About Puebla
Puebla is located 50 miles southeast of Mexico City at an altitude of 7100 feet, in a broad valley bordered on the west by the Sierra Nevada and its legendary volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, and on the east by the Sierra Madre Oriental and its snow-capped volcano La Malinche.
Puebla preserves a strong colonial flavor. Over five hundred buildings and seventy churches, many in the Baroque style, have been beautifully restored in the city center, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. The folk Baroque flourishes in nearby villages, where churches reflect the syncretic forms that resulted from the meeting of indigenous and European cultures. Important pre-contact indigenous sites, including the pyramid of Cholula and the ceremonial center of Cacaxtla, are also nearby and open to the public.
Puebla has played a role the Mexican political and economic landscape since its establishment in 1531; here, the Cinco de Mayo battle was won against the invading French in 1862. The city is famous for its cuisine, including mole poblano, chiles en nogada, chalupas poblanas, and for its beautiful Talavera ceramics and glazed tiles, which grace tables and embellish facades, fountains and interior patios.
For a gallery of pictures of Puebla and its architectural treasures, as well as those of surrounding towns, click here: Images of Puebla
Weather
Daily and weekly forecast here.
April is warm during the day and cool in the evening. Sweaters, light jackets. It is unlikely to rain at this time of year, though not impossible.
Changing Money
ATM machines are everywhere. The Mexico City airport is a good place to change dollars, if you wish to do so. Non-Mexican credit cards are accepted virtually everywhere.
Cultural Riches
There will be regularly scheduled walking tours of the historic center of Puebla, and we also suggest that you visit to sites of interest outside of the city of Puebla. We will have a list of possibilities, bus schedules, and estimated prices in your registration materials. Among the sites of great historical and cultural interest near Puebla are the folk baroque village churches of Tonantzintla, Acatepec, and Tlaxcalancingo; the city of Cholula; and the archelogical site of Cacaxtla. Arrangements can also be made with recommended local drivers by the hour.
Guide Books
The best guidebook to the history, art and architecture of Mexico is The Blue Guide: Mexico, by John Collis and David M. Jones. The Michelin guide to Mexico gives you some an idea of what to see in Puebla, if not much information. There will be information on the city and environs included in your registration materials, as well.