Town 10 km southwest of Xochitepec
A small town known for its hilltop sanctuary of the Señor del Calvario and its big Fifth Friday of Lent fair.
Mazatepec is a small town in western Morelos, in warm farming country south of Xochicalco. Most of the year it's quiet, but it's known across the region for its devotion to the Señor del Calvario, a Christ that according to local tradition appeared on a hill outside town, where a sanctuary now stands.
The sanctuary sits on the hill known as La Loma, connected by road and processions to the parish church of San Lucas, the town's patron saint, in the center. The big moment of the year is the Fifth Friday of Lent, when Mazatepec holds one of the most important fairs in western Morelos. Pilgrims arrive from many towns, the road between the church and the sanctuary fills with food stalls, fair rides and vendors, and dances and religious ceremonies go on for days. It's part of a chain of Lenten fairs in the region, each held in a different town on a different Friday.
Outside the fair you can still climb to the sanctuary for the views across the valley and combine the visit with Coatetelco's ruins and lagoon, a few minutes away, or with Xochicalco. Come early, since the afternoons here are hot.
What to see and do
Climb to the sanctuary of the Señor del Calvario on La Loma for the valley views.
Visit the parish church of San Lucas in the center.
Come for the Fifth Friday of Lent fair, with pilgrims, dances and food stalls.
Combine it with the ruins and lagoon of Coatetelco.
Getting there
Mazatepec is about 25 km southwest of Xochitepec by road; allow about 35 minutes by car via Alpuyeca and Miacatlán or Coatetelco. Combis run from Cuernavaca and Alpuyeca. During the fair, traffic and parking are difficult, so arrive early.
10 km southwest of Xochitepec
Directions from Xochitepec on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather warm
Mazatepec shares the climate of Xochitepec, 10 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec.
Make Xochitepec your base
Mazatepec is an easy trip from Xochitepec, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
More around Xochitepec
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Xochicalco
· Archaeological site · 2 km away
A UNESCO-listed hilltop city with the carved Temple of the Feathered Serpent, three ballcourts and a solar observatory cave. -
Laguna El Rodeo
· Lake · 3 km away
A reservoir below Xochicalco's hills with lakeside restaurants, bass fishing, birdwatching and camping. -
Zona Arqueológica de Coatetelco
· Archaeological site · 8 km away
A small ceremonial center with a ballcourt and temple platforms beside the Coatetelco lagoon, an easy pairing with Xochicalco. -
Balneario Ex-Hacienda de Temixco
· Landmark · 11 km away
A big water park built inside the walls and arches of a colonial sugar hacienda. -
Hacienda San José Vista Hermosa
· Landmark · 16 km away
A colonial sugar hacienda near Tequesquitengo with an old aqueduct, now a hotel and restaurant. -
Salto de San Antón
· Waterfall · 16 km away
A 40-meter waterfall dropping into a lush ravine inside Cuernavaca, reached by stairs from the old potters' barrio of San Antón. -
Teopanzolco
· Archaeological site · 18 km away
A Tlahuica pyramid with twin temples to Tláloc and Huitzilopochtli, set in a park in Cuernavaca's Vista Hermosa neighborhood. -
Lago de Tequesquitengo
· Lake · 20 km away
A large lake known for waterskiing, with the dome of a flooded church a few meters below the surface. -
Grutas de Cacahuamilpa
· Cave · 25 km away
One of Mexico's largest show caves, with huge chambers of stalactites, about an hour's drive southwest in Guerrero.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.