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    Satellite view of San José Ixtapa among fields in the uplands of Cañada Morelos, Puebla

    Photo by EOX IT Services, Copernicus Sentinel data 2016, CC BY 4.0, via EOxCloudless

    San José Ixtapa

    Village Cañada Morelos, Puebla Tehuacán Valley

    Village in the municipality of Cañada Morelos, "on the salt", in the uplands between the Tehuacán valley and the Veracruz line.

    From Tehuacán: 30 min by car (36 km by road) How to get there ↓

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    Where to stay near San José Ixtapa

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in San José Ixtapa.

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    Tours to San José Ixtapa

    Day trips and guided outings from Orizaba often include San José Ixtapa; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Tours from Puebla City Africam Safari Zoo Admission with Transportation ★ 4.8 (87) · From US$35
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide

    How to get to San José Ixtapa

    • From Tehuacán: about 30 min by road (~36 km)
    • Nearest airport: Veracruz (VER), 1 h 42 min by car to Orizaba
    Rent a car at VER Flights to VER

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    Tours from Puebla City, near San José Ixtapa

    Africam Safari Zoo Admission with Transportation ★ 4.8 (87) 5 h From US$35
    Iztaccihuatl Volcano Hiking Tour from Puebla ★ 5.0 (81) 8–9 h From US$179
    Cholula tour from Puebla ★ 4.9 (81) 3–4 h From US$82
    Town walking tour of the city ★ 4.9 (80) 2–3 h From US$36
    Cholula Magical Town on a Traditional Tram from Puebla in Spanish ★ 4.4 (67) 5 h From US$14

    Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.

    About San José Ixtapa

    With 4,387 residents counted in 2020, San José Ixtapa is one of the larger places in Cañada Morelos, in east-central Puebla. Ixtapa comes from the Nahuatl iztatl, salt, and pan, on: "on the salt"; Saint Joseph is the patron. The village stands at about 2,310 m, in cool uplands.

    The municipality of Cañada Morelos, whose seat is Morelos Cañada, covers about 245 km² and steps from 2,060 to 2,900 m. It borders Esperanza, Palmar de Bravo, Tlacotepec de Benito Juárez, Tepanco de López and Chapulco, and to the east the Veracruz municipalities of Aquila and Acultzingo, making it one of Puebla's gateways to the heights that drop to Orizaba.

    From above, the houses sit among rain-fed fields. For travellers, San José Ixtapa lies midway between Tehuacán, about 29 km off, and Orizaba, about 40, near the Acultzingo grade that separates the Puebla plateau from Veracruz.

    How to get to San José Ixtapa

    Drive from Tehuacán: 30 min, 36 km

    San José Ixtapa lies in the municipality of Cañada Morelos, between Tehuacán (about 29 km as the crow flies) and Orizaba (about 40 km). Puebla city is about 87 km away in a straight line. The practical approach is by car from Tehuacán or Esperanza.

    Directions to San José Ixtapa on Google Maps

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

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

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    From the nearest cities to San José Ixtapa

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

    Visiting San José Ixtapa: what to see and do

    The upland landscape of eastern Puebla.
    Pair it with Tehuacán and the Acultzingo heights toward Orizaba.

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    Places to stay in San José Ixtapa

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    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Orizaba often include San José Ixtapa; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at VER (Veracruz): about 1 h 42 min by road to Orizaba, then 40 km more to San José Ixtapa, on your own schedule.

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    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Veracruz (VER), about 1 h 42 min by road from Orizaba, the base for San José Ixtapa.

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    Travel insurance

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    Mobile data

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

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    When to go to San José Ixtapa mild

    San José Ixtapa shares the climate of Orizaba, 40 km away. The best months to visit are February, March, April, and December.

    See the month-by-month climate of Orizaba

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: Orizaba

    Gardens and red-roofed pavilions of the Orizaba botanical garden below the mountains, Veracruz mild
    Veracruz Orizaba

    Orizaba is the Pueblo Mágico closest to San José Ixtapa, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

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    Closest to San José Ixtapa

    Near San José Ixtapa

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

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.