Huauchinango

What Makes It Magical

With its ever-present Cerro de Zempoala, in pre-Hispanic times, this Magical Town was a tributary of Texcoco until the fall of Tenochtitlan. It’s full of azaleas and, as you walk through Plaza de la Constitución, the aromas of roasted peanuts—sold by women wearing long nahuas (skirts) and embroidered blouses—fills the air. It’s surrounded by rivers and waterfalls, as well as quiet reservoirs full of trees and clouds reflected in the water.

Why You Should Go

The Surrounding Reservoirs

• President Porfirio Díaz inaugurated the Sistema Hidroeléctrico Necaxa. Four of the five dams in this hydroelectric system form part of the territory near Huauchinango.
• Presa Necaxa is the largest dam of them all, 6 miles to the northwest.
• A few scenes from the movie Tizoc were filmed at Presa Tenango, where you can go for a boat ride.
• The lone castle in the mist that makes up the landscape at Presa Nexapa.

At the Very Least

Try your luck with a fishing pole and your own patience at any of the reservoirs.

Don’t Miss

1. Taking a dip in the natural pools under the Totolapa and Salto Chico waterfalls.
2. Trying puñete and papatla tamales made in Cuacuila.
3. Shopping for ornamental plants at Mercado Isabel Díaz Castilla in Tenango de las Flores.