Trips worth making from Puebla
The countryside around Puebla is one of its best assets, and a couple of these are genuinely worth building a day around. Ordered by value.
Cholula — 15 to 20 minutes
The easy winner and the one everyone should do. Home to the Great Pyramid of Cholula (Tlachihualtepetl), the largest by volume in the world, mostly buried under a grassy hill topped by the yellow church of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios. You can walk the excavated tunnels beneath it, climb to the church for clear Popocatépetl views on a good morning, and then drop into the town’s rooftop bars and the twin plazas. Getting there is a cheap Uber or a short colectivo ride. Half a day, more if you linger over lunch. Verdict: worth it, don’t skip. Full detail at Cholula.
Atlixco — about 45 minutes
A flower-growing town southwest of the city with a bright, walkable centre, a Sunday market, and the Cerro de San Miguel viewpoint over the valley. Calmer and more colorful than Puebla itself, at its best when the Villa Iluminada lights go up around Christmas or during the spring flower displays. Good for a slow lunch and an easy wander. Verdict: worth it if you want a gentler pace; skip if you’re tight on time. See Atlixco.
Cantona ruins — roughly 1.5 to 2 hours
A vast, little-visited pre-Hispanic city on a lava field to the northeast, with long paved causeways, dozens of ball courts and almost no other visitors. Genuinely rewarding if ruins are your thing, and you’ll often have the place nearly to yourself. But it’s a long drive with little else out there, best done with a car or tour. Verdict: worth it only for archaeology enthusiasts; skip otherwise.
Africam Safari — about 30 minutes
A drive-through safari park southeast of the city, a reliable hit with kids and a genuinely well-regarded conservation operation. Verdict: worth it if you’re traveling with children; skip if not.
Cuetzalan — about 3 hours
A misty highland Pueblo Mágico in the Sierra Norte, with a stone-street centre, a famous Sunday tianguis market, waterfalls and the Yohualichan ruins nearby. Beautiful, but the winding mountain drive makes it an overnight rather than a day trip, and the road can turn stomachs. Verdict: worth it, but save it for a longer stay, not a day out.
Honest take
If you only do one, make it Cholula — it’s close, cheap by Uber, and pairs a genuinely unique pyramid with the best volcano views near the city. Add Atlixco if you have a third day and want to slow down. The rest depend on your interests and your appetite for driving: Cantona for ruin hunters, Africam for families, Cuetzalan for a whole separate trip. Getting to any of them is easiest by car or app ride — see getting there and around.