Town 12 km northwest of Villa del Carbón
An Otomí town with a 16th-century Franciscan church and backstrap-loom weaving, next to the red eroded hills of México Chiquito.
Chapa de Mota is a small, unhurried town in the hills between Villa del Carbón and Jilotepec, with deep Otomí roots. The first part of its name comes from Nahuatl and is usually linked to chía; the second recalls Jerónimo Ruiz de la Mota, the Spanish conquistador who held it in encomienda after the Conquest.
The main sight is the parish of San Miguel Arcángel, raised by the Franciscans in the 16th century. Look for the baptismal font, carved from a single block of stone with designs made by Otomí hands. Around town, Otomí families still weave on the backstrap loom, making quechquémitl, sashes and ribbons, and some work ixtle, the maguey fiber used for ayates. The food is rustic and filling: lamb barbacoa, pulque, and bread made with pulque as the leavening.
The countryside is the other draw. At the edge of town the red and orange hills of México Chiquito look like a scene from another planet, and the municipality has small dams such as El Membrillo and La Concha, forest, rivers and an ecotourism park with waterfalls. It makes an easy stop on a loop with Villa del Carbón and Jilotepec.
What to see and do
Visit the 16th-century parish of San Miguel Arcángel and its Otomí-carved baptismal font.
Look for backstrap-loom textiles and ixtle crafts made by local families.
Try lamb barbacoa, pulque and pulque bread.
Walk among the red eroded hills of México Chiquito at the edge of town.
Getting there
Chapa de Mota is about 15 km northwest of Villa del Carbón, roughly 30 minutes by car on winding country roads. From Jilotepec it is a similar drive to the south. Local buses link it with both towns; ask locally for current schedules.
12 km northwest of Villa del Carbón
Directions from Villa del Carbón on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Chapa de Mota
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Weather cool
Chapa de Mota shares the climate of Villa del Carbón, 12 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec.
Make Villa del Carbón your base
Chapa de Mota is an easy trip from Villa del Carbón, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Jilotepec · 15 km away
More around Villa del Carbón
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Presa del Llano
· Lake · 9 km away
A forest reservoir and ecotourism park south of Villa del Carbón with cabins, rowboats, trout, zip lines and campsites. -
México Chiquito
· Nature reserve · 11 km away
Red and orange eroded mounds reflected in a pond at the edge of Chapa de Mota, a landscape that looks almost Martian. -
Arcos del Sitio
· Landmark · 14 km away
A colonial aqueduct about 60 meters tall spanning a wooded ravine, inside an ecotourism park east toward Tepotzotlán. -
Peña de la Bufa
· Mountain · 14 km away
A forested peak above the Presa del Llano with a spring, a waterfall and a summit viewpoint, climbed without technical gear. -
Presa Taxhimay
· Lake · 14 km away
A reservoir that swallowed the village of San Luis de las Peras in the 1930s; two church towers still rise from the water. -
Presa Danxhó
· Lake · 19 km away
A quiet reservoir between Chapa de Mota and Jilotepec, good for a picnic, kayaking or a boat ride on a countryside loop. -
Centro Ceremonial Otomí
· Landmark · 23 km away
A monumental Otomí ceremonial center in the Temoaya forest, built in 1980, with a vast plaza and giant sculpted figures. -
Bioparque Estrella
· Landmark · 25 km away
A drive-through wildlife park in Chapa de Mota with animals from several continents, boat rides and a zip line.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.