28 Best Things To Do In Puebla, Mexico For 1-2 Days

History of Puebla

Puebla is a city with little indigenous history: it was built by the Spanish to connect their government of Vera Cruz with the capital of Mexico City. Designed and planned by the bishop (apparently based upon messages from angels, earning the nickname Puebla de los Angeles AKA City of the Angels), it’s an organised city built upon a grid of 100 blocks with many, many grand churches.

The other historic event that puts Puebla on the map is the Battle of Puebla in 1862 which saw the Mexican army defeat the French, under orders of Napoleon, who were trying to capture Mexico. They were defeated on the 5th of May or Cinco De Mayo, an event now celebrated annually in Puebla and the USA.

2. Take a free walking tour

I booked a fantastic free walking tour of Puebla with Estacion Mexico. It runs every day in English and Spanish from 11am and lasts 2.5 hours. Our guide was fantastic: entertaining and super knowledgeable!

Not only will you learn about the history of the city and tour the key things to do in Puebla, but you’ll also learn about the regional foods. We even got to try some samples of mole sauce!

3. Browse Parian Market

This colourful artisan market is one of the best places to visit in Puebla to shop for affordable souvenirs or browse and soak up the atmosphere. Interestingly, the name El Parian is not Spanish but a Filipino word adopted during Spanish colonial rule.

The market was still quiet when I walked through at 10am so you should visit after lunch for the best atmosphere. Don’t forget to haggle; the vendors expect it.

Just across the road from Parian Market is the Artist’s Quarter.

Here, small galleries display their work beside a cobbled courtyard. It’s a good spot for people-watching and wandering, especially on a sunny day. For a bohemian night and live music, visit Cafe Gallery Amparo from 8-11pm on Saturdays (entry 25 pesos).

Ornate, handpainted glazed ceramics from Puebla are famous around Mexico and the world. You’ll notice beautiful tiles on buildings in the city, earning it the nickname, ‘City of Tiles’.

Although Talavera pottery originated in Spain, Poblana Talavera has been mixed with prehispanic tradition and techniques practised before the arrival of the conquistadors. The land in Puebla is some of the most fertile in Mexico thanks to the volcanos surrounding the region, resulting in quality clay.

Shop for dishes, plates, vases and countless other Talavera items. There are lots of places to shop for Talavera in Puebla but you can’t do better than Uriarte Factory.

Remember to check for the four marks proving it’s real showing the name, factory and location. These are painted and sealed so that if the police (acting under the Mexican Talavera Regulatory Council) rub alcohol across the mark, it doesn’t come off. Vendors can be charged with 3-5 years in jail for selling fake Talavera!

6. Learn at the Amparo Museum

One of the best things to do in Puebla for history lovers is visit the Amparo Museum of Puebla. With over 3,500 items and exhibitions on ancient Mexican, pre-Hispanic culture, and Black history of Mexico, there’s a lot to learn.

I would point out that only about half the exhibits are in English. Entry is 35 pesos.

7. More museums in Puebla

Puebla is a cultural city with lots to learn about. A few museums to visit include:

Note – one Saturday, a month, the museums are free from 5-10pm. Check if your trip lines up!

• Revolution Museum – this preserved 19th-century house peppered with pellets was the site of the first battle of the 1910 Mexican Revolution. It’s worth a visit for those with a real interest in this period (and perhaps some pre-existing knowledge) as I found parts of this museum quite dry. Entry is 55 pesos.
• Museo Casa de Alfeñique – this unique Spanish house was built by the owner for his wife featuring a wedding cake-like structure on top. Inside is a small museum with art and artefacts.
• Museo Carolino – an art museum in a beautiful building with a tranquil cafe onsite. I was told it was free but found entry to be 100 pesos, perhaps because there was a Da Vinci exhibition on?
• Museo Casa del Mendrugo – this culture museum holds exhibits of pre-hispanic funeral rites, the remains of Chuchita (the oldest inhabitant of Puebla) and Talavera pottery, protected by UNESCO. Entry is 50 pesos or free on Wednesdays (and free if you eat in the restaurant).
• The museum next to Biblioteca Palafoxiana in Casa de la Cultura – I missed the name of this place but it’s a small, free museum displaying typical Poblano costumes and dress. One with a spectacular headpiece worn by men mimics the style and colour of a local bird.

What to do in Puebla for foodies? Gorge yourself senseless on sugar, of course!

Sweet shops run the length of Calle del Dulce (Sweet Street). They sell a selection of signature sweets so you’ll see the same offerings in each store.

You’ll also notice how cheap the prices are in Puebla. I bought a basket containing 12 or so little desserts for 30 pesos. If you’re looking for the best places in Puebla to pick up souvenirs, you’re onto a good one!

10. Go inside Puebla Cathedral

The second-largest cathedral in Mexico, after Mexico City Cathedral, is located in Puebla and took over 100 years to be built between 1575 and 1690. It was once the tallest cathedral in the country, but now it’s only the third tallest.

Around the gates can be found 58 cherub statues, a reference to the angles who allegedly helped the Spanish bishop design the city. The Cathedral dome is designed to look like the Church of St Peter in the Vatican.

This Roman Catholic church sits at the heart of the Zocalo, opening onto the large central plaza where locals sit and socialise. Visiting is one of the best things to do in Puebla whether or not you’re religious: it’s extremely impressive, laden with gold and other precious materials.

Once the richest city in the Americas, it’s little wonder that Puebla is awash with Catholic monuments. I’m not religious so I had no interest in visiting them ALL but, since they’re some of the top attractions in Puebla, it’s worth seeing a couple even if just from the outside.

Churches to visit in Puebla include:

• Templo de Santo Domingo – the Capilla del Rosario (above right) inside this 17th-century church is even more grand and gold-gilded than the cathedral. It’s worth peeking inside, and arriving there along 5 de Mayo street which is bustling with locals rather than tourists sightseeing.
• La Compañía – a few blocks from the Zocalo, this grand Jesuit church is dedicated to the Holy Spirit. A legend says it’s the final resting place of Catarina de San Juan, an Asian slave credited with inspiring the traditional China Poblana dress style for women in Puebla.
• Church of San Cristóbal – a grand yellow church with a beautiful tiled dome on Calle de Dulces. Sweets and culture in one place!
• Ex-convento de San Francisco de Puebla – a short walk from the city centre, this church is bright and colourful from the outside, unlike the dark stone Cathedral. It was the first convent in the city, built in 1730.

This beautiful callejon is one of the most attractive places in Puebla. Barrio de los Sapos translates as ‘place of the frogs’ referring to a time when the nearby river would flood, bringing amphibians to the barrio.

Today, it’s frog-free and lined with colourful houses. A tour guide explained that, in Puebla, you’re not allowed to paint your house the same colour as your neighbours. The residents of Frog Alley are certainly playing by the rules!

I found a lovely cafe with a balcony overlooking this street. An antique shop hides the entrance to Panalma but, after you’ve made your way up a gorgeous yellow staircase, you reach this peaceful hidden gem.

14. Stay for the weekend markets

What to do in Puebla on weekends? Well, Barrio de los Sapos and the surrounding streets come to life with antique markets. You can buy everything from genuine antiques to tourist souvenirs, jewellery and the like. It’s a lively place with many bargains to be found!

16. Ride the Teleférico

When it comes to Puebla sightseeing, you can’t do much better than drinking in panoramic views from a gondola-style cable car.

The teleférico is located away from Puebla centre past the neighbourhood of Xananetla. Head to Parque del Paseo del Teleférico and enjoy a 10-minute ride for just 50 pesos.

17. Explore the Historic Zone of the Forts

At the top of the hill reached by the Teleferico, you can explore this large green space home to many Puebla attractions like the Museum of Evolution, the Planetarium, Guadalupe Fort Museum and numerous historical monuments.

It would be easy to spend a whole day here, especially given the fantastic views over the city. There are several parks like Parque Lago de La Concordia where you can relax.

18. Estrella de Puebla

Although it’s further from the city, you may want to take a spin on this giant Ferris wheel. The views are impressive, plus you’ll glimpse the famous volcanos in the background.

Estrella de Puebla is located as far from the teleférico as you can get, closeby to Angelópolis Lifestyle Center Mall and Parque del Arte. It’s open from 11am on weekends and 3.30pm on weekdays, closing at 10pm.

If coming from central Puebla in a taxi, expect to pay around 60 pesos each way.

As you’re probably realising, many of the best things to do in Puebla revolve around food! Cemitas are similar to tortas but made with a type of bread popular in Puebla.

These Mexican sandwiches can be filled with a number of ingredients including quesillo (stringy cheese also sometimes known as Oaxaca cheese), milanesa, avocado and chipotle. You’ll find them all over the city but Cemitas y Tortas La Poblanita is an unbeatable spot.

Expect to pay 50-90 pesos.

One of the most popular attractions in Puebla is Biblioteca Palafoxiana, recognised by UNESCO as the oldest public library in the Americas.

If you’re a fan of history or literature, you can pop inside this decadent library home to 45,000 books. These range from the 15th to the 20th century but the library itself was built in 1646.

Entrance to Biblioteca Palafoxiana is 50 pesos or 30 for students. I wasn’t totally blown away and you’d be hard-pushed to spend more than 20 minutes here, but it’s an interesting thing to do in Puebla nonetheless. Find it upstairs in the Casa de la Cultura.

21. Catch live music in Casa de la Cultura

At weekends, there’s live music and events in this colourful house of culture. When you enter, you can scan a QR code that will tell you the schedule for the rest of the weekend. I caught a full-scale live band with a super-talented singer during my visit.

Many cities in Mexico have speciality dishes you won’t find elsewhere. During another weekend away, I discovered unique food in Tepoztlan and the same can be said for Puebla.

Chile en nogada translates as chili in walnut. As the name suggests, one giant green chili (non-spicy) is stuffed with a hash of apple, pear and peach, bathed in a pool of creamy walnut sauce with pomegranate seeds.

Chile en nogada is a seasonal dish, usually found between April and October. But keep a beady eye out and you’ll find a few places, like Fonda Tipicana La Poblana, serving it year-round.

One of the more unusual activities in Puebla is walking under the city through hidden walkways.

These tunnels are called secret for a reason: they were built in the 1500s but only discovered in 2016. Apparently, there had been rumours of these tunnels for generations but no evidence they actually existed.

When they were discovered, there were antiques and weaponry found inside, thought to date back to the Battle of Puebla with France.

Walking through the tunnel network is a fun thing to do in Puebla that takes around 10 minutes. I only paid 10 pesos entry with my student card and I believe it was 30 without. You might want to hire a guide otherwise you won’t learn much about the tunnels.

On a hot day, you can head inside the tunnels just to escape the heat!

For an unusual place to visit in Puebla, take a trip to Xanenetla neighbourhood after visiting the underground tunnels. You’ll start to see colourful street art and houses, especially along Calle 4 Nte. As you get closer to Xananetla you’ll see even more. Use the Google pin for Murales de Xanenetla to begin.

Note – while walking in this area, a local warned me to be careful with my camera. He presumably meant that thieves operate in the area and, while I didn’t see evidence of this myself, I thought I’d pass the message along so you can be aware.

Xananetla is a hidden gem so if you’ve got 2 days in Puebla, I’d recommend exploring the area.

27. Visit Square Carolina

This is a historic corner that may be of interest to historians. It’s where Porfirio Diaz – prior to becoming president of Mexico – was held after being captured during the Battle of Puebla in 1862 before escaping. There’s even a bar named La Fuga de Don Porfirio meaning ‘the escape of Don Porfirio’. Visit for mezcal, beer and Mexcian music.