By Brett Siegel Posted on

Gringo Guide 1 Day Trip Puebla

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So you decided to take a one day trip to Puebla from your stay in Mexico City. Much better choice than bypassing it altogether. You will want to get there as early as possible and leave as late as possible to provide yourself with the highest possibility for eating multiple times. The more meals the better. Here is your full how to guide, working under the assumption that you are going on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.

Getting There:

From Mexico City you are going to want to take one of the super safe, very nice buses from either the airport or the main Mexico City bus station, TAPO. You are going to want to to find the Estrella Roja vendor and buy tickets there or grab them online here: https://www.estrellaroja.com.mx/ and pick them up at the desk. There are a ton of buses so it’s easy to get tickets last minute. Unless we really needed to be somewhere (i.e. making a flight), we usually just showed up at the station/airport and bought our tickets there. Never had to wait more than 30 minutes for the next bus. You are going to be heading to CAPU which is the main bus station in Puebla. It can be a little sketchy in the areas right around that station so just get an Uber out front of the station or one of the authorized taxis from the stands inside. It is about a 2 ½ hour trip on average so make sure you include the travel time in your plans. Pro-tip: leave early and come back late because since the buses are so nice and comfy, you won’t have any problem falling asleep. Seriously. When I say nice I mean better than anything I’ve ridden in the states. Most have foot rests, chargers, come with a drink and snacks, curtains to keep out the sun and movies playing in the background (Spanish only though).

Itinerary:
10:00 am: Start off by going to the Zocalo or Puebla’s city center. Grab some grub to begin with at some random place (not right in the Zocalo where there are tourist traps). El Anafre Rojo is a great spot just a couple of blocks away.
11:00 am: Head to Iglesia de Santo Domingo for a quick walk-through.
12:00 pm: Take a stroll through the Zocalo and then step into the Catedral to cool off and be blown away by the architecture and art it contains.

1:00 pm: Walk a couple of blocks away from the center and grab a quick shot (or two) at the most famous bar in Puebla, La Pasita. It’s after 12pm and you’re on vacation so it’s fine.
2:00 pm: Take an Uber to Cholula and get dropped off at a restaurant for a quick lunch. We recommend PIKI market or Casa de Frida for this.

3:00 pm: Head to the site of Iglesia de Nuestro Senora de los Remedios. Make the hike up to the top to grab a great view of the city and check out the church. You can grab plenty of different kinds of local snacks from vendor on your way up (nuts, berries, chapulines). 

4:00 pm: If you are into the archeological side of things, pay a few bucks for tickets to walk through the tunnels of the largest pyramid in the world which is buried under the hill that you just climbed. It will let you out on the other side where there are some cool exposed remnants that you can view. You can see some of this when you climb down and it’s not super impressive (like Teotihuacan) so not necessary if you’re strapped for time. Option B (what I would choose) is to stop for your next drink break. I would recommend 1,000 Amores’ rooftop for views. If you came from Casa de Frida then think about heading in the opposite direction to check out Container City or Casa Nueve. If you came from PIKI Market think about heading to the center of Cholula where you can find Central de Agave or play a quick game of pool at Billar pool hall while overlooking the park. You can also do some great shopping in this areas should you want something to bring back with you. 

7:00 pm: Grab an Uber to the restaurant of your choice. I would suggest something on Avenida Juarez (La Textilleria, La 3ra Ronda, or Moyuelo) as you will most likely be ending your night around here as well.

9:00 pm: Head out for a couple of night caps. Bootlegger, Tonic Hostel and Gin House, and El Ciego are all somewhat close to each other (10 blocks apart each I would say). Libate it up and then grab an Uber to CAPU to hop on a bus back to Mexico City. If time allows and you have room, don’t forget to stop at Tacos Borrachos by the fountain on Avenida Juarez.

Need to knows:

– Bars and restaurants close and change hours constantly so call ahead or look online if you are not sure. 
– Puebla is extremely safe but I would beware of pickpockets in some of the more touristy spots, especially if you stand out. I’ve never had any experience with this sort of issue though. 
– Avenida Juarez, the Center, and Cholula are all about 20-30 minutes apart from each other, depending on traffic. 
– Try not to feel rushed! If you think the itinerary is tight, drop a couple things off the list or find food options that are closer to the attractions you want to visit. As long as you don’t end up at a super touristy place, the food is likely to be delicious, even if it’s not one of the best places in the city. Puebla is famous for its cuisine after all.

Costs:
Transportation: 
Ubers won’t cost you more than $5 in any direction.
Estimated total for the day: $15 
Bus tickets are about $10 each way.
Estimated total for the day: $20

Food and Drink: 
Meals usually cost around $10 per person (including drinks) but you can go higher or lower depending on your taste (fancy vs. street food). Say you get three sit down meals, you’re probably looking at around $30 but you could spend as low as $15 and as much as $60. Estimated total for the day: $30
Drinks are much cheaper with beers running around $1 a pop and shots around $3. If you order a nicely done cocktail you’re probably looking around $5.
Estimated total for the day: $20

Attractions:
Most of the places you go in Puebla are free (i.e. churches). If there is a fee for a museum or for the tunnels it usually hovers around $4. Small trinkets are around $3 so if you want to get a few souvenirs you can probably do so for less than $20.
Estimated total cost for the day: $15

Total:
Estimated Minimum: $50
Estimated Average: $80
Estimated Maximum: $140

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