Teúl de González Ortega

Portales Trinidad de Cervantes

Teúl is a small town with a long history in southwestern Zacatecas, Mexico. The town has been continuously occupied since 200 BC, though the history of its occupation is filled with holes and mystery. Visitors enjoy the colonial town center with its stone walls and cobblestone streets almost as much as they enjoy sampling the locally made mezcals. The town has been designated as one of Mexico's Pueblos Mágicos.

Understand

The town's official name is Teúl de González Ortega in honor of Jesus Gonzalez Ortega, a 19th century army general who was supposed to have succeeded Benito Juarez as president, but through nefarious political machinations, he was thwarted. Gonzalez Ortega was born in Zacatecas and is a former governor of the state. The town is quite small with a population of about 5,500 (2020).

Origins of Teul

At the time of the Spanish conquest, Teul was inhabited by the Caxcan indigenous people, though they inhabited the town only since the early 14th century. The original builders are not known, but are suspected to have been Chichimeca people who gave up their nomadic hunting lifestyle for a more settled, sedentary lifestyle.

Teúl Archaelogical Zone

Ruins of Teul

Looming over the town is the Cerro de Teúl, a large rounded hill on which the ancient ruins sit. Although the site covers an area of 150 hectares, only 6 hectares have been explored, documented, and opened to the public. The site is thought to have been a manufacturing center, primarily producing copper.

The site includes two pyramids, a ballcourt, a circular altar, and a sunken patio area with several burial sites. The most significant structure is an intact copper smelter built of stone and masonry which has been dated at 800 years old. The site is administered by INAH and an app for the site is downloadable for Android phones.

Get in

By bus

From Guadalajara, Rojo Altos (an Estrella Blanca bus line) operates 4 buses per day to Teúl. Other bus lines serve the town less frequently. It is a 2-1/2 hour trip from Guadalajara and tickets start at M$160.

• 1 Terminal de Autobuses, Av. Reforma (corner of Reforma and Calle Constitucion). Daily 06:30 - 20:30. Small terminal with frequent arriving and departing buses. (updated Jan 2024)

By car

It is 2-1/2 hours by car from Guadalajara to Teul. From the north side of Guadalajara, go north on federal highway MEX-23 for 125 km.

See

Nave inside San Juan Bautista church

• 1 Plaza de Abajo, Av. Reforma y Manuel Calocva. The town's large, open main square (zocalo) hosts parties on town festival days and lots of pedestrians and pigeons every other day. 
• 2 Plaza de Armas, Sector Melchor Ocampo. Central plaza with a fountain, bandstand and iron benches for resting under the shade of the towering palm trees. Beautiful public space bordering the town's famous arches, Portales Trinidad de Cervantes. 
• 3 Parroquia San Juan Bautista (St John the Baptist Chuch), Calle Constitucion. The oldest church in town was built in the 18th century in a neoclassic style with a gothic tower, eleborate carved wooden door and a chapel inside housing the remains of two martyrs. (updated Jan 2024)
• 4 Museo de Historia, Francisco I. Madero 12. Small but informative regional history museum chronicling the stories of Teul and its people. Several artifacts from the nearby archaeological site. (updated Jan 2024)

Do

There are two lakes near the town providing opportunites for boating and fishing.

Buy

Locally made handcrafts include jewelry and several kinds of pottery. The most unusual artesanal crafts are the hand-carved wooden masks, made of copal or pine, that are prepared for local folk dances.

Eat

• 1 Hoja de Roble, Niños Héroes #10, ☏ +52 467 105 5600. Daily 08:30 - 18:30. Traditional restaurant in the center of town, good food, accepts credit cards. M$200. 
• 2 Los Jorges, Libramiento Sur No. 10, ☏ +52 467 952 7156. Daily 08:30 - 23:00. Comfortable traditional restaurant on the main highway. Chamorro is highly recommended. M$200. 
• 3 Bahia, Libramiento Ote. 10, ☏ +52 467 102 3206. Daily 09:00 - 21:00. Clean, modern bar and grill serving good burgers. M$150. 

Drink

Seven distilleries in Teul make mezcal and fields of agave can be seen in the nearby countryside. Traditional silver (plata), rested (reposado), and aged (anejo) mezcals are available but some of the most interesting libations are the myriad flavors of cream mezcals. Popular flavors include coconut, coffee, almond, pineapple, and maracuya.

• 1 Mezcal Don Aurelia, MEX 23, ☏ +52 467 952 7745. Daily 08:00 - 20:00. Small distillery that offers tours to see how mezcal is produced. Clean modern shop sells a variety of straight mezcals as well as flavored cream mezcal. (updated Feb 2024)

Sleep

• 1 Hotel San Juan Bautista, Ignacio Allende 2, ☏ +52 467 952 7324. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Clean, comfortable rooms in a well-restored historic home with a beautiful courtyard. Off-street parking. 

• 2 Hotel Gonzalez, Benito Juarez 26, ☏ +52 467 100 8643. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Clean, comfortable basic accomodations. Friendly service, off-street parking, convenience store on site. M$600. 

• 3 Casa Posada Maria Carmen, Benito Juárez 8, Centro, ☏ +52 467 105 0019. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Clean, comfortable, unique rooms in a lovingly maintained historic home with period furnishings. Stone, wood and iron construction with plants filling the restaurant and courtyard. 

Connect

Cell phone coverage is reliable in Teul, but is mostly 4G. 5G service become available as you approach Guadalajara if you are driving south. WiFi service is provided at most hotels and restaurants.

Go next

• Tequila
• Guadalajara
• Aguascalientes