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    Castillo San Miguel Almaya, Estado de México

    Photo by Shadowgazer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    San Miguel Almaya

    Village Capulhuac, Estado de México Toluca Valley

    Indigenous community on the slopes of Cerro Quilotzin, with a lagoon, a 17th-century church and San Miguel fiestas with fireworks castles.

    From Toluca: 35 min by car (30 km by road) How to get there ↓

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    Tours to San Miguel Almaya

    Day trips and guided outings from Metepec often include San Miguel Almaya; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Tours from Cuernavaca 3hr Cooking Class in Cuernavaca 8 Recipes and Bottomless Drinks From US$59
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    How to get to San Miguel Almaya

    • From Toluca: about 35 min by road (~30 km)
    • Nearest airport: Toluca (TLC), 17 min by car to Metepec
    Rent a car at TLC Flights to TLC

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    Tours from Cuernavaca, near San Miguel Almaya

    3hr Cooking Class in Cuernavaca 8 Recipes and Bottomless Drinks 4 h From US$59
    3h Cuernavaca Food Tasting with 32 Authentic Mexican Flavors 3 h From US$69
    Xochicalco Archaeological Guided Tour 5 h From US$84

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    About San Miguel Almaya

    San Miguel Almaya lies on the slopes of Cerro Quilotzin at about 2,720 m, in the municipality of Capulhuac. Population figures differ by source, from roughly 4,500 to 5,200 people in the 2020 census. It is a recognised Indigenous community governed by usos y costumbres, and keeps a character of its own apart from the municipal seat, Capulhuac de Mirafuentes, about 2.5 km away in a straight line.

    The landscape is defined by the lagoon, set in a crater on the hillside that Spanish Wikipedia describes as a "water volcano". A local legend about the Tlanchana, a mythical being said to lure people into the water, goes with it. The lagoon is on Avenida Independencia, at the junction with the Guadalupe Victoria road, and according to México Desconocido it opens daily from 10 am to 7 pm. People go for water skiing, sport fishing, cycling, hiking and picnics, and Wikipedia adds camping.

    The church of San Miguel dates from the 17th century, shows neoclassical influence and is built of black stone and cantera. The fiestas of San Miguel Arcángel are held on 9 and 10 May and on 29 September through the second week of October. The town's firework makers, known locally as the Señores Coheteros, burn pyrotechnic castillos, and a 2010 photo on Wikimedia Commons records one. The town also hosts ExpoMural QUILOTZIN, a gathering of muralists and speakers from several states funded with help from residents, and has youth groups working to keep local culture alive.

    How to get to San Miguel Almaya

    Drive from Toluca: 35 min, 30 km

    San Miguel Almaya is in the municipality of Capulhuac, which borders Lerma, Ocoyoacac, Santiago Tianguistenco, Xalatlaco and Santa Cruz Atizapán. From Mexico City the usual way is the Mexico–Toluca road (toll 15D or the free road), turning off around Lerma/Ocoyoacac toward Santiago Tianguistenco and Capulhuac; allow roughly 1 h to 1 h 30 min by car depending on traffic (our estimate; check the route on a map before you set out). The lagoon sits on Avenida Independencia, at the junction with the Guadalupe Victoria road. From Toluca, about 24 km away in a straight line, allow around 40 to 50 minutes on local roads (estimate). By public transport the idea would be to go to Toluca or Tianguistenco and take local transport on to Capulhuac and Almaya, but we found no published routes or timetables; in Capulhuac de Mirafuentes ask for the combi to Almaya. Metepec, the nearest pueblo, is about 17 km away.

    Directions to San Miguel Almaya on Google Maps

    Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.

    Where to stay Hotels in San Miguel Almaya Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in San Miguel Almaya. See prices →

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    From the nearest cities to San Miguel Almaya

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Before you go to San Miguel Almaya: hours, prices and tips

    Hours
    The San Miguel Almaya lagoon opens daily, 10 am to 7 pm. México Desconocido · checked Oct 2026
    Best season
    The San Miguel Arcángel fiestas are 9 and 10 May and 29 September through the second week of October, when pyrotechnic castillos are burned. Wikipedia · checked Oct 2026

    Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.

    Visiting San Miguel Almaya: what to see and do

    The Almaya lagoon, on Avenida Independencia: fishing, cycling, hiking and picnics.
    The church of San Miguel, 17th century, in black stone and cantera with neoclassical touches.
    The slopes of Cerro Quilotzin and their trails.
    The San Miguel Arcángel fiestas, with pyrotechnic castillos built in the village.
    ExpoMural QUILOTZIN, the community's muralist gathering (ask locals for dates).

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    Places to stay in San Miguel Almaya

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around San Miguel Almaya.

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    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Metepec often include San Miguel Almaya; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at TLC (Toluca): about 17 min by road to Metepec, then 17 km more to San Miguel Almaya, on your own schedule.

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    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Toluca (TLC), about 17 min by road from Metepec, the base for San Miguel Almaya.

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    Travel insurance

    Medical and trip cover for Mexico, by the week or month.

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    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Metepec: download a map of the way to San Miguel Almaya before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

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    When to go to San Miguel Almaya cool

    San Miguel Almaya shares the climate of Metepec, 17 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.

    See the month-by-month climate of Metepec

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: Metepec

    Red Calvario chapel at the top of its long stairway, Metepec, Estado de México cool
    Estado de México Metepec

    Metepec is the Pueblo Mágico closest to San Miguel Almaya, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

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    Near San Miguel Almaya

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.