Rooster99

Hi folks - we will be in Puebla 3 days and Oaxaca 5 late Oct/early Nov. We won't have a car but are happy to hire drivers & guides.

We definitely want to visit a Mezcal distillery or 2, preferable smaller, more traditional ones so recommendations for those would be appreciated. Plus we like to do 2-4 hr walking tours of cities the first day we get there. So far, along with the museums and other sites within each city we've also found mentions of trips to :

- Tula Tree
- Mitla
- Hierve de Agua
- Monte Alban
- Teotitlan
- Los Sampos weekend market
- Cholula (plus Church of San Francisco Acatepec and Templo de Santa María Tonantzintla )

We like history, art, food and the unusual/unique. Any recommendations for additional day trips and/or guides would be appreciated!

TIA - R

crellston

We seem to be following the same route. This October November will be our second trip to Puebla and Oaxaca. Last time in Oaxaca we just arranged a driver via our accommodation and he took us to all of those place with the exception of Monte Alban. He was very good and new where to go. I would use him again if only I had noted his contact details! I would ask your accommodation now as Dia del Muertos is a very busy time there and there may be supply issues with drivers and guides.

Some photos and detail from Oaxaca in our blog @ https://accidentalnomads.com/2019/03/06/oaxaca/

For Monte Alban we just got the standard minibus service there and back which worked well. Our nieces are going to be there. a couple of days ahead of us and I am trying to source a driver for them. If I have any luck, I will share here.

For Cholula we got one of the tour buses from downtown Puebla which also stopped at a few places of interest. It was a nice day but Cholula was little underwhelming. Hard to tell it was pyramid though the views of the volcano were good.

For a side trip this time, I think we will go to Atlixco , a Pueblo Magico about 4O mins away by bus. I a told it is a pretty town and nicer than Cholula and is where all the amrgolds are grown for Dia Del Muertos floats so should be pretty impressive at that time (plus my wife likes flowers )

mlgb

This time of year Calle de los Dulces in Puebla.

crellston

Left Puebla a few days ago and am now in Oaxaca. We visited both Cholula ( 2nd time) and Atlixco by Uber from Puebla. I can’t recommend Atlixco highly enough, Cholula not so much.

in Puebla itself, don’t miss the Museo Amporo, great museum and the view from the roof is incredible!

christym907

We are going to Puebla/Cholula in early Dec. I didn't think we'd like staying in Puebla that much so decided to stay in Cholula and to go Puebla and Atlixco as side trips. Now, seeing your post I'm second guessing that. Would you stay in Atlixco instead of Cholula? BTW, there is a fascinating series on Netflix right now called Ancient Apocalypse. One episode features the pyramid in Cholula. thanks for your perspective on where to base ourselves. We have hotel in Cholula but I think I can change it.

crellston

We left Puebla a week or so ago ( I will be posting about our time there on my trip report). Essentially, I would most definitely stay in Puebla. It has nicer hotels, bars and restaurants and much more to see and do. The only reason I can see to go to Cholula is for the “pyramid “ - really not that impressive. Atlixco is 49 mins from Puebla, Cholula, 30 mins. Easily done by public transport but we took the easy route and got Ubers to both.

mlgb

I agree the pyramid is not much to look at from the outside. It was closed to enter when I was there, but I never felt as if I missed much. For me the main attraction was that the tour included the two famous churches.

If you have time in Puebla, there are several small museums more worth visting than the pyramid and one that I missed which I would have included with more time (the Baroque one). It's also an interesting city to wander, with the many churches painted in different colors, workshops for Talavera and several famous streets near the center such as "Callejon de los Sapos" and "Calle de Los Dulces". I took a side wander outside of the center and all the way up to the Planetarium.

Puebla does have Uber, unlike Oaxaca.

christym907

thanks crellston and mlgb. I actually looked at our itinerary and we are staying two night in Atlixco! I may change our reservation in Cholula! Looking forward to your trip report. Rooster99: one of my favorite things to do in Oaxaca is to go on a "tour" with En Via Foundation. They are a micro-finance organization that helps women, mostly outside Oaxaca start their own companies to make rugs, tacos, really anything they want to do. It's a very impressive organization and I'm amazed at what they have accomplished.