The promotion of pueblos, as the Mexican villages also called, “Pueblos Magicos,” began as a government initiative to promote Mexico’s rich and diverse cultural heritage to lesser-known areas. Without this program, most tourists would overlook these places, which would be a shame. Below are some reasons you should consider visiting these magical villages when backpacking in Mexico. Are you ready to expand your backpacking route?

Taxco

If you love beautiful jewellery, especially silver, you should definitely visit Taxco in the province of Guerrero. Taxco became a silver town because it was a place where a lot of silver was mined. As proof of this, there are endless stalls and stores selling silver. You could walk around for hours looking for souvenirs. These are most affordable to buy from the stalls, and you can find something a little more fine quality in the stores. In addition to admiring the jewelry, the city itself is beautiful, full of cosy and lively streets, countless churches and historical buildings.

Chignahuapan Hon

Chignahuapan is a place for Christmas. According to the official description, they specialize in handicrafts, mainly Christmas decorations. That’s because as soon as you get off the bus, you will be amazed to see Christmas decorations everywhere. From Christmas balls to nativity scenes, garlands for the tree, and even stalls with pierced Christmas balls. Besides, they do it all year round! Why exactly? Well, that’s just the way it is there.

San Cristobal de las Casas

San Cristobal is one of the most famous Pueblo Magicos in Mexico.  A large part of the population belongs to the Mayan culture, which gives the city an extraordinary atmosphere. San Cristobal is also a beautiful and colourful city with many excellent bars and cafes that serve coffee and hot chocolate, the warm drinks of the region. Also, the surroundings of San Cristobal city, surrounded by beautiful mountains, are not to be missed.

Tequila

Did you know there’s a place in Mexico called tequila? This place is the centre of tequila production, and the drink’s name comes from this place. There, you can visit a lily plantation (the plant from which tequila is made), see how tequila is made, and of course, taste a lot of tequila. Because if you think there is only one kind, you are wrong.

There are many different types and flavours of tequila, and agave is also used to make many different kinds of booze-like drinks. So, booking an overnight stay after your tasting is not a wasted luxury.

Atlixco

Another store with something for Christmas is here! This is because during the festive season, Atlixco decorates the streets with life-sized inflatable figures that you can admire while strolling around. It can feel like you’re walking on a merry-go-round, but you can easily spend the evening sipping mulled wine or Mexican beer. Even outside of the Christmas period, it’s a beautiful place to visit, with stunning, colourful streets decorated with flowers (Atlixco is especially famous for that) and rich cultural history.

Cholula

Cholula is home to the second-largest pyramid in the world. The pyramid cannot be seen from the outside and can be identified mainly by the church built at the top, but you can also visit the interior of the building, which tells us about the importance of Cholula in the Aztec Empire. Apart from this history, Cholula also has a modern side to it. It is a real student town, with trendy cafes and restaurants and lots of street art to discover on a bike ride.

Have you ever been to any of these places? Share your experience with us in the comments below!