 Paraje Real de Malinalco, Pedregal 409, Carretera Malinalco-Chalma, 04445 Malinalco
How to get there
🚗 By car (recommended route: Mexican Federal Highway 15D)
🚌 By bus
Go to Terminal Central de Autobuses del Poniente, better known as Terminal de Observatorio, one of the four main bus stations in Mexico City.
The Flecha Roja bus hours: 4:30 p.m Mon-Sat, 8:30 am Sat-Sun. See the bus schedule 👉here. You can take the same Flecha Roja bus back to Mexico City. These buses depart from Malinalco every 30 minutes from 5:20 am to 6:40 pm.
🚙 With 👉Aztec Explorers, certified and experienced bilingual guides who will provide you with transportation