Village Toluca, Estado de México Municipality of Toluca Toluca Valley
Old village south of Toluca, "black river" in Nahuatl, with a San Juan fiesta on 24 June and a muleteers' dance outside the church.
From Toluca: 10 min by car (10 km by road) How to get there ↓
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Where to stay near San Juan Tilapa
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Tours to San Juan Tilapa
Day trips and guided outings from Metepec often include San Juan Tilapa; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
How to get to San Juan Tilapa
- From Toluca: about 10 min by road (~10 km)
- Nearest airport: Toluca (TLC), 17 min by car to Metepec
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About San Juan Tilapa
Tilapa means "black river" in Nahuatl (tiltic, black, and apan, river), and the saint attached to it is John the Baptist. It is a pueblo originario in the municipality of Toluca, at 2,785 m, and had 9,395 residents in 2020 (INEGI). Its growth is recent: the 1900 census found 1,311 people, 1960 only 2,394, and by 1990 there were 5,139.
A local news report notes that Tilapa was recognised as a barrio of Toluca on 25 June 1819, by a decree signed on the orders of Viceroy Juan Ruiz de Apodaca. Around that date each year the village honours its patron. In 2024 the San Juan fiesta opened with folk dancing in front of the atrium and the announced programme added dawn serenades, masses and a procession through every street; a group of arrieros (muleteers) danced outside the church from 9:30 am to 10 pm as a sign of respect for the saint, and a village family served red mole, tamales, rice, beans, chicken and carnitas to dozens of guests. At the end the arrieros handed out plates, buckets and gourd bowls, which stand for the unity of the village.
The church's main entrance appears, photographed, in the Wiki Loves Monuments heritage catalogue.
How to get to San Juan Tilapa
Drive from Toluca: 10 min, 10 km
The direct bus is the Triángulo line (Autotransportes Toluca Capultitlán Triángulo Rojo): Toluca Centro to San Juan Tilapa, 11 km and about 37 minutes without traffic, roughly every 5 minutes, 14 pesos cash, with some 249 on-request stops. It follows Paseo Colón, Paseo Tollocan, 16 de Septiembre, Benito Juárez and 5 de Febrero (per the MisRutas directory; check with the driver, routes change). A reverse line runs Tilapa to Toluca Centro.
From Mexico City the easy way is to reach Toluca Centro on the El Insurgente train (eastern end: Observatorio) or by bus along the México–Toluca highway (15D), then board the Triángulo. By car the village is about 8 km in a straight line from Toluca (roughly 10 to 20 minutes) and about 7 km from Metepec, the nearest Pueblo Mágico.
Directions to San Juan Tilapa on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to San Juan Tilapa
- Toluca · 10 km by road, 10 min
- Mexico City · 72 km by road, 1 h 15 min
- Zitácuaro · 99 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.
Before you go to San Juan Tilapa: hours, prices and tips
- Best time of day
- The patron fiesta is 24 June, with celebrations running into 25 June; the family meal and arrieros' dance take place at the church. Poder Edomex · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting San Juan Tilapa: what to see and do
Step into the church of San Juan Bautista, whose main entrance is catalogued as a monument.
Come around 24 June for the patron fiesta: dawn serenades, masses, a muleteers' dance in front of the atrium and a procession through the streets.
Watch the shared meal and the handing out of plates, buckets and gourd bowls that closes the fiesta.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in San Juan Tilapa
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around San Juan Tilapa.
Tours & activities
Day trips and guided outings from Metepec often include San Juan Tilapa; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at TLC (Toluca): about 17 min by road to Metepec, then 7 km more to San Juan Tilapa, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Toluca (TLC), about 17 min by road from Metepec, the base for San Juan Tilapa.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Metepec: download a map of the way to San Juan Tilapa before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
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When to go to San Juan Tilapa cool
San Juan Tilapa shares the climate of Metepec, 7 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.
See the month-by-month climate of Metepec
Weather in San Juan Tilapa now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
The closest Pueblo Mágico: Metepec
Metepec is the Pueblo Mágico closest to San Juan Tilapa, with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Malinalco · Estado de México · 34 km away
- Ixtapan de la Sal · Estado de México · 42 km away
- Tonatico · Estado de México · 46 km away
- Valle de Bravo · Estado de México · 49 km away
- Xochitepec · Morelos · 60 km away
Closest to San Juan Tilapa
-
San Felipe Tlalmimilolpan · Town · 3 km away
-
Cacalomacán · Town · 6 km away
-
San Antonio Buenavista · Village · 6 km away
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Santa Ana Tlapaltitlán · Village · 7 km away
-
Calimaya · Town · 8 km away
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San Mateo Mexicaltzingo · Town · 8 km away
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San Mateo Oxtotitlán · Village · 9 km away
-
Chapultepec · Village · 11 km away
Near San Juan Tilapa
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.