Pueblos Magicos Fall Tour 2025

Diary 6

  In fairly quick succession I had been through blistering heat in Tabasco, a few chilly nights and mornings in San Cristóbal de las Casas, then some more uncomfortable heat in Chiapa de Corzo. My next destination was back in mountainous central Mexico, which is generally very pleasant in October. I failed to check out the weather in Huamantla, much less its elevation which happens to be 1,000 feet (300 meters) higher than Mexico City. Thus it turned out to be reminiscent of some of my past experiences in the highlands of Hidalgo state, meaning damned cold at night. In retrospect I would have gone there anyway, despite passing two quite uncomfortable nights.

   There are a number of Pueblos Mágicos that serve as weekend and holiday retreats from the large cities of Mexico. Huamantla, less than an hour bus ride from Puebla in the tiny state of Tlaxcala, is one of them. The town profits from its situation standing in the shadow of La Malinche National Park, one of the many majestic volcanoes in this central region. It is named for the indigenous woman who was the consort of and translator for Cortez during the Conquest. As such history sometimes reviles her as a traitor, while other sources portray her as a victim.

   With or without the great view, Huamantla is a beautiful town and well justifies its status as a getaway. The Centro is full of color and it was even more so during my visit which coincided with Dia de Muertos, Day of the Dead Week. Just walking around was a great pleasure even if there was not that much particularly special to visit. One of the days I took a colectivo to the village of Altamira on the outskirts of the national park and enjoyed a brisk hike through the pine forests in the crisp mountain air. Unfortunately there was no public transportation to the summit where I could have enjoyed some expansive views. The other day I mostly hung out enjoyably. Everything was cheap. A glass of fresh squeezed orange juice after my hike ran 35 pesos. Later I pigged out on an expansive buffet for 110.

   My hotel was a curiosity. A bit more expensive than many of the others I had stayed in on this trip, perhaps more typical of a resort town, it had some strong pluses and a couple of minuses. One of these was an erratic Wi-Fi. The other was more painful. There was only one not very thick blanket on the bed. I asked for and received another, but it still offered little protection from the frigidity of the room. I did not sleep well either night. One plus was a very good courtesy full breakfast in the attached cafe. Another was an onsite gym which I didn’t use. But the other perk I most definitely did.

   In the back of the place were a group of individual steam rooms. I picked one and entered an antechamber where I shed my clothes. Behind that was the steam room itself which was equipped with a shower. There was also an adjustable valve with which I could control the release of steam. Turned completely open, the space filled up very quickly. What a pleasure this was, particularly in the evening, considering the cold climate. I went three times. Outsiders wanting to utilize this complex paid 400 pesos. 

  There is another possible attraction related to a visit to Huamantla, though just for once I am not sure what to say about it. Less than 30 minutes away on the Puebla road is the Magic Town of Ixtenco one of the 45 new ones dropped by the Mexican Tourism office in the summer of 2023. After checking it out on Google and YouTube, I made an abbreviated visit while in the area. Why abbreviated. Even the official literature says that it is a relatively poor town. There is nothing much in the way of standard tourist infrastructure, a couple of old buildings and churches in terms of architecture. To me it seemed liked a typical, unassuming country town. One of the main attractions some ways out was a historical hacienda, or more properly, the ruins of it. I saw it on the video and not being much for old rocks anymore, that was enough.

  It appears that the reason Ixtenco is a Pueblo Mágico is that it is a center for the preservation of ancient Otomi culture, agricultural practice, and unusual gastronomy. All that my be very interesting to a specialist, but for a drop in a visitor is unlikely to get any sense of it without a more extended stay, and of course passable Spanish. So for me, it will be one of the places I just passed through.

  Huamantla is a perfect example of why I care about making more known about the Pueblo Mágico project. It is very easily accessible from the city of Puebla which is one of the places in central Mexico which is frequently visited by foreign tourists. It is a lovely town well worth a stay, if a bit shivery at night. And yet how many foreign faces did I pick out in my two days there? Not a single solitary one.