City Cuautitlán Izcalli, Estado de México Municipality of Cuautitlán Izcalli Valley of Mexico
A planned 1970s city with Charlotte Yazbek's sculpture park, the Espejo de los Lirios wetland and Lago de Guadalupe.
From Mexico City: 40 min by car (33 km by road) How to get there ↓
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Plan your visit to Cuautitlán Izcalli
Where to stay near Cuautitlán Izcalli
Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Cuautitlán Izcalli.
Tours to Cuautitlán Izcalli
Day trips and guided outings from Tepotzotlán often include Cuautitlán Izcalli; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Tours from Mexico City
Teotihuacan pyramids morning or afternoon without tourist traps
★ 4.9 (10,269) · From US$59
How to get to Cuautitlán Izcalli
- From Mexico City: about 40 min by road (~33 km)
- Nearest airport: Mexico City (Felipe Ángeles) (NLU), 48 min by car to Tepotzotlán
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Tours from Mexico City, near Cuautitlán Izcalli
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About Cuautitlán Izcalli
Cuautitlán Izcalli did not grow bit by bit; it was drawn up on paper. President Luis Echeverría laid the first stone on 31 July 1971, beside what is now the Parque de las Esculturas, and Decree 71 of the state congress created the municipality on 22 June 1973 from land taken from Cuautitlán, Tepotzotlán, Tultitlán and Atizapán. The Nahuatl name is usually rendered “your house among the trees”. It has more than 500,000 residents (INEGI 2020) and ranks among the State of Mexico's most developed municipalities.
For a visitor the draw is open space. The Parque de las Esculturas is an open-air museum of 16 monumental bronzes by Charlotte Yazbek, among them “The Last Unicorn”; the city is restoring them from 3 August to 30 November 2026 without closing the park, so expect some scaffolding. Parque Espejo de los Lirios (487,407 m², a protected natural area since 2009) is a marsh that shelters migratory white pelicans, and Lago de Guadalupe, a reservoir built between 1936 and 1943 that covers about 348 hectares, is described as the Valley of Mexico's second most important body of water. In the Centro Urbano you will also find the 1,500-seat Teatro San Benito Abad and the Estadio Hugo Sánchez Márquez (2003).
For food and shopping there are malls such as Luna Parc and Centro San Miguel, and the Mercado del Carmen is the city's largest market.
How to get to Cuautitlán Izcalli
Drive from Mexico City: 40 min, 33 km
Cuautitlán Izcalli lies about 25 km in a straight line northwest of Mexico City. By car you reach it on the México–Querétaro highway, which crosses the city; the Circuito Exterior Mexiquense runs along its east side. One travel guide suggests leaving via the Periférico Norte and highway 57D, and traffic rules: allow 45 minutes to an hour or more. By public transport, take a bus or combi from the Terminal Norte marked Cuautitlán or Tula (about 45 minutes to an hour), or ride the Tren Suburbano from Buenavista to the Cuautitlán terminus (27 km, about 25 minutes) and continue by colectivo. Within the city, route 123 links to Metro Cuatro Caminos and Politécnico, and Mexibús Line 2 runs from La Quebrada to Las Américas in Ecatepec. Tepotzotlán, the nearest pueblo, is about 8 km away (roughly 10 to 20 minutes by car).
Directions to Cuautitlán Izcalli on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to Cuautitlán Izcalli
- Mexico City · 33 km by road, 40 min
- Toluca · 82 km by road, 1 h 15 min
- Pachuca · 91 km by road, 1 h 20 min
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
What to see in Cuautitlán Izcalli 3
Sights with their own page, closest to the centre first.
Lakes
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Lago de Guadalupe · Lake · 5 km from the centre
A 1930s reservoir on the west side of Cuautitlán Izcalli, a state protected area and a refuge for waterbirds within reach of Mexico City.
Landmarks and museums
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Catedral de Cuautitlán · Landmark · 5 km from the centre
A Baroque Franciscan church, now a cathedral, that keeps rare 16th-century paintings attributed to Flemish master Martín de Vos.
Nature reserves
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Xochitla Parque Ecológico · Nature reserve · 8 km from the centre
A 70-hectare ecological park on Tepotzotlán's edge with a botanical garden, bike rentals, boating and camping.
Map of Cuautitlán Izcalli
Day trips and tours from Cuautitlán Izcalli
The closest Pueblos Mágicos and places to visit, with the drive from Cuautitlán Izcalli and tours that leave from it.
Times marked ~ are estimated from the distance. Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
Before you go: getting to and around Cuautitlán Izcalli
- The nearest airport is Mexico City (Felipe Ángeles) (NLU).
- The best months to go are January, February, March, and December.
- 3 of the places on this page are more than 3 km from the centre: take a taxi, a ride-hailing app or a local bus.
- For day trips a rental car gives the most freedom; the tours above leave from Cuautitlán Izcalli.
Before you go to Cuautitlán Izcalli: hours, prices and tips
- Best season
- Espejo de los Lirios (48 ha, formerly La Presa del Muerto) hosts migratory white pelicans, has been protected since 2009 and charges no entrance. Audiala travel guide · checked Oct 2026
- Rules
- The Parque de las Esculturas stays open during the 3 August to 30 November 2026 restoration, but the schedule of works may change. Gobierno Municipal de Cuautitlán Izcalli · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting Cuautitlán Izcalli: what to see and do
Walk the Parque de las Esculturas and look for “The Last Unicorn” and the other Charlotte Yazbek works.
Visit Parque Espejo de los Lirios, a protected wetland, for birds (migratory white pelicans).
Look out over Lago de Guadalupe, the roughly 348-hectare reservoir on the city's edge.
Stroll Parque Central and Parque de la Familia, which join up.
Catch a show at the Teatro San Benito Abad (1,500 seats).
Try the Mercado del Carmen, the city's largest market.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Cuautitlán Izcalli
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Cuautitlán Izcalli.
Tours & activities
Day trips and guided outings from Tepotzotlán often include Cuautitlán Izcalli; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at NLU (Mexico City (Felipe Ángeles)): about 48 min by road to Tepotzotlán, then 8 km more to Cuautitlán Izcalli, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mexico City (Felipe Ángeles) (NLU), about 48 min by road from Tepotzotlán, the base for Cuautitlán Izcalli.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Tepotzotlán: download a map of the way to Cuautitlán Izcalli before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
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When to go to Cuautitlán Izcalli cool
Cuautitlán Izcalli shares the climate of Tepotzotlán, 8 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.
See the month-by-month climate of Tepotzotlán
Weather in Cuautitlán Izcalli now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
The closest Pueblo Mágico: Tepotzotlán
Tepotzotlán is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Cuautitlán Izcalli, with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Villa del Carbón · Estado de México · 28 km away
- Teotihuacán · Estado de México · 39 km away
- Jilotepec · Estado de México · 48 km away
- Otumba · Estado de México · 49 km away
- Metepec · Estado de México · 59 km away
Near Cuautitlán Izcalli
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.