What’s the Best Pueblos Magico in Mexico?
Updated Dec 6, 2024
As of right now, there are 177 Pueblos Magicos in Mexico. They’re all special in different ways – but which is the absolute best Pueblo Magico to visit in Mexico?
In this post I tell you:
- The Pueblo Magicos that people chose (I did a poll) as their top pick for “Best Pueblo Magico”
- My top pick as “Best Pueblo Magico” along with a list of all the Pueblo Magicos I’ve visited from best to worst.
- I’ll give you statistics on Pueblos Magicos and some resources so you can plan your trip
What is a Pueblo Mágico?
The Pueblo Mágico (Magical Town) designation is awarded by Mexico’s Tourism department to communities that have maintained their original architecture, traditions, history and culture. They are towns whose historical importance has been fundamental for the development of history and that enhance the national identity in each of its spots. These places have a special magic that connects the visitor with their roots and traditions.
I mentioned that I did a Facebook poll on people’s choice of their favorite Pueblo Magico. Combined I received over 250 comments on the various pages and 142 total votes. Of those 142 votes, people recommended 53 different towns as their top Pueblos Magicos (which just shows how many different Pueblos Magicos are special in some way).
The Best Pueblos Magicos in Mexico (according to my Facebook poll)
- Pátzcuaro (Michoacán) with 12 votes as the Top Pueblo Magico
- Taxco (Guerrero) with 9 votes
- Tepoztlán (Morelos) with 8 votes
- (4 way tie) with 5 votes
Tlaquepaque (Jalisco)
Atlixco (Puebla)
Bernal (Querétaro)
San Cristobal de las Casas (Chiapas) - (2 way tie) with 4 votes
Comala (Colima)
Mazamitla (Jalisco) - (7 way tie) with 3 votes
Mineral de Pozos (Guanajuato)
Álamos (Sonora)
Sayulita (Nayarit)
Zacatlán (Puebla)
Orizaba (Veracruz)
Tequila (Jalisco)
Malinalco (Estado de México)
After the above there were another 37 towns with 1 or 2 votes as “the best Pueblos Magicos”
I don’t necessarily agree with the order above however. Below I cover my favorite Pueblo Magicos.
My Favorite Pueblos Magicos
I’ve visited 18 Pueblo Magicos and I’m lucky to have visited all of the top 7 towns listed above. Here is how I would rate the Pueblos Magicos I’ve seen.
1. San Cristobal de las Casas – a beautiful, large Pueblo Magico with lots to see and surrounded by lush green hills. Colorful streets, stunning churches and a great artisans market. It gets my vote as the best Pueblo Magico. More: The Pueblo Magico town of San Cristobal de las Casas (Mexico).
2. Atlixco – maybe the prettiest Pueblo Magico I’ve seen. A lovely zocalo, lots of colourful streets, and a climb up a steep hilltop (right in the middle of town) where on a clear day you have an incredible view of Popocatepetl (an active volcano).
More: Mexico’s prettiest Pueblo Magico?
3. Pátzcuaro – very charming place, full of colonial buildings painted in white and reds. Lots to see both in town and in the surrounding area ( island of Janitzio, the town of Tzintzuntzan, and the artisan communities in the region). More: The ‘Pueblo Magico’ town of Patzcuaro, Michoacán (Mexico)
4. Tepoztlán – you’d never know you’re just an hour from Mexico. Pretty little town comprising of both locals and an interesting group of expats, some spectacular hills to climb that lead to an Aztec ruin at the top. More: The Pueblo Magico town of Tepoztlan (Mexico)
5. Bernal – it’s tiny but beautiful and you’ve got the Peña de Bernal looming over town. It’s one of the 13 Natural Wonders of Mexico. Add to that Pan de Queso, Gorditas and tuk-tuks…More: Visiting the Pueblo Magico town of Bernal
6. Taxco – Stunning city on the side of a hill. One of Mexico’s most picturesque churches, lots of pretty streets (all steep!). Taxco would have made it further up my list if it wasn’t for all the tourists and pollution. It’s a place I want to re-visit with a better camera. More: Is Taxco the most beautiful Pueblo Magico in Mexico?
7. Tepotzotlán (not to be confused with Tepoztlán above). A pretty town with a couple of fantastic historical sites dating back to the Jesuits (the National Museum of the Viceroyalty of New Spain and the aqueduct of Tepotzotlán. Both are amazing sites). Add to that a beautiful main square. More: The Pueblo Magico town of Tepotzotlán (Mexico)
8. Cholula – a town with lots to see including the Great Pyramid of Cholula (the largest monument ever constructed in the world). More: The Pueblo Magico town of Cholula (Mexico)
9. Zacatlán. A pretty town. But what makes Zacatlán special is it’s location among the mountain and forests of the Sierra Norte de Puebla. The Mirador de Cristal is a 5 minute walk from the town center and looks over a canyon. In the distance mountain peaks are visible through the clouds. Near town you’ll find waterfalls. More: Highlights of the Pueblo Magico town of Zacatlán
10. Ajijic – It’s a pretty town but what makes Ajijic special is its location on beautiful Lake Chapala in an area surrounded by high hills. A very peaceful spot and you can see why this is an expat haven.
11. Tlaquepaque – This Pueblo Magico forms part of the Guadalajara metropolitan area. A very colorful, very pretty little town with nice restaurants, cafes and some nice shopping options.
12. Tequisquiapan – tiny town with a huge main square and one of the prettiest churches you’ll see anywhere. And if you like wine and cheese you’ll be pleasantly surprised by Tequis. More: A Visit to the Pueblo Magico town of Tequisquiapan
13. Dolores Hidalgo – A pretty town that is considered the cradle of Mexico’s Independence. It was here in 1810 that the town’s local priest (Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla) called for an uprising against the Spanish rulers of Mexico. A must if visiting Dolores Hidalgo is going to the National Independence Museum. But there’s more including the large and very attractive Plaza Principal. You’ll also see the church that served as the inspiration for San Miguel de Allende’s Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel. More on visiting Dolores Hidalgo.
14. Valle de Bravo – A small town on a lake, Valle de Bravo attracts a lot of tourists (principally from Mexico City). It’s an attractive town and the lake attracts people attracted to water sports. It just wasn’t among my favorite Pueblo Magicos. More: Visiting the (overrated?) Pueblo Magico town of Valle de Bravo
15. Tequila – Very, very popular place and it’s all about drinking tequila. Pretty enough but the huge amounts of tourists coming here just to get drunk is a turn off.
16. Real del Monte. A mining town in Hidalgo famous for it’s gold and silver deposits…and the English from Cornwall that ran the mines in the 1800s. More: What you should know about Real del Monte.
17. Creel – Creel is cute but the main reason people come here is to take tours of the region and to use it as a base when visiting Copper Canyon. More: Visiting the Pueblo Magico town of Creel. And what you really have to know
18. Mitla – San Pablo Villa de Mitla is a Pueblo Magico…but that’s only because it is home to the Zona Arqueológica de Mitla, the 2nd most important archaeological site in Oaxaca state. It’s not an ugly town…but it doesn’t compare (as a town by itself) to many of the Pueblo Magicos on this list.
Some Statistics and Resources
The States with the most Pueblos Magicos:
Estado de México 12
Puebla 12
Jalisco 12
Michoacán 10
Hidalgo 9
Nayarit 9
Coahuila 8
The States with most of “the best Pueblos Magicos” (as voted on above):
Jalisco 3
Puebla 2
Related: A roadtrip through Mexico’s most beautiful towns and cities
Related: 11 Unforgettable Off-the-beaten path adventures in Mexico
Related: The Best & Worst places for Expats (2023)
reminds me of a few towns in western South America. look so bright with the colours and charming places to visit. Thanks for sharing Frank!
Nice list, the only problem is with there being 225 Pueblo Magicos most people have not been to even have of them. A lot of that is for good reason as the Pueblo Magico often showcases towns that are remote but yet very culturally significant. A good example of that is I recently visited Batopilas. It is a beautiful and very significant town both historically and culturally. The big problem however is to get to Batopilas you have to take a very windy road, that is often subject to landfall. Therefore not many people get out to Batopilas, but for the few that do it is an amazing place, but it will never rank high on a popular vote because not many people visit. Which is too bad because it has flowers, mines, the second oldest church in Mexico, and most importantly it is home to the Lower Tarahumadas. There are many little gems like this in the Pueblo Magico program, but that is why there is a program, so these magical places don’t disappear.
Hi John. Agree, popular and easy-to-get-to towns will get more votes and more remote Pueblo Magicos won’t make it on the list because many people haven’t been. It’s not a perfect method of determining the “best” Pueblo Magico I agree but unless one has been to every single town it’s the best I can come up with 🙂 . That’s why I appreciate comments like this.
Ps. 177 Pueblo Magicos, not 225.