{"id":2733,"date":"2019-04-24T14:24:50","date_gmt":"2019-04-24T14:24:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/com.sx-magazine-wp.sixt.io\/magazine\/?p=2733"},"modified":"2020-10-12T10:43:58","modified_gmt":"2020-10-12T10:43:58","slug":"best-small-towns-near-mexico-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-near-mexico-city\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 5 Small Towns Near Mexico City"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Mexico City is high altitude and high energy but if you need to relax there are many equally compelling small towns nearby that will leave you just as captivated. We have picked&nbsp;five&nbsp;small towns near <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/car-rental\/mexico\/mexico-city\/\">Mexico City<\/a> that offer excellent cultural attractions, astounding architecture and a perhaps&nbsp;a&nbsp;more tranquil vacation. They are also nestled in scenically beautiful natural surroundings.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>1. Valle de Bravo<\/b>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<p>This upscale weekend getaway town is situated on Lake&nbsp;Av\u00e1ndaro&nbsp;in mountains and pine forests. The lake is popular for watersports and the boardwalk is alive with bars and restaurants. The colonial-era town features cobbled streets and 17th-century churches. Surrounded by mountains, there are many outdoor activities in the surrounding landscape and waterfalls such as the&nbsp;Velo&nbsp;de Novia. You can reach this mountain paradise&nbsp;with a drive of about&nbsp;two&nbsp;hours from Mexico City, 83 miles to the west.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2735\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2735\" style=\"width: 1139px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2735 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/com.sx-magazine-wp.sixt.io\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Valle-de-Bravo.jpg\" alt=\"Valle de Bravo waterfall\" width=\"1139\" height=\"727\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Valle-de-Bravo.jpg 1139w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Valle-de-Bravo-300x191.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Valle-de-Bravo-768x490.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Valle-de-Bravo-1024x654.jpg 1024w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1139px) 100vw, 1139px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1139px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1139\/727;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2735\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The waterfall outside Valle de Bravo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><b>2. Tequisquiapan<\/b>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<p>This pink, neoclassical spa town is another popular retreat from Mexico City&nbsp;among the locals. The thermal springs attract many visitors,&nbsp;but it is also a great place to pick up crafts; the market is known for its hand-woven baskets. La Pila Park is a picturesque green space in the center of the city that also hosts popular wine and cheese events.&nbsp;Tequisquiapan&nbsp;is 110 miles northwest of Mexico City and you can reach the town in&nbsp;about&nbsp;2 hours on the Mexico 57N highway.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>3. Chignahuapan<\/b>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<p>Chignahuapan&nbsp;is another beautiful spa town surrounded by stunning natural beauty. The forests surrounding the town feature many hiking trails. It\u2019s&nbsp;highly recommended&nbsp;to take&nbsp;the short drive slightly north to visit both the Cascada de&nbsp;Quetzalapan&nbsp;and Cascades&nbsp;Tuliman, large waterfalls in stunning settings. To reach&nbsp;Chignahuapan&nbsp;from Mexico City take the Mexico 136&nbsp;highway east&nbsp;for just over 100 miles.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>4. Cholula<\/b>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<p>The drive to Cholula, east&nbsp;of&nbsp;Mexico City, is incredibly scenic,&nbsp;passing mountains and forests. Cholula is the oldest inhabited city in the Americas and features an ancient pyramid as well as the&nbsp;Church of Our Lady of Remedies. The site is also in the shadow of the Iztacc\u00edhuatl y Popocat\u00e9petl volcanoes, offering spectacular views. The Great Pyramid of Cholula is the largest pyramid in the world and much of the structure is visible thanks to archeological work on the site.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2736\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2736\" style=\"width: 1140px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2736 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/com.sx-magazine-wp.sixt.io\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Cholula.jpg\" alt=\"View of Cholula\" width=\"1140\" height=\"727\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Cholula.jpg 1140w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Cholula-300x191.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Cholula-768x490.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Cholula-1024x653.jpg 1024w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1140px) 100vw, 1140px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1140px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1140\/727;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2736\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The town of Cholula<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><b>5. Bernal<\/b>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<p>Bernal is an incredibly beautiful town in the Mexican state of Quer\u00e9taro around 2.5 hours\u2019&nbsp;drive from Mexico City. The town is dominated by the tallest monolith in the world:&nbsp;the Pe\u00f1a de Bernal. There are hiking trails around the rock with some visitors making pilgrimages to the small chapel located on the summit. The town itself is one of Mexico\u2019s magical towns and was founded in 1642. We also recommend a trip to the Casa Museo del Dulce to learn about the history of the town and stock up on traditional candy.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2737\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2737\" style=\"width: 1140px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2737 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/com.sx-magazine-wp.sixt.io\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Bernal.jpg\" alt=\"Pena de Bernal monolith\" width=\"1140\" height=\"641\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Bernal.jpg 1140w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Bernal-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Bernal-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/Bernal-1024x576.jpg 1024w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1140px) 100vw, 1140px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1140px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1140\/641;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2737\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A view of the Pe\u00f1a de Bernal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mexico City is high altitude and high energy but if you need to relax there are many equally compelling small towns nearby that will leave you just as captivated. We have picked&nbsp;five&nbsp;small towns near Mexico City that offer excellent cultural attractions, astounding architecture and a perhaps&nbsp;a&nbsp;more tranquil vacation. They are also nestled in scenically beautiful&#8230;<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":2737,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2733","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-travel","8":"entry"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Top 5 Small Towns Near Mexico City | SIXT rent a car 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