Travel Guide TLAXCALA Contents

DISCOVER TLAXCALA 01

TLAXCALA PROFILE 03

TLAXCALA ATTRACTIONS 04

TLAXCALA DINING 10

TLAXCALA SHOPPING 12

TLAXCALA NIGHTLIFE 14

THINGS TO DO IN TLAXCALA 15 DISCOVER TLAXCALA

Located in central Mexico, Tlaxcala is the capital of the smallest state in Mexico. This city offers visitors a picturesque landscape with colorfully-painted houses, as well as an interesting collection of well-preserved colonial buildings from the 16th century. The best way to see this charming town is by taking a walking tour or riding the tram, which used to be the main means of transport for citizens in the early 19th century.

Tlaxcala is home to a lot of natural attractions, where you can see mountains, waterfalls, canyons and a clean, blue sky, characteristic of this region, it is the ideal place for extreme sports like rappelling or biking.

1 COLONIAL TLAXCALA

As in every colonial city, the main square is the heart and center of activity in town. The Plaza de la Constitucion stands out for its bandstand from the 19th century and the fountain dedicated to the Holy Cross, built in 1646. On the north side is City Hall, built in 1545 with its original porch decorated with marigold flowers, Moorish arches and important murals depicting relevant events from the history of Tlaxcala.

Also worthy of mention is Parroquia de San Jose, a church dedicated to St Joseph whose Baroque-style facade is made with mortar and Talavera tiles. It features two massive doorways called, Hidalgo Portal and Chico Portal, the former Franciscan Convent of Our Lady of the Assumption, as well as the Basilica and Shrine of Our lady of Ocotlan in pure Baroque style, considered one of the most important religious centers of the country.

2 TLAXCALA PROFILE

Features a fantastic collection of colonial buildings

Home to notable archeological sites from the Olmec Xicalanca culture

Lots of museums to explore

Offers great surroundings for ecotourism activities and extreme sports

Known for a bullfighting tradition and ranches that breed fighting bulls

Surrounded by lovely old haciendas

Has fantastic local cuisine

3 TLAXCALA ATTRACTIONS

Besides being surrounded by historic landmarks, art and tradition, Tlaxcala has important archeological sites, museums, a botanical garden, water parks, a zoo and a couple of bullrings. It is the ideal place for extreme sports enthusiasts, or for those seeking some peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of big cities.

CACAXTLA

Located about 12 miles from Tlaxcala, this site is one of the most impressive remains of the Olmec Xicalanca culture, valued for its amazing and well-preserved pre-Columbian murals. Here you can also see a unique collection of items, such as skulls with deformations, objects from burials, marine snails from the Gulf Coast of Mexico, as well as clay figures and sculptures. Within the archeological site is the Gran Basamento, shaped like a pyramid and divided into several sections, including the Palace, the Courtyard of Diamonds, the Courtyard of Altars, the Spiral Chamber and the Temple of Venus.

4 XOCHITENCATL ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE Located 15 miles from Tlaxcala, the site’s name means “Blossoming Hill” or “Flower Hill”. It was erected at the top of a hill and holds a Spiral building with a circular base, the Pyramid of the Serpent, the Pyramid of Flowers with a rectangular platform, considered the fourth largest structure in Mesoamerica, as well as the viewpoint Mirador de los Volcanes.

TIZATLAN BOTANICAL GARDEN The Botanical Gardens feature almost 20 acres of forest with several species of trees, such as oaks, cordata trees, Mexican white pine, black cherry trees and pepper trees. You can also see the greenhouse, gardens, nursery, a herbarium, a library and a movie theater. It is located in Tizatlan, about 2 miles from downtown Tlaxcala.

5 THE HACIENDAS

When the Viceroy of New Spain, Don Antonio de Mendoza took control of the territory and everything that belonged to the Tlaxcalteca people in 1542, Spain rewarded him and the first settlers with land to raise livestock and grow pastures. So they introduced wheat and livestock to the area and farming and agriculture became the first trades, giving rise to the hacienda system. Later, some of these haciendas became farms dedicated to rearing and training bulls for bullfighting. Nowadays, you can tour these magnificent landmark estates with beautiful architectural styles, where you can enjoy delicious, regional cuisine and traditional music, as well as hiking and other outdoor activities. CASA DE LAS ARTESANIAS

This is one of the most visited museums in town, whose mission is to showcase the work of local artisans and preserve traditional hand crafting techniques in the state. You can watch potters, embroiderers, carv- ers and weavers as they carry on with their work using traditional techniques. The museum holds nine exhibit rooms, a shop, a concert hall, a quaint inn and a pulqueria or “pulque pub”, where local dishes are also served. XICOHTENCATL THEATER

This building is an architectural treasure from the Porfirio Diaz era. It has an impressive neoclassic facade made of carved quarry stone. Inside, you’ll find a false ceiling with a painting depicting a typical Tlaxcala landscape with the muses of the arts from ancient Greek mythology.

6 MEMORY MUSEUM

This museum is housed in an old beautiful estate from the 16th century. It offers an interactive experience that takes you on a fantastic journey through the history of Tlaxcala. It is the only one of its kind in the city. WATER PARKS

There is no better way to enjoy the nice, warm Tlaxcala weather than to spend the day at one of the water parks, like Balneario Palo Huerfano, where you’ll find pools and wading pools for kids, all filled with spring water. There is also Santa Lucia, featuring lush gardens or Centro Vacacional La Trinidad, which has large swimming pools, gardens and all the services needed for a fun day out. ATLIHUETZIA WATERFALL

This beautiful waterfall formed in the course of the Zahuapan River, is a unique natural wonder that is 98 feet high and forms a small lagoon which then overflows onto the floor of a nearby forest. It is located in the town of Santa Maria Atlihuetzia. TLAXCALA REGIONAL MUSEUM

This massive building is located in the cloister of an old Franciscan Convent and features nine rooms that display objects from different periods of the history of Tlaxcala. It exhibits unique artifacts from Pre-Hispanic times, as well as furniture and books from the colonial era.

7 HUAMANTLA

This charming town, located 26 miles from Tlaxcala, was originally inhabited by the Otomi people. It is best known for the carpets made of layers of colored sawdust, flowers and other materials laid on the ground as decoration to greet a religious procession in honor of Our Lady of Charity on August 14th. During this festivity, they hold the “huamantlada”, an event where bulls run through the streets while brave, young and daring men are chased by the animals. You should also see the Puppet Museum, the Bullfighting Museum, the City Museum, the Parish of San Juan Obispo, the Franciscan Convent and the Church of the Virgin of Charity here. ALTIPLANO ZOO

The zoo is located in Apetatitlan, a few miles away from Tlaxcala. It offers 32 acres of lush forest and several species of animals, including some from other parts of central México. It has recreational facilities, a screen room and interactive displays. It features an aviary, a herpetarium, nocturnal animals, a playground and garden umbrellas. The animals are kept in habitats specially designed for each species. It also sponsors conservation programs for endangered animals. MUSEUM OF FOLK ART

This museum is responsible for promoting the work of local artists and exhibits their beautiful crafts, as well as important customs and traditions from Tlaxcala.

8 ECOTOURISM

Tlaxcala offers great scenery and natural surroundings where you can do extreme sports. You can go horse-back riding in the area of Cerro de Xalapaxco that has nine craters. You can explore the Matlalcueitl Volcano, known as “Malitzin” or “Malinche”, located in a national park that is home to a lush conifer forest, as well as to species like rabbits, armadillos, hares and birds. The area is also great for canyoning, hiking and rock climbing. Another fun thing to do here is to go on a hot air balloon tour to see the beauty of Huamantla from above. REGIONAL MUSEUM INAH

The Regional Museum displays a collection of objects and paintings from the colonial period as well as interesting pre-Columbian pieces made by the Tlaxcala people.

JORGE “EL RANCHERO AGUILAR” BULLRING

Built in the 18th century entirely of volcanic rock and adobe, this bullring stands out for its beautiful architecture. The construction of this bullring gave rise to several cattle ranches in the area. The first “corridas” or bullfights ever held here date back to 1788. There is another bullring called “La Monumental”, located in the nearby town of Apizaco, which is the largest in the state.

9 TLAXCALA DINING

A blend of both Spanish and indigenous recipes, Tlaxcala cuisine is delicious and colorful. Its origins date back to the times of Tlaxcallan, when corn was considered divine. During pre-Hispanic times the Tlaxcalteca Indians grew pumpkins, tomatillo, nopal and beans and hunted deer, ducks, opossums, rabbits, hares and doves.

Over the years, the ingredients of both cuisines blended to create a rich and varied cuisine with a spicy taste and a wonderful aroma. The leaves of the maguey plant are used a lot in Tlaxcala cuisine. It is a key ingredient in barbacoa, mixiotes and chinicuiles, a dish made with maguey worms that are found in the roots of the plant. They also make the famous drink called “pulque” from fermenting the maguey juice.

Also worth mentioning are tamales from Tlaxcala, made with anise and beans, as well as different kinds of mole, like turkey in mole, the mole for important celebrations, mole de olla (mole in soup) and mole prieto (dark mole). Other popular dishes from Tlaxcala include escamoles (ant larvae) and huitlacoche mushroom quesadillas, Tlaxcala soup, and Tocatlan chicken, beef in pulque, and red sesame pipian (sauce) served with handmade white or blue corn tortillas.

10 DRINKS

Enjoy typical drinks like pulque, cured pulque with fruit or the delicious atole, which is a thick Mexican drink made with cornmeal and other ingredients, such as amaranth and rice or even chili, called chileatole.

TLAXCALA SWEETS AND DESSERTS

You can’t leave without tasting the “bunuelo con requeson y miel” which is a dessert made of fried wheat dough balls topped with a ricotta-like cheese and honey, as well as the muegano huamantleco, also made of fried wheat dough. Other tasty sweets are the traditional amaranth alegrias, peanut bars, pumpkin seed confections, pine nut tamales or bread made for the local Totolac holiday and served with creamy vanilla ice cream.

11 TLAXCALA SHOPPING

Tlaxcala is one of the places where you can find a great variety of handicrafts and works of art. Many of the designs date back to pre-Hispanic times and were later influenced by the Spanish, so they incorporated the use of European threads that were weaved into beautiful textiles, using waist looms. They used ancient techniques to macerate the fibers and dyed them using vegetable dyes. Fortunately, these techniques have been handed down from generation to generation and today you can still find these original works of art at the craft markets and stores.

Tlaxcala is a great place to buy colorful sarapes, rugs and tapestries, as well as carnival masks with imaginative designs from Tlatempan. You can also find Talavera pottery, onyx figurines and intricate pictures made with colored wicker twigs, called “cuadros de popotillo”.

Tlaxcala is not only known for the beautiful flower andsawdust carpets from Huamantla, you can also find all sorts of beautiful handicrafts like the “alebrijes”, which are figurines of fantastical creatures made of a wire structure, covered with cardboard and painted in bright colors that are made to decorate floats or masks.

12 CASA DE LAS ARTESANIAS This store is located in the heart of Tlaxcala and belongs to the Tlaxcala Cultural and Arts Council. It is really popular with tourists because you can get a variety of handicrafts from all over the state, as well as books and drinks to enjoy in a laidback atmosphere. You can see some of the artisans at work, creating their carved figures and embroidery designs. The shop has a pulque pub called a “pulqueria”, a fine selection of crafts, and even a restaurant decorated with traditional art that serves delicious regional cuisine. XICOHTENCATL PLAZA The craft market on Xicotencatl Plaza is held on Saturdays and Sundays. Here you can buy traditional clothing, a wide range of handcrafts, such as Talavera pottery, bark paper, jewelry, sweets and traditional toys. It is located in the historic district and surrounded by the most popular restaurants in town.

13 TLAXCALA NIGHTLIFE

Tlaxcala nightlife is lively, colorful and a little bit country. There are many bars and clubs but the best ones are in the historic downtown district. You can start the evening with dinner at a nice restaurant, followed by drinks at a bar or a walk through the streets of Tlaxcala.

You can also see a play at Xicohtencatl Theater or go to one of the many clubs where you can dance and enjoy DJ music or a live band until the wee hours of the morning.

14 THINGS TO DO IN TLAXCALA

Walk around the historic downtown district and see the colonial buildings

Visit the museums, like the Tlaxcala Regional Museum or the Museum of Folk Art

Explore the archeological sites of Cacaxtla and Xochitecatl

Experience the “Huamantlada” and see the bulls running in the streets

See the work of local artists at Casa de las Artesanias and buy lovely handcrafts

Go to the Tizatlan Botanical Garden and the Altiplano Zoo to see plants and wildlife

Visit the bullring Plaza de Toros Jorge Aguilar “El Ranchero”, considered a historic landmark

Take a tour of the haciendas

Enjoy ecotourism activities and extreme sports in the areas surrounding the city.

Try the local cuisine and drink a glass of pulque

Enjoy the local traditions and festivities, like the birthday of the Virgin of Ocotlan in May and of Our Lady of Charity in August

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