Town 17 km southeast of Amealco
The Otomí town where the Lele rag doll was born, with doll workshops and a church painted in vivid pinks and yellows.
Santiago Mexquititlán is a large Otomí (hñähñu) community in the far south of Amealco municipality, close to the borders with the State of Mexico and Michoacán. It is spread across six barrios, with the church and cemetery in the central one, and most people here still speak Otomí alongside Spanish.
This is the home of the Lele, the rag doll with long braids, ribbons and a bright embroidered dress that you see in markets all over Mexico. Its name means "baby" in Otomí, and in 2018 the state declared it part of Querétaro's cultural heritage. Making the dolls is the main livelihood for a large share of local families, and many work from small home workshops.
The town's big day is July 25, the feast of Santiago (Saint James), when prayers in Otomí, traditional dances and a crafts market fill the streets. The rest of the year it is a quiet, working village, and the best reason to come is to buy a doll or a piece of embroidery directly from the women who make them.
What to see and do
Buy a Lele doll straight from a family workshop.
Step inside the church to see its brightly painted altars, flowers and candles.
Look for Otomí embroidery: blouses, napkins and table runners.
Come on July 25 for the feast of Santiago, with dances and a crafts market.
Getting there
Santiago Mexquititlán is about 17 km south of Amealco as the crow flies; by car it takes roughly half an hour on paved local roads. There is no tourist transport, so a car or a taxi from Amealco is the easiest way to go.
17 km southeast of Amealco
Directions from Amealco on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather cool
Santiago Mexquititlán shares the climate of Amealco, 17 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov.
Make Amealco your base
Santiago Mexquititlán is an easy trip from Amealco, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
More around Amealco
-
Laguna de Servín
· Nature reserve · 14 km away
Pine and oak woods northwest of Amealco, with rental cabins for a quiet weekend in the forest. -
San Ildefonso Tultepec
· Town · 20 km away
An Otomí village east of Amealco with the ruins of an 18th-century church and a small community museum.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.