City Cuernavaca, Morelos Municipality of Cuernavaca Northern Morelos
Morelos's mild-weather capital, 80 km south of Mexico City: Cortés's palace, a UNESCO-listed cathedral, Spanish schools and weekend escapes.
From Cuautla: 45 min by car (53 km by road) How to get there ↓
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Plan your visit to Cuernavaca
Where to stay near Cuernavaca
Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Cuernavaca.
Tours to Cuernavaca
Day trips and guided outings from Tepoztlán often include Cuernavaca; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Taxco, Cuernavaca & Pre-Hispanic Mine optional visit
★ 4.5 (611) · From US$39
How to get to Cuernavaca
- From Cuautla: about 45 min by road (~53 km)
- Nearest airport: Mexico City (MEX), 1 h 25 min by car to Tepoztlán
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Popular tours to Cuernavaca
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About Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca is the capital of Morelos, about 80 km south of Mexico City on the other side of the mountains that ring the capital, at an elevation of roughly 1,510 m. The city had 341,029 residents in the 2020 census and its metropolitan area just over a million. Its name is a Spanish rendering of the Nahuatl Cuauhnáhuac, usually read as "near the trees". Alexander von Humboldt called it the city of eternal spring, and the label stuck: temperatures stay fairly even all year, which is why people from Mexico City have been driving down for weekends for generations.
The Tlahuica lived here from at least the 12th century, and the Aztecs made the area a tribute province in the late 14th. Spanish troops under Gonzalo de Sandoval took the town in 1521, before Tenochtitlan fell. Hernán Cortés built his palace on top of the old tribute house, and the Franciscans began the convent that is now the cathedral, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994. In the 18th century the silver magnate José de la Borda built the house and garden that Emperor Maximilian later used as a summer retreat, and in May 1911 Emiliano Zapata's army rode into the city. Writers and exiles followed the weekenders: Malcolm Lowry set Under the Volcano here, and Erich Fromm founded a psychoanalytic society in 1956. When Ivan Illich's CIDOC, opened in 1966 to teach Spanish to missionaries, closed in 1969, its teachers kept going on their own, and Cuernavaca became one of the country's main places for foreigners to study Spanish, with many schools and homestays.
The historic centre is compact enough to walk: the Palacio de Cortés with Diego Rivera's mural, the Jardín Juárez with its kiosk, the cathedral and, across the avenue, the Jardín Borda. The Robert Brady museum holds more than 1,300 objects from around the world, and the Teopanzolco pyramid stands inside the city. Xochicalco is about an hour away, and Tepoztlán and Taxco make easy side trips.
How to get to Cuernavaca
Drive from Cuautla: 45 min, 53 km
By bus: Pullman de Morelos runs frequent buses from Mexico City's Terminal Central del Sur, next to Tasqueña station at the end of Metro Line 2; the ride takes 1 to 1.5 hours and arrives at the company's Casino de la Selva terminal, about 2–3 km from the centro (a short taxi ride). Cuernavaca buses do not leave from TAPO or the Norte or Poniente terminals. Pullman de Morelos also has direct buses from Mexico City airport, from bus bays at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2; that trip takes around 2 hours. By car: about 85 km on the Mexico–Acapulco toll highway (95D) from the Periférico Sur, an hour to an hour and a half; there is also a slower free road. Traffic is heavy toward Cuernavaca on Friday afternoons and back toward Mexico City on Sunday afternoons, when the trip can take over 2 hours.
Directions to Cuernavaca on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to Cuernavaca
- Cuautla · 53 km by road, 45 min
- Mexico City · 74 km by road, 1 h 15 min
- Taxco · 81 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 Cuernavaca 15
Sights with their own page, closest to the centre first.
Landmarks and museums
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Catedral de Cuernavaca · Landmark · in the centre
A fortress-like Franciscan convent begun in 1529, now Cuernavaca's cathedral and UNESCO-listed, with a huge open chapel and a mural of martyrs in Japan. -
Jardín Borda · Landmark · in the centre
An 18th-century silver baron's house and terraced garden with a lake and fountains, Maximilian's summer retreat, now an arts centre opposite the cathedral. -
Jardín Juárez · Landmark · in the centre
Cuernavaca's oldest square, beside the zócalo, with an iron bandstand shipped from Britain in 1890 and credited, without proof, to Gustave Eiffel. -
Museo Morelense de Arte Popular · Landmark · in the centre
Downtown Cuernavaca museum of crafts from across Morelos: Cuentepec pottery, Hueyapan textiles and Tlayacapan work. Free admission. -
Museo Robert Brady · Landmark · in the centre
Painter and collector Robert Brady's house beside Cuernavaca cathedral: some 1,300 objects from five continents, including Frida Kahlo and Tamayo. -
Palacio de Cortés · Landmark · in the centre
Cortés's 16th-century palace, now the state's history museum, with Tlahuica ruins in the courtyard and Diego Rivera's mural on the terrace. -
Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca · Landmark · 1 km from the centre
"El Castillito", an early-1900s brick house built like a little French castle, now showing old photographs of Cuernavaca. -
Museo Morelense de Arte Contemporáneo Juan Soriano · Landmark · 1 km from the centre
Modern and contemporary art museum in Amatitlán, Cuernavaca, opened in 2018, with about 1,200 works by Juan Soriano and a sculpture garden. -
Papalote Museo del Niño · Landmark · 2 km from the centre
Hands-on museum for children and families in Lomas de la Selva, Cuernavaca, with 35+ exhibits; a branch of Mexico City's Papalote since 2008. -
Capilla de los Reyes Magos · Landmark · 5 km from the centre
Sixteenth-century Franciscan chapel in Tetela del Monte, north Cuernavaca, built over a teocalli; belfry dated 1677 and a Three Kings fiesta on 6 January. -
Estadio Centenario · Landmark · 6 km from the centre
Athletics-track stadium north of Cuernavaca, opened 1969; capacity about 14,800 and home of Cruz Azul Femenil since 2026. -
Balneario Ex-Hacienda de Temixco · Landmark · 8 km from the centre
A big water park built inside the walls and arches of a colonial sugar hacienda.
Nature reserves
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Bosque Mirador · Nature reserve · 7 km from the centre
About 22 ha of pine forest in Ahuatepec, north of Cuernavaca; a municipal protected area since 2016, next to the Chichinautzin corridor.
Archaeological sites
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Teopanzolco · Archaeological site · 2 km from the centre
A Tlahuica-Aztec temple base with twin stairways, now surrounded by Cuernavaca's Vista Hermosa neighborhood.
Waterfalls
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Salto de San Antón · Waterfall · 1 km from the centre
A 40-meter waterfall dropping into a lush ravine inside Cuernavaca, reached by stairs from the old potters' barrio of San Antón.
Map of Cuernavaca
Neighbourhoods and villages of Cuernavaca
Part of Cuernavaca or just outside it, closest first.
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Chamilpa · Village · 6 km from the centre
Old village north of Cuernavaca, founded in 1539, with a 16th-century chapel, the state university on its land and a San Lorenzo fiesta every August 10. -
Ocotepec · Town · 6 km from the centre
A Nahua village on Cuernavaca's north edge, famous for its Day of the Dead 'ofrendas nuevas' and brightly painted tombs. -
Tetela del Monte · Village · 6 km from the centre
Wooded neighbourhood north of Cuernavaca with a Franciscan chapel of the Three Kings, a January 6 fiesta, plant nurseries and the Bosque Real park. -
Buenavista del Monte · Village · 8 km from the centre
Avocado village at 1,938 m in the hills west of Cuernavaca, set between ravines; it grew up around the time of the Revolution.
Day trips and tours from Cuernavaca
The closest Pueblos Mágicos and places to visit, with the drive from Cuernavaca and tours that leave from it.
Popular day trips from Cuernavaca
Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.
All 34 Pueblos Mágicos within a weekend of Cuernavaca →
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 Cuernavaca
- The nearest airport is Toluca (TLC).
- The best months to go are January, February, March, and December.
- 8 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 Cuernavaca.
Before you go to Cuernavaca: hours, prices and tips
- Best time of day
- Come on a weekday or arrive before Friday afternoon, and head back to Mexico City early on Sunday: weekend traffic on the highway can stretch the trip past 2 hours. In the evening, the main square has danzón on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Wikivoyage · checked Oct 2026
- Best season
- Mild all year: temperatures stay roughly between 21 and 26 °C, which earned it the nickname city of eternal spring. Most of the rain falls in summer. Wikipedia · checked Oct 2026
- Rules
- Street taxis have no meters: agree the fare before getting in, and prefer radio taxis or ride apps, especially at night. Wikivoyage · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting Cuernavaca: what to see and do
Walk the centro from the Palacio de Cortés and the Jardín Juárez kiosk to the cathedral and the Jardín Borda across the avenue.
See Diego Rivera's mural of the history of Morelos on the terrace of the Palacio de Cortés.
Visit the Robert Brady museum, more than 1,300 pieces collected from around the world, in part of the old Franciscan convent.
Climb the Tlahuica-Aztec pyramid platform at Teopanzolco, right in the city.
Join or watch the danzón dancing in the main square on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday evenings.
Take a day trip to the ruins of Xochicalco, about an hour away, or up to Tepoztlán.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Cuernavaca
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Cuernavaca.
Tours & activities
Day trips and guided outings from Tepoztlán often include Cuernavaca; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at MEX (Mexico City): about 1 h 25 min by road to Tepoztlán, then 16 km more to Cuernavaca, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mexico City (MEX), about 1 h 25 min by road from Tepoztlán, the base for Cuernavaca.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Tepoztlán: download a map of the way to Cuernavaca before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
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When to go to Cuernavaca mild
Cuernavaca shares the climate of Tepoztlán, 16 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.
See the month-by-month climate of Tepoztlán
Weather in Cuernavaca now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
The closest Pueblo Mágico: Tepoztlán
Tepoztlán is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Cuernavaca, with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Xochitepec · Morelos · 16 km away
- Tlayacapan · Morelos · 27 km away
- Tlaltizapán · Morelos · 27 km away
- Malinalco · Estado de México · 28 km away
- Ixtapan de la Sal · Estado de México · 47 km away
Near Cuernavaca
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.