Cholula

What Makes It Magical

It’s the city of two towns—San Pedro and San Andrés—and one volcano: Popocatepetl. As if wanting to reach the heights of that snow-capped giant, there’s Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, the church with its tiled copulas erected by the Spanish in the 16th century. It is situated right on top of the Great Pyramid. The foundation now looks more like a hill than an archeological site. Below, the days, people, and life itself come and go.

Why You Should Go

The Pyramid with a Church on Top

• Cholula’s Gran Pirámide (Great Pyramid) is nearly 200 feet tall and 1,312 feet across.
• Comprised of superimposed structures, it’s one of the largest pyramid foundations in the world.
• The site museum, a 919-foot-long tunnel on the inside, and two ceremonial courtyards are all worth checking out.
• Franciscan monks erected Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios at the top of the pyramid.

At the Very Least

Check out the pyramid’s mural paintings, such as Los Bebedoresand Los Chapulines.

Don’t Miss

1. Climbing up to Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios for the view of the city and the Popocatepetl volcano.
2. Seeing the main squares of both sibling towns of San Pedro and San Andrés.
3. Exploring the handicrafts shops and tiny, plant-filled cafés.