11 Magical Towns in Mexico You Won’t Believe Aren’t Straight Out of a Fairytale

Tulum pueblo magico is one of Mexico’s most popular travel destinations and best beaches.

Most don’t even realize it’s a Yucatan pueblo magico, because Tulum is so popular without the designation. 

If this will be your first visit to Tulum in the Yucatan Peninsula, you’re in for a treat.

Tulum has many things to do — from the beautiful beaches along the Caribbean Sea to the Instagram-worthy Tulum Beach art and hotels, gorgeous Tulum cenotes, amazing snorkeling in Tulum, and more.

However, an absolute must-do Tulum activity is to visit the Tulum Mayan Ruins.

They are located right on the beach, just 10 minutes from Tulum Town (Downtown Tulum), and considered among the best Mayan Ruins in Mexico.

2. Valladolid, Yucatan

Valladolid pueblo magico is a beautiful colonial city and one of the best day trips from Merida, Mexico. With so many things to do in Valladolid, it’s no wonder it is becoming a must-see spot in Mexico.

Of the must-see sites, plan on visiting the Parque Principal (Main Park), where you’ll find the Iglesia de San Servacio Church, colorful colonial buildings, shops, and restaurants.

Don’t miss the picturesque Calzada de los Frailes, sometimes referred to as the Calle de los Frailes.

The street is lined with flower pots, colorful boutique shops, cafes, and hotels. This is part of the reason Valladolid ranks as one of the most Instagram-worthy Mexico cities and a must-see Yucatan Peninsula travel destination.

Among the best shops on this street are Coqui Coqui Perfumeria, a boutique fragrance store, and Kuxtal Galería de Arte Popular Mexicano & Café, a Mexican folk art shop that sells great souvenirs.

At the end of the street, check out the famous sign with the Valladolid letters, located in front of the 16th-century Ex-Convento de San Bernardino de Siena.

At night, a 25-minute video mapping display is done on the side of the convent.

There will be two showings, one in Spanish and one in English; the English show starts at 9:25 p.m. each night.

3. Bacalar, Quintana Roo

Bacalar pueblo magico is a quiet town in the southern part of Quintana Roo, Mexico, in the Yucatan Peninsula.

It became popular because of Bacalar Lake, AKA the Lagoon of Seven Colors.

The locals say this massive freshwater lagoon is surrounded by seven shades of blue, from indigo to turquoise. Lake Bacalar is the second largest freshwater lake in Mexico, after Lake Chapala in Ajijic.

The best way to experience Bacalar Lagoon is on a sailboat tour where you’ll visit sites like Isla Pajaros (Bird Island) and Canal de Los Piratas (Pirate’s Channel).

You’ll also want to see the Bacalar cenotes, like Cenote Azul andCenote Cocalitos.

After a long day of boating and swimming, Bacalar has plenty of great restaurants.

When you get hungry, head downtown to eat at a local restaurant, visit the historic Fort of San Felipe, and shop for souvenirs.

If you have extra time, check out Mahahual Mexico. This Costa Maya beach town, located less than 1.5 hours from Bacalar, offers relaxed vibes and world class diving.

While its popularity grows daily, Bacalar still feels more low-key than many places in Quintana Roo, like Tulum and Cancun.

4. Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo

Isla Mujeres Pueblo Magico is one of the best Yucatan travel destinations. To get there, you’ll take the Cancun to Isla Mujeres ferry, for the short 20-30 minute ride over to the island across the Bahia de Mujeres. 

Meaning “Island of Women,” Isla Mujeres was once a popular site for Maya women who made the pilgrimage to worship the Mayan goddess Ixchel.

This jaguar deity was the goddess of the moon, childbirth, medicine and midwifery.

Overlooking the Caribbean Sea at Punta Sur, the southern tip of Isla Mujeres, you’ll find the Ruins of Ixchel Temple.

You’ll want to explore the entire site, including the ruins and sculpture garden. If you get hungry, there’s an onsite restaurant.

When you’re ready to swim, head to the Playa Norte on the northern tip of the island.

With a long stretch of white sandy beach and calm waters perfect for swimming, it is considered one of the best beaches in Mexico.

One of the best things to do in Isla Mujeres is swim with whale sharks—which are actually sharks, but a docile variety. They’re also the largest fish in the ocean, averaging 35 feet long (10-11 m).

5. Izamal, Yucatan

Izamal pueblo magico in the Yucatan Peninsula has been nominated for the UNESCO World Heritage Site list — though for now, it remains simply a Mexico pueblo magico.

Nicknamed “The Yellow Town,” Izamal is, well — yellow — as in, all buildings in Downtown Izamal have been painted bright yellow.

Izamal, Mexico, is a small town, and you can explore downtown in a few hours.

6. Teotihuacan, Estado de México

Teotihuacan (pronounced tay-oh-tee-wok-con) is one of the 35 Mexico UNESCO World Heritage Sites and also one of the most important ruins in Mexico.

Located about an hour from Centro Historico (Historic Downtown), it makes for one of the best day trips from Mexico City. It’s also one of the best things to do in Mexico City and a must-see for most visitors.

The origins of this mysterious site are unknown, though some scholars say the ancient Toltecs built it before the Aztecs inhabited it.

The site attracts about two million visitors each year. Many head there to climb the three Teotihuacán pyramids: the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon, and the Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl.

These are some of the best pyramids in Mexico, and they are also in one of the top pueblos magicos Mexico has to offer.

Though most only know about the Teotihuacan archeological site, it’s located within a magical Mexican town called San Juan Teotihuacan pueblo magico.

7. Cholula, Puebla

Poblanos, as the locals are known, have their own slang, customs, and foods that differ from those of the rest of Mexico.

In fact, Puebla is considered one of the foodie capitals of Mexico, along with Oaxaca and Merida.

If the name Cholula rings a bell, Cholula hot sauce is named in homage to this 2,500-year-old Colonial town. If that seems veryold, you’re right — Cholula is the oldest city in North America.

Located only about 30 minutes by car from the capital, Puebla City, Cholula is one of the most colorful towns in Mexico.

Its iconic yellow, and Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (Church of Our Lady of Remedies) is just one of the brightly colored things to see in Cholula.

The largest pyramid on Earth by volume is right under the church, which sits atop a cliff.

The Great Pyramid of Cholula (Tlachihualtepetl in the Aztec language) is located in the Cholula Archeological Zone, and you can walk through its many underground passageways and tunnels.

8. Tepoztlán, Morelos

The Tepoztlan Mexico pueblo magico is located in Morelos state, only about one hour from Mexico City. This adorable little town deserves a place on your Mexico City itinerary for several reasons.

Among the best things to do in Tepoztlan, Mexico, you’ll want to visit the City Market of Tepoztlan, which is the main mercado (market) in town.

There, you can buy traditional handicrafts and sample prehispanic foods like alache, a dark green veggie, itacates, fried corn cakes and tlaltequeadas, veggie pancakes. If you eat meat, try the cecina, a local delicacy.

This dried steak meat is served throughout Central Mexico, but from Morelos state. Tepoztlan is also known for its pulque (pronounced pull-kay).

This ancient adult beverage is made from fermented agave — the same plant used for tequila and mezcal.

⛰️ Climb the Tepozteco pyramid in Tepoztlan

Located atop a mountain overlooking the town, you can climb the Tepozteco pyramid in Tepoztlan.

This Aztec pyramid is dedicated to Tepoztēcatl, the ancient god of pulque (pronounced pull-kay), a prehispanic adult beverage you can sample in town.

It is an intense 30-60-minute climb to the Tepozteco Ruins, depending on your fitness level, because you’ll be climbing about 100 flights of stairs!

However, once you reach the top, the views are spectacular, and you can see the neighboring town of Cuernavaca, Mexico.

Tepoztlan is a great day trip from Mexico City. 

It’s Parroquia de Santa Prisca, or Santa Prisca Church, is among the most beautiful churches in Mexico.

Taxco is known as one of the top silver mining towns in Mexico. In town, you can sometimes see artisans hard at work in their tiny talliers (workshops), and you can buy silver directly from them.

Semana Santa (Holy Week), the week leading up to Easter, is a special time to visit Taxco, Mexico. It is one of the most important Mexican holidays, but Taxco has one of the country’s most elaborate celebrations.

Activities during Semana Santa in Taxco range from nightly processions with lines of penitents carrying heavy crosses on their backs through town, to Biblical reenactments during the day.

If that’s not your cup of tea, head to Taxco during the other 51 weeks of the year! It is truly one of the most beautiful places in Mexico — and it’s the only pueblos magicos Guerrero state has.

10. Valle de Bravo, Estado de México

Valle de Bravo pueblo magico is a lake town that’s located about 1.5 hours west of Mexico City. It is an affluent town that sits on Lake Avandaro, and is sometimes called the “Hamptons of Mexico City.”

The beautiful lake makes yacht tours and water sports very popular.

Back on land, there are even more things to do in Valle de Bravo.

Spend some time strolling the beautiful cobblestone streets around Plaza de la Independencia to see the 17th Century Parroquia de San Francisco de Asis church.

There’s also a great hiking trail to the Mirador La Pena overlook and a short hike to the Cascadas Velo de Novia Waterfalls.

Don’t miss the Mercado de Artesanías(Artisan Market) for some souvenir shopping.

🦋 Mexico Butterfly Migration in Valle de Bravo

The Santuario Piedra Herrada Monarch Butterfly Reserve, a habitat for millions (maybe even billions) of migratory butterflies, is located just north of Valle de Bravo.

This sanctuary is part of the larger UNESCO World Heritage Property Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico.

Millions (or billions) of monarch butterflies fly from Canada to Mexico each year, ending up in the same forest.

If you visit during the Mexico butterfly season, you can visit Valle de Bravo to see them.

Mexico butterfly season runs from mid-November to April, though the best time to see butterflies in Mexico is from January to mid-March.

It is a truly special site to stand in the forest as millions of butterflies fly by. 🦋 Want to visit? Head here to reserve your Mexico butterfly tours.

11. Ixtapan de la Sal, Estado de México

Located about two hours from Mexico City, Ixtapan de la Sal pueblo magico is Central Mexico’s healing and relaxing destination.

There is the large Parque Acuático Ixtapan (Ixtapan Water Park), which is fed by thermal waters from underground springs. The water here is warm year-round and said to have healing properties.

Some chilangos (Mexico City locals) have homes in Ixtapan de la Sal, as it’s popular for weekend trips. It is also among the most popular day trips from Mexico City, if you can only for the day.

To say overnight, you can rent one of these amazing yet affordable Ixtapan de la Sal hotels. Known as a spa town, many of the hotels do have spa facilities.

If you haven’t guessed already, Ixtapan de la Sal is a place to relax, enjoy the slower pace of life, and be surrounded by nature.

Not far from the Ixtapan Water Park, jump in your rental car and head to the Grutas La Estrella (Cave of Stars).

Downtown Ixtapan de la Sal has a charming vibe, with beautiful colonial architecture and an authentic local feel.

Ixtapan is popular with national tourism, though it is definitely an off-the-beaten-path Mexico destination for international visitors. If you visit Ixtapan, you’ll see “real Mexico” and authentic Mexican culture.