Town 27 km east of Tlayacapan
A cool mountain town under Popocatépetl with a Dominican convent full of murals, near the weaving village of Hueyapan.
Tetela del Volcán is the highest town on the Morelos convent route, sitting on the southern slopes of Popocatépetl at well over 2,000 meters. The air is cooler than in the valley, and the town is surrounded by orchards and forest, with the volcano often in view on clear mornings. It feels a world away from the hot sugarcane lowlands.
Its Dominican convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán is one of the fourteen 16th-century monasteries on Popocatépetl's slopes declared World Heritage by UNESCO. The church and cloister keep an important set of mural paintings, which have needed careful conservation over the years, and the atrium and walls follow the fortress-like plan of the period. It's one of the less visited stops on the route, which makes it a pleasure to explore slowly.
A few kilometers further up is Hueyapan, a Nahua community that was part of Tetela until it became its own municipality. Hueyapan has another Dominican convent, built in the 1560s and 70s, and is known for its weavers, who still work sheep's wool on the backstrap loom to make rebozos, striped coats and other garments. Their work is especially on show at the town fair in early August. Before you go, check the status of Popocatépetl, whose activity sometimes affects access to the area.
What to see and do
See the mural paintings in the convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán.
Look out for views of Popocatépetl on a clear morning.
Drive up to Hueyapan to see its convent and buy wool rebozos from local weavers.
Visit Hueyapan's fair in early August, when the weavers show their work.
Getting there
Tetela del Volcán is about 45 km from Tlayacapan by road; allow about 1 hour by car via Cuautla or Yecapixtla and then up through Ocuituco. Hueyapan is a few kilometers further on. Combis run from Cuautla. Bring a jacket, since it's much cooler up here, and check volcano alerts before you set out.
27 km east of Tlayacapan
Directions from Tlayacapan on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather mild
Tetela del Volcán shares the climate of Tlayacapan, 27 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec.
Make Tlayacapan your base
Tetela del Volcán is an easy trip from Tlayacapan, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
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Yecapixtla
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Ocuituco
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Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.