For these vacations we recommend you visit one of the wonderful ” magical towns ” that Mexico hides, Tecozautla, in the State of Hidalgo, a paradisiacal place in nature that stands out for its beauty, its spas, its people and its great location.
You will find that Tecozautla is a tourist place like no other, since with its colonial buildings, its narrow streets, the municipal clock and the stone tower from the beginning of the 20th century, it represents a great experience that you cannot miss.
So join us throughout this guide, in which we will talk about the best that Tecozautla has to offer you during your visit, from its landscapes, its food and its people, to its attractions, hotels and places of interest.
What is the history of Tecozautla?
The meaning of the name of this magical town, Tecozautla, comes from the Nahuatl tetl “stone”, cozauqui “yellow thing” and tla “place of”, together being “Place where yellow stone abounds”.
In the area of this municipality, various migrants from the destroyed Toltec civilization settled between the years 730 and 740 AD. They built a great wall, which served to defend themselves against the attacks of the Chichimecas.
In 1551 the territory suffered the arrival of the Spaniards, seeing the Otomi and Chichimecas who inhabited the region subjugated. At the same time, the process of evangelization began by the Franciscan missionaries.
During the fight for the Independence of Mexico, Tecozautla contributed a large number of brave men, like many other towns, who fought for the country’s freedom.
How do you get to Tecozautla?
Tecozautla is limited to the north by the municipality of Zimapán and the State of Guerrero, to the south by the municipality of Huichapan, to the west by the State of Querétaro, and to the east by the municipalities of Tasquillo and Alfajayucan.
The climate you will find is of the dry temperate type, with an average annual temperature of 19.2 degrees Celsius.
To get there from Mexico City you can go to the Central de Autobuses del Norte and purchase your ticket on the Estrella Blanca line, heading to Tecozautla. There are departures every hour from 4:45 am to 7:30 pm. The ticket costs approximately $170.
If you travel from Pachuca you must purchase a ticket for the Estrella Blanca line to Huichapan Hidalgo, to transfer on the same line to Tecozautla. There are departures every hour and the approximate price of the ticket is $110 to Huichapan and $23 to Tecozautla.
If your departure is from Querétaro, you must buy a ticket on the Flecha Azul line to Tequisquiapan, transferring to the Corsarios Rojos line towards Tecozautla.
If you travel by car from Mexico City, you must take highway 57 to Querétaro, and when you reach kilometer 107 take the deviation towards Huichapan and from there to Tecozautla, this being the shortest route.
What are the tourist attractions in Tecozautla?
This wonderful magical town has various attractions, both natural and man-made, from its beautiful landscapes, its hot springs, its buildings and the archaeological site.
Starting with a unique natural geyser in the country, which offers an impressive view with its column of steam rising, with a temperature of 95 degrees. This geyser has been used by the locals to offer you a wonderful spa with thermal water pools.
You will find this spa, called Balneario Spa El Geiser, located in the Uxdejhé geothermal area. The site has swimming pools, palapas to relax, restaurant service, a decoration of hanging bridges and waterfalls and a camping area with a hotel and cabins.
Moving on to something more archaeological in your visit, we recommend you go to the Pahñu Archaeological Site, which is an area of pre-Hispanic origin located in the northwestern part of Tecozautla, above a hill in the plateaus.
The area was a commercial axis for the inhabitants of Teotihuacan, due to its strategic location. The constructions that you will be able to observe are of Otomí origin, highlighting the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of Tlaloc.
This archaeological zone has a semi-desert environment and is directly under the sun’s rays, so we recommend you bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, as well as a bottle of water.
Another place that you cannot miss is Banzhá, where there are some cave paintings that will tell you about the nomadic groups that crossed the area. In these paintings you will observe human, animal and circular figures.
The most symbolic scene of these paintings is that of a snake, around which 13 human figures are dancing, with red and white tones.
A building of great interest and that we recommend you visit is the Torreón de Tecozautla, a symbol of the inhabitants of the town and that will tell you about the historical and cultural heritage of the region.
This tower was built during the time of Porfirio Díaz, with a neoclassical style, the first stone being laid in 1904, and today it is a very important architectural jewel.
What festivities can be witnessed in Tecozautla?
You can enjoy various celebrations and parties in Tecozautla, depending on the date of your visit.
In the month of July, on the 25th, the Fruit Fair is held, as a sign of worship towards Santiago Apóstol, the Patron Saint of the Church, and in which the various fruits of the town are harvested in his honor. .
In this fair you can witness artistic and cultural events, in addition to the beautiful decoration of the Parroquia de Santiago Apóstol. At night you will marvel at the fireworks that illuminate the sky in many colors.
If you go during the month of February, in Tecozautla the Carnival of the town is held, unique in its kind, in which pre-Hispanic and European cultures merge, with a religious sense and that preserves Otomi elements.
During this celebration you will be able to observe the various dresses with mirrors, ribbons, capes, scarves, masks, as well as a great variety of dances and endless music.
On December 12, a religious celebration is held with pilgrimages and a solemn mass, very important in the town’s tradition. From this date the traditional posadas are held, with piñatas, dinners, births and dances.
What restaurants are recommended to visit?
There are several restaurants and places to eat, many of which have traditional characteristics that symbolize the beauty of Tecozautla.
Representative of the gastronomy of Tecozautla, are the rich chicken and potato boats that you can find at night in the portals of the town center, as well as green or red mole with ranch chicken or turkey, the escamoles, which are larvae of ants and that are considered a luxury food in Mexico, in addition to mesquite and maguey worms.
On Thursdays, market days are held in the center of town, and here you can find lamb and goat barbecue, with consommé and often in green or red chili.
Other highly recommended places are El Claustro, where you can enjoy a delicious flank steak in an atmosphere of stories and tranquility; and the Isla de Java Seafood Restaurant, with delicious cocktails, steaks, broths, and fish and shellfish toasts.
Near the Plaza de la Constitución in Tecozautla is Barbacoa Don Pino, a place that offers you delicious barbecue in the best style of the town. Nearby, in the portals of the plaza, you will find Carnitas Los Arcos, with excellent carnitas and pork rinds.
What are the cheapest hotels?
In Tecozautla there are numerous hotels and inns that will give you excellent views and that will accommodate your needs and budget.
The Hotel Tecozautla has rooms from $220 and is located just 3 blocks from the town’s Church. You will find it on Calle Mina No 12, in the center of Tecozautla. For more information, the contact telephone number is 01 (761) 733 5300.
At Hotel La Terracita you can find rooms from $400, and the place has Wi-Fi, a restaurant and a room for events. It is located at Calle Matias Rodriguez No 3 and the contact telephone number is 01 (761) 733 5017.
At the Villa de las Flores, Centenario and Posada Catita Hotels you can find rooms from $420. You will find the first two very close to the Tecozautla Center and the Posada Catita Hotel, 100 meters from the La Cruz spa.
Other options are the Hotel Real de Catalina, the Hotel Quinta La Escondida, the Hotel La Media Luna, the Hotel Calicanto, among many others whose costs and services vary.
Tecozautla is without a doubt a great town to visit, with its natural landscapes, its hot springs, its historical sites and of great cultural value, as well as its warm and friendly people.
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