State of Mexico, 50 km north-east of Mexico City · Mexico
The City of the Gods: a vast grid of pyramids, temples and avenues, built two thousand years ago by a civilisation whose name we do not know, centred on the Pyramid of the Sun.
Photo: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0
Teotihuacán was, at its height around 450 CE, one of the largest cities in the world, with perhaps 100,000 or more inhabitants. It was laid out on a grid, with a ceremonial avenue, the Avenue of the Dead, running for about 2 km between monumental pyramids and palaces. Its people are known as the Teotihuacanos, but we do not know what they called themselves or what language they spoke.
The Aztecs found the city in ruins in the 14th century, and, awed, named it Teotihuacán, 'the place where the gods were created', and they believed the gods had sacrificed themselves there to create the sun. The names of its buildings, such as the Pyramid of the Sun and the Avenue of the Dead, are Aztec inventions.
The site, about 50 km north-east of Mexico City, was inscribed by UNESCO in 1987. Its central monuments are the Pyramid of the Sun, about 65 metres high, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Citadel, with the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, and many of its apartment compounds still hold painted murals. It is a big, hot, open site, and its scale is best absorbed early in the morning.
Why visit
Teotihuacán is the most impressive pre-Hispanic site near Mexico City, and one of the great cities of the ancient world.
About 65 metres high and 220 metres on each side, it is one of the largest pyramids in the world, and visitors can climb its 248 steps.
A grand 2 km avenue lined with platforms and temples, which gives a sense of the city's scale and planning.
A pyramid covered in carved serpent heads and stylised feathers, in the Citadel.
Painted murals in the residential compounds and the site museum show gods, animals and ritual scenes in bright colours.
It is easy to visit in half a day, and it combines well with a lunch in a nearby cave restaurant.
Main attractions
The site is large and mostly exposed. Allow three to four hours.
The largest structure in Teotihuacán, built around 100 CE, with a steep stair to the top and views over the whole city.
Tip Climb early. Rules change, so check whether climbing is allowed.
A smaller pyramid at the northern end of the Avenue of the Dead, with a plaza in front. Its view down the avenue is the best in the site.
Tip Climbing may be limited.
The ceremonial spine of the city, about 2 km long, lined with the remains of temples and palaces. Walking it takes about 40 minutes.
Tip Walk from the south entrance to the Pyramid of the Moon.
A vast sunken enclosure with the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, decorated with carved serpent heads and thought to have been the centre of political power.
Tip Near the south entrance.
A residential compound with carved columns and painted murals of butterflies and birds.
Tip Near the Pyramid of the Moon.
A well-designed museum with finds, models and murals, which helps you make sense of the site.
Tip Visit it at the start.
Things to do
A visit to Teotihuacán is best planned around the heat and the crowds.
The gates open at about 09:00, and the site is cool, quiet and photogenic for the first hour.
Tip Take the first bus from Mexico City.
Start at the Pyramid of the Moon and walk south, stopping at the palaces and the Citadel.
Tip Bring a hat, water and sunscreen.
A licensed guide explains the symbolism and history, which is hard to grasp alone.
Tip Agree the price.
La Gruta, a restaurant in a natural cave near the site, serves Mexican food in an atmospheric setting.
Tip Book on weekends.
Sunrise hot-air balloon flights float over the pyramids.
Tip Book well ahead.
Obsidian carvers sell tools and jewellery near the site.
Tip Buy from workshops.
Local food
Eating options near the site are limited, but the area is known for barbacoa and pulque.
Lamb slow-cooked in an underground pit and served in tacos or by the kilo.
Where to try it Restaurants and stalls near the site.
A slightly fermented agave drink, sweet and sour, traditional in this region.
Where to try it Pulquerías in nearby towns.
Masa cakes and folded tortillas with fillings.
Where to try it Stalls along the paths.
Cactus paddles and sauces, prepared traditionally.
Where to try it Restaurants near the site.
Prickly pear (tuna) and other fruit sold by vendors.
Where to try it Entrance stalls.
Tasted at local shops.
Where to try it Shops and restaurants.
Accommodation
Most visitors go as a day trip from Mexico City, but a few hotels and guesthouses near the site allow an early start.
Transport
Teotihuacán is about 50 km north-east of Mexico City.
The site is large and walkable, with five entrances.
When to go
The site is exposed and hot. The dry winter months are best, and the rainy season brings afternoon storms.
Dry, sunny and cool in the morning.
Hot and dry. Go at opening. The spring equinox brings crowds.
Afternoon rain. Mornings are often clear.
Clear and pleasant.
Worth planning around: The spring equinox (around 21 March), when huge crowds gather, and Sundays, when the site is free for Mexicans and crowded.
Itinerary
The site at opening, lunch in a cave restaurant, and the museum. Assumes a bus or tour from Mexico City.
A morning of pyramids.
Travel tips
Teotihuacán is big and hot, and a few tips help.
FAQ
Three to four hours for the main sights, and half a day with lunch and the museum.
Rules change. The Pyramid of the Sun has generally been open to climbing, while the Pyramid of the Moon has been closed. Check on arrival.
An unknown civilisation. The name is Aztec, and we do not know what its builders called themselves.
By bus from the Terminal Norte (about an hour), a tour or a taxi.
Early morning, when it is cool and quiet.
Yes. It combines with the Basilica of Guadalupe, and with Tepotzotlán or Puebla on the way onwards.
Keep exploring
Places that pair well with Teotihuacán, whether you have a few spare days or are building a longer route.
Ciudad de México, central Mexico, Mexico
One of the great cities of the world: Aztec ruins beside a baroque cathedral, Frida Kahlo's house, leafy Roma and Condesa, and a food scene that runs from street stalls to global fine dining.
Don't miss The National Museum of Anthropology and, after it, a plate of tacos al pastor at midnight.
Explore Destination — Mexico CityPuebla State, central highlands, Mexico
A UNESCO-listed colonial city of tiled facades, cathedrals and convent kitchens, with the giant pyramid of Cholula, volcanoes and one of Mexico's great cuisines, two hours from the capital.
Don't miss Sunset from the church on the Great Pyramid of Cholula, with the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl on the horizon.
Explore Destination — Puebla & CholulaOaxaca State, southern Mexico, Mexico
A colourful colonial city in the Sierra Madre del Sur, the heart of Zapotec and Mixtec culture, with the country's best food, mezcal and handicrafts, and ruins and craft villages in the valleys around it.
Don't miss Monte Albán at opening, then mole and mezcal in the old city that evening.
Explore Destination — OaxacaRead next
Heritage
A UNESCO listing tells you a place matters; it does not tell you whether it is worth two days and a detour. This is how to read the list usefully — and which sites reward building a trip around them.
Practical
Most packing advice is a list of things. This is the opposite: the small number of decisions that determine whether your luggage helps or hinders, organised by the kind of trip you are actually taking.
Advertisement
