Town 13 km northeast of Valle de Bravo
A quiet mountain town of springs and trout farms east of Valle de Bravo, with a 16th-century church and forest all around.
Amanalco is sometimes called Valle de Bravo's backyard: a small, quiet town in a green valley of forest and farmland, about 40 minutes from the lake. Its Nahuatl name refers to water, and its older Otomí name, N'dabi, is said to mean a place with much water; the municipality counts hundreds of springs, and streams run cold and clear through the woods.
That water has made Amanalco trout country. Around the town, family-run farms raise rainbow trout in stone-lined tanks, and several let you catch your own and have it cooked on the spot, grilled, fried or in a garlic sauce. Some ranches add cabins, temazcal steam baths and horseback rides, and the forest roads are popular with cyclists.
The town itself has a long history. Its church dates from the 16th century, when Franciscans named the village San Jerónimo Amanalco, and it holds the remains of José María Becerra, the 19th-century parish priest who taught carpentry, brought drinking water and built homes for local families, and whose name the town now carries. Amanalco makes an easy half day from Valle de Bravo for anyone who wants trout, pine forest and very few crowds.
What to see and do
Catch your own trout at a family farm and have it cooked on the spot.
Visit the 16th-century parish church where Father Becerra is buried.
Try a temazcal or a horseback ride at one of the ranches.
Cycle or drive the forest roads between Amanalco and Valle de Bravo.
Getting there
Amanalco is about 20 km east of Valle de Bravo, roughly 40 minutes by car on the road toward Toluca. Buses between Toluca and Valle de Bravo can drop you on the way, but a car makes it easier to reach the trout farms.
13 km northeast of Valle de Bravo
Directions from Valle de Bravo on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Places to stay in Amanalco de Becerra
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Weather mild
Amanalco de Becerra shares the climate of Valle de Bravo, 13 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Mar, Apr, Dec.
Make Valle de Bravo your base
Amanalco de Becerra is an easy trip from Valle de Bravo, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
More around Valle de Bravo
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Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.