Teotihuacan
On the sun-baked plateau of the central Mexican Highlands, Teotihuacan lies about 45 kilometres north-east of Mexico City in the State of Mexico. The two-kilometre Avenue of the Dead slices through the complex, its basalt paving framed by distant volcanic ridges. At 2,300 metres the air is crisp, the light dazzling and the silence broken only by the cry of an obsidian whistle.
Getting There
Reaching the site is straightforward. Direct buses leave every 20 minutes from Mexico City’s Terminal Norte and reach Gate 2 in roughly an hour, costing about 80 MXN return. Guided minibus tours include hotel pick-up, while drivers follow toll road 132D and take the exit marked “Zona Arqueológica”. A new commuter train to Tecámac lets cyclists pedal the last 15 kilometres on a segregated lane.
A Snapshot of History
Teotihuacan began as a farming hamlet c. 200 BC. Fuelled by obsidian trade and pilgrimage, it grew into Mesoamerica’s biggest metropolis between AD 250 and 550, possibly housing 125,000 people. Engineers laid out an exact grid of apartments, shrines and drains, all oriented 15½° east of true north for cosmic reasons. After fire and civil unrest the city emptied in the 7th century, yet later Aztecs revered the ruins and named them Teotihuacan, which means “the place where gods were born” in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs).
Unmissable Highlights
Pyramid of the Sun – 248 steps deliver a vast panorama.
Pyramid of the Moon – perfectly frames the avenue for that postcard shot.
Temple of Quetzalcoatl – stone serpents still show flecks of jade pigment.
Palace of the Jaguars – murals of plumed cats blowing conch shells.
Night-time sound-and-light show – lasers and narration two evenings each week from November to May.
Why Visit?
Few UNESCO sites allow you to climb their monuments; here you can feel the lava stones beneath your palms. Clear bilingual panels added in 2024 aid understanding, and the small site museum now displays a dazzling new obsidian mask. Outside, fair-trade craft stalls and cafés serving frothy pulque make lingering pleasant. Cleaner air, thanks to Mexico City’s expanded Metrobus, means the vista is often crystal-clear.
Standing Among Mexico’s Greats
INAH figures show Teotihuacan drew just over 830,000 visitors in 2023, second only to Chichén Itzá and ahead of crowd-pleasers such as Tulum and Monte Albán. In pre-pandemic peaks it welcomed more than four million guests. Where Chichén Itzá dazzles with Maya astronomy and Palenque whispers from jungle, Teotihuacan captivates through sheer scale and the freedom to roam.
Practical Tips
Gates open at 09:00; arrive early to climb before the midday sun. Pack a hat, high-factor sunscreen and two litres of water, as shade is scarce. Entry is 95 MXN and includes the museum; tripods and drones need permits, backpacks go into free lockers. Allow four hours, then refuel on barbacoa tacos in nearby San Martín before returning to the capital.
When to Go
Spring and autumn offer balmy daytime temperatures around 25 °C and cool, star-filled nights, ideal for the evening light show. March and late October coincide with equinox ceremonies when local priests perform incense blessings at dawn. The rainy season (June–September) delivers dramatic thunderclouds that photograph beautifully, yet showers are brief and the site far quieter. Peak domestic holiday periods such as Easter and the Christmas–New Year week see thicker queues, so book transport and lodging early.
