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The northern Sierra de Puebla is distinguished by its beautiful and natural green landscapes of warm and humid environment, symbolic attributes, legends, history, important facts, in short, people who has an extensive cultural and gastronomic wealth emanating daily life of its inhabitants and customs.

If we want to know about flavors and colors, the Sierra Norte has a lot to offer. The state of Puebla has seven magical towns of which 6 are located in the Sierra Norte, characterize towns which many of the traditions and celebrities who represent us as Mexicans are concentrated.

CHOLULA

Cholula is a municipality in the state of Puebla and is located 22 kilometers from this city. Its name comes from the Nahuatl language and means water that falls in place of escape; the town was founded before the Spanish conquest in 1557, being an important religious center Quetzalcoat worshiped him, here people from all over the Valle de Anahuac met.

Photography by Elizabeth

Tourist Attractions

Guerrero Portal: Is located in front of the Zocalo of the city, there you will find the typical traditional portals of the colonial cities that were built in 1573. With a total of 46 arches, being the longest of its kind in the country, with 170 meters long, under which you can walk or take a break in your visit to Cholula, in addition, you will find all kinds of shops specially those involved in tourism, such as restaurants, hotels and crafts.

Location: Zona Centro, in front of Plaza de la Concordia Cholula, Puebla

Casa del Caballero Aguila: In front of the old pre-Hispanic place is located, there you will find the oldest civil building that still exists in the city. Built in the XVI century, contains in its exterior two outside stone reliefs carved by indigenous hands on the doorframe. Formerly it was a home, then business locals then to be a neighborhood. It was eventually rescued and now houses the Museum of the City of San Pedro Cholula.

Location: 4 Oriente corner with 5 de mayo in front of the main square Cholula, Puebla.

Convento de San Gabriel Arcangel: It is one of the oldest temples in the city of Cholula, was founded before the year 1529 on a land where it stood at temple dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. Located on the Plaza de la Concordia, this magnificent building has Gothic and Plateresque elements, was built by indigenous hands. To the left is a chapel unique Moorish style in the country, which is known as Capilla Real.

Location: 2a. Norte No. 4, In front of Centre Cholula, Puebla

Talavera de la Reyna: The Alarca Museum dating from the XVI century and features a collection of 300 works of contemporary art in Talavera such as: tiles, plates, vases, murals, vases, to name a fraction.

Address: Road to Carcaña No. 2413, Recta a Cholula 200 meters before reaching Periferico Ecologico Cholula, Puebla

Museo vivo de la Sidra la Barrica: In Cholula the famous Copa de Oro cider is made, moreover, that in the museum want to convey passion for what they do through its history and vision. You can also take a tour in the winery where house the apple juice to finish a lounge where you can taste the local products. It is certainly a unique place in Cholula where you can learn, eat and drink during your visit place.

Location: 3 Sur No. 904, 5 blocks from the main square Cholula, Puebla

Container City: A major architectural concept, Container City is a city of containers, you will find art galleries, restaurants, bars, cafes, vintage shops and much more. They were reused maritime containers and other recycled materials, a very original concept designed by Gabriel Esper Caram where you will find innovative proposals regarding fashion, food, music and design.

Location: 12 Oriente No.9 corner with 2 Norte, 3 blocks from the Archaeological Zone of Cholula, Puebla

Archaeological Zone of Cholula: Tlachihualtepetl means "hill made ​​by hand ', which is also known as the Great Pyramid of Cholula. It is the world's largest pyramidal base with more than 400 meters per side, although not the highest it has 65 meters high. The pyramid is dedicated to the rain God: Chiconquiahuitl also can observe two important murals: the drinkers and the grasshoppers.

Address: Av. Morelos corner with 8 Norte, 6 blocks from the center Cholula, Puebla

The Ethnobotanical Garden: is a research center where various plants that have been used by humans through the centuries are collected. The Ethnobotanical Garden is divided into five thematic gardens you can visit, explore and learn about their uses. A favorite is the Garden Culinary where you have the opportunity to taste and smell a lot of edible plants.

You can find guided tours and workshops for all visitors intending to learn a little more about the importance of plants found in the Ethnobotanical Garden.

Location: 2 Sur # 1700, San Andres Cholula, Puebla

Santa Maria Tontantzintla: The importance of this church is that it was the only temple of Franciscans who allowed the Indians could translate their artistic and religious ideas, for that occupied the dome of the chapel, which is full of Gods and indigenous faces . It is the third most visited temple of Puebla and the only one in which indigenous religious beliefs still prevailed on the Spanish domination, for this reason was declared a historic monument on November 11, 1933.

Location: Reforma Norte (16 de Septiembre), San Andrés Cholula, Puebla

Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios: This church was built in 1594 for the Virgen de los Remedios. Inside has an amazing altar to the neoclassical style that matches the rest of the decor, the sanctuary is located at the base of the Great Pyramid of Cholula, an archaeological relic that gives a magical touch.

Location: 14 Poniente (5 Norte), 72760 San Pedro Cholula, Puebla.

ATLIXCO

Atlixco is a city which is located in the state of Puebla just hours from Mexico City. The history of this place goes back to pre-Hispanic times when some groups of indigenous and chichimecas otomangueana settled in the area. The main attractions of Atlixco and surrounding concentrate on its splendid civil and religious architecture, streets decorated with flowers, traditions, food and flowers are just a little of what we find in Atlixco.

Photography by Juan Trujillo

Tourist Attractions

Cerro de San Miguel: It is known as Popocatica which means "hill that smokes" or Macuilxochitpec "hill of the five flowers" this is the place where the maximum Atlixco party takes place which take place the last Sunday of September and for representatives of eleven cultural regions of Puebla met.

Location: Circunvalación Quetzalcoatl s / n Atlixco, Puebla.

Chapel of the Third Order: built between the XVII and XVIII centuries by the Franciscan Third Order, the cover is of a baroque style. Indian labor in construction is evident to be its facade decorated with mortar. It will also see the sculptures of San Pedro, San Pablo, San Antonio de Padua and San Francisco de Asis.

Location: 16 de Septiembre 6 s / n, two blocks from the Zocalo Atlixco, Puebla.

Ex convento del Carmen: built between 1600 and 1620 it limits a huge fence that covers about two blocks away and is a clear example of the baroque style of the time. Now it is known as the Carmen Cultural Centre and houses a small archaeological museum.

Address: 4 Norte. No. 202, one block from the Zocalo Atlixco, Puebla.

Huey Atlixcáyotl: It's the biggest party of Atlixco and the second largest nationwide. In this event the ethnic groups of the different states of the republic are met together to give us a more clear teaching of how to dress, talk, sing. Traditions and dances representing gratitude to nature for the benefits accruing from it.

Convent and Church of “La Merced”: in the year 1613 this construction is founded by religious mercenaries, the facade is an original baroque work of Atlixco, it dates to the early XVIII century, and the door has an arch lobed with a beautiful decoration. Inside the church it is of a single ship with cruise and dome at the intersection, in addition to preserving oil paintings of the XVII and XVIII centuries.

Hospital of San Juan de Dios: It was the first hospital in Atlixco built in the late XVI century, after the XVIII century passed into the hands of the friars of San Juan de Dios. The central patio features nice garden with an octagonal fountain.

Nurseries Cabrera: In Cabrera colony is a lot of producers of flowers and nursery plants, which has 300 thousand square meters of roofed by flower and with over 500 thousand square meters open pit areas.

CUETZALAN

Located in Sierra Norte, founded by the Totonacos, Cuetzalan is considered the first magical town of Puebla, town where you can still observe the development of Indian life which still manifests itself in many of its inhabitants. We can observe traditional clothing in most of their women, clothing made ​​of white cotton, rayon yarn and wool garments made ​​in loom as blankets, shawls, ponchos, cambayas, curtains and shawls; a welcoming place, which is hard to say goodbye.

Cuetzalan offers a diverse cuisine, which you can not leave without trying the delicious and typical tlacoyos cooked with dough based of alberjón cooked, avocado leaves and green chili, fried with butter flavored with cheese, onion and sauce or mushroom soup, a chilpozonte (mole de olla), acamayas (crustacean region) freshly extracted from nearby rivers and cooked in garlic and of course the drink of the region: the Yolixpa, is a composite of 23 herbs like mint, sage, thyme, oregano, including with brandy.

Photography by Adoraim Sandoval Rosas

Tourist Attractions

The archaeological site of Yohualichan: an ancient ceremonial center of the Totonac culture.

Botanical garden Xoxoctic : You can admire orchids, ferns, medicinal plants and a butterfly.

In Cuetzalan stand out constructions like the Parish of San Francisco de Asis, one of the main buildings of colonial style, built in the 17 century. In the forecourt of the parish is a wooden stick large who use the flying dancers every Sunday called "hombres pajaro" totonacos own dance rituals.

The sanctuary of Guadalupe: A neo-Gothic building, built in the late XIX century, inspired by the Basilica of Lourdes in France. It is known as the church of the "Jarritos" because its tower is decorated with small earthenware jugs. One of the most striking parts of this building is the bell tower as it has spun the pots inside can be seen through the pulpit, carved in woods by the Lord Jesus Mora, cabinetmaker from the community.

Ethnographic Museum Calmahuistic: Typical objects of the inhabitants of the region, as everyday clothing, handicrafts and weaving, as well as archaeological site Yohualichan are exhibited, as well as photographs and documents, the museum is located inside the house culture.

Craft Market Matachiujs: Diversity of objects are exhibited, such as hats and baskets to pottery, wooden miniatures and cloth, as well as traditional clothing, furniture, cedar crosses, drums, teponaxtles, rattles, flutes, violins and masks . In villages near Cuetzalan you can visit waterfalls, lakes, caves, rivers; and practicing the rappel.

CHIGNAHUAPAN

Chignahuapan, from Nahuatl Chicnahui, which means nine; atl, that means water; and suffix pan which means about; It means about nine waters. It is one of the magical towns of the State of Puebla found in the Sierra Norte de Puebla.

Photography by Adoraim Sandoval Rosas

Tourist attractions

Chignahuapan parade: A cozy space that has in the center of the square a beautiful Moorish-style kiosk, built entirely with fine woods.

La Basílica de la Inmaculada Concepcion: a building with contemporary architecture, one of the main attractions of the Basilica is a monumental sculpture of 14 meters of Virgen Maria, carved cedar wood by sculptor José Luis Silva, also crown virgin is bathed in gold.

Chignahuapan to be located in the northern highlands have different lakes, rivers and waterfalls as it is the main lagoon Chignahuapan which is 5 minutes from the center of the city, a good option to enjoy nature .In this great place there are some hot springs, this refers to the mineral waters coming out of the ground more than 5 ° C surface temperature.

Tenextla thermal baths: they are located in a corner surrounded by greenery, where spring water flows at an initial temperature of 51 degrees Celsius, which then comes to the pools at a temperature between 25 and 38 degrees Celsius.

Last but not least, visit one of the workshops of spheres will be indispensable. Chignahuapan is distinguished by its production of Christmas spheres, spheres that are made ​​from blown glass, which start to create an endless number of figures with Christmas spheres.