Atlixco

Calle Hidalgo in Atlixco

Atlixco is a small town in the Central Mexico state of Puebla. It calls itself, Atlixco de Flores and informally The city of flowers. Flowers are taken seriously here. They're grown commercially in the area and decorate nearly every house. Naturally, the town is famous for its Festival of Flowers. Spend some time here, and don't forget to smell the roses...

Get in

By bus

Autobuses Oro operates direct buses from Puebla to Atlixco at least hourly throughout the day, and somewhat less frequently from Mexico City. The 30-minute trip to Atlixco costs as little as M$50 if you catch the slower ERCO bus at non-peak times. The first-class Oro buses are about M$100 more.

1 Terminal Oro Erco (Bus station), C. 4 Sur 2910, Centro Atlixco. 06:00 - 22:00. Small terminal for purchasing tickets and waiting for buses to Puebla. 

By combi

Combis run between Atlixco and Puebla and cost about M$40 for the 30-minute ride.

By car

Blablacar is a good option between Puebla and Atlixco. Shared rides start at M$40.

Get around

Its a small town and easily walkable. Taxis are readily available for trips to further destinations. A taxi sitio is located near the main plaza.

See

1 Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Merced (Our Lady of Mercies), C. 3 Nte. 402, Centro. Historic 17th-century church that once had a large attached monastery. The main portal features paired columns with spiraling vines and sculptures in niches on the upper and lower levels. The doorway is a Moorish arch with a center niche containing an image of the Virgin of Mercy giving shelter to the founder of the Mercedian order, together with other saints. The interio contains a large portrait of Our Lady of Mercy painted by colonial era artist José Joaquín Magón. The pulpit dates from the 18th century and is made with wood inlays. The church has a collection of 18th-century ecclesiastic art that has degraded over time and is undergoing restoration. 

Murals in a stairway of the Palacio Municipal

2 Palacio Municipal (Town Hall), De Armas Constitución, Centro (Next to the plaza principal). A town hall is a town hall, and normally that spells boring, but not in Atlixco. The Palacio Municipal is filled with contemporary murals, they cover most wallspace and can even be found in stairwells and other "hidden" public areas. 

3 Museo de Arte Bonsai "John Naka" (Bonsai Museum), Blvd. 19 Ote. O Blvd. Niños Héroes 1009, Cortijo de la Alfonsina, ☏ +52 556 298 0722. M-Sa 09:00 - 16:30, Su 10:00 - 16:30. Unique museum that showcases the art of bonsai. Founded by Japanese-American John Naka, the museum has more than 400 examples of the Japanese art of carefully sculpting plants into gnarly, twisty, fanciful forms. Some of the living exhibits are more than 60 years old. Handicap accessible. M$20. (updated May 2024)

4 Museo de la Navidad (Christmas Museum), C. 4 Sur 504, Centro, ☏ +52 244 121 0370. Th-Su 12:00 - 19:00, closed Su-W. Small, kid-oriented museum dedicated to the spirit of Christmas. Kids can ride a miniature train ride. train M$40, stages M$60. (updated May 2024)

5 Mirador de Cristal (Glass Overlook), Xiuhtecutli 864, Ricardo Treviño. Glass decked observation platform that gives you views of the valley, the Popocateptl volcano in the distance, and gives you a bit of vertigo to go with the views. Good place for shutterbugs. Free. 

Do

Stairs to Cerro de San Miguel

• 1 Cerro de San Miguel. In the middle of town is a high hill topped with an old yellow-colored chapel. It's a brisk 20-minute stair climb and hike to get there from downtown, and it makes for a great morning workout. You'll be rewarded with the town's best views (including the nearby Popocatapetl volcano). 

• Sky Dive Puebla, Aerodromo Atlixco, Calle 6 Sur. Take your choice of two different tandem dives: (1) jump at 15,000 feet for 20 seconds of free fall, or (2) jump at 17,000 feet for 60 seconds of free fall. Course instruction also offered if you decide to make a practice of jumping out of perfectly good airplanes. M$2600 (20-second free fall). 

• El Huey Atlixcayotl is the town's most famous festival. It's an opportunity to bring together people from across Puebla to sing, dance, and elect one lucky lady from among the different regions to be the Xochicíhuatl (Mujer Flor).

• Day of the Dead is taken seriously in Atlixco. The Desfile de Calaveras is one of the most colorful and popular Day of the Dead parades and if you want, you can stay up all night to watch locals create elaborate carpets of flowers. At a glance, these might look like the tapetes created in other towns, but you want find colored sawdust or grains used to make tapetes in Atlixco! No sir, this is the town of flowers!
• 2 Balneario Las Palmas, Carr. Federal Puebla - Atlixco 300-Km. 24, Tehuixtango, ☏ +52 244 445 7622. W-M 10:00 - 18:00, closed Tu. Small, local aquatic park with 3 cold-water pools. Grills available. Camping available. M$60. (updated May 2024)

Buy

• 1 Mercado Benito Juarez, Av. Independencia 315, Centro. 08:00 - 20:00. This is the town's main marketplace. Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, household items, and more. Best place in town to get great street food that represents local cuisines at very affordable prices. (updated May 2023)

Eat

Atlixco holds the world's record for the largest chile en nogada ever made (measuring 2.6 meters by 90 cm). Atsa spicy chile!

• 1 La Perla, Hidalgo 5, Centro, ☏ +52 244 445 0219. 09:00 - 21:00. Long-established traditional seafood restaurant in the heart of downtown. M$200. (updated May 2023)
• 2 La Capilla, Esq. Independencia y La Paz. 08:00 - 18:00. Small cozy restaurant serving traditional Mexican cuisine. (updated May 2023)
• 3 Enchiladas Lolita, C. 3 Pte. 304 A, Centro. 09:00 - 18:00. Casual restaurant with regional cuisine. Mole seems to be the specialty and goes with everything. (updated May 2023)

Drink

• 1 Cerveceria Don Goyo, Av Hidalgo 2919, Solares Grandes, ☏ +52 244 100 5510. 10:00 - 19:00. Small craft brewery producing a variety of beer styles and flavors. Beers include a brown ale, a radler, a mezcal brown ale, and a blackberry ale, but the offerings change regularly so expect a different mix of flavors of styles. (updated May 2023)

Sleep

• 1 Las Calandrias de Atlixco, Carr. Puebla Izucar de Matamoros Km. 5, ☏ +52 244 446 2020. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. High-end boutique hotel that combines traditional decor with modern facilities. Spacious rooms, quiet, comfortable. Manicured gardens with swimming pools. Popular place for weddings and social events. M$3000. (updated May 2023)
• 2 Posada Los Faroles Atlixco, C. Degollado 317, Centro, ☏ +52 244 118 6335. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Moderate hostal style place with private rooms and shared bathrooms. Rooms are spacious, clean and comfortable. Good value for budget travelers. M$580. (updated May 2023)
• 3 Mansion del Conde, Hidalgo 3, Centro, ☏ +52 244 446 6104. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Boutique hotel with rooftop garden and pool. On-site restaurant open 24 hours. Comfortable, quiet rooms. M$2000. (updated May 2023)
• 4 Luna Canela, Camino al Cerril s/n, La Cabrera, ☏ +52 244 103 2186. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Upscale hotel with spacious rooms and a well-manicured garden. On-site restaurant and bar. On-site spa services. M$2000. (updated May 2024)

Go next

• Puebla is 30 minutes away