Within a dynamic open kitchen setting, Pasquinel Bistrot mixes local ingredients with European influences for an exciting and interactive dining experience. The main restaurant is complemented with an elegant private dining room and a beautiful outdoor terrace for casual meals overlooking the hotel’s finely landscaped gardens and patios.

GOLF
Puebla is known for its passionate enthusiasm for golf. Area courses include Campestre Mayorazgo, El Cristo, La Huerta, Las Fuentes and La Vista. La Vista is an exclusive 18-hole, PGA-category course developed by the prestigious designer Robert Von Hagge. 

CULINARY

Cooking Class with Chefs
A unique gastro...

GOLF
Puebla is known for its passionate enthusiasm for golf. Area courses include Campestre Mayorazgo, El Cristo, La Huerta, Las Fuentes and La Vista. La Vista is an exclusive 18-hole, PGA-category course developed by the prestigious designer Robert Von Hagge. 

CULINARY

Cooking Class with Chefs
A unique gastronomic experience, where the hotel's Chefs will share the secrets of the Mexican cuisine. The Chef will present the ingredients of the recepies to prepare and give you the best techniques and tips to impress your friends and family, while tasting a craft Poblana beer.

Mexican Wine Tasting
Did you know that the oldest winery in America was established in Mexico in 1524? Embark on a journey through Mexico’s regional wine-making traditions with grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonay among others, as you explore wines from Chihuahua, Queretaro, Baja California and more...

Mezcal & Tequila Tasting
During this lively class, you will learn all about Mexico’s main spirits, Mezcal and Tequila, as well as how to create the finest Mexican cocktails under the guidance of our expert bartenders.

Market to Table  Culinary Adventure
Set out on a chef-led visit to a nearby Puebla market where you will learn all about traditional Mexican ingredients. On your return to the hotel, a special menu will be prepared for your enjoyment based on the ingredients you have selected from the various purveyors.


THINGS TO DO IN PUEBLA

ESSENTIALS

Zocalo
Puebla’s main square, the Zocalo, is situated in the heart of the city and surrounded by stately historical buildings, monuments and green spaces. The vibrant tree-lined square is a perfect starting point for a leisurely walking tour beginning with the nearby Puebla Cathedral, the town hall (Palacio Municipal) and three sets of arched arcades known as Portales—Portal Hidalgo, Portal Iturbide and Portal Morelos—which are renowned for their broad range of restaurants and bars. Visitors are encouraged to sample a michelada while listening to marimba melodies, enjoy a cocktail at Nevados Don Hermilo and try a typical cemita (sandwich) from Meche.

Puebla Cathedral
One of the most impressive churches in Mexico, Puebla Cathedral is a treasure of colonial architecture and artwork dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. Designed by Francisco Becerra, the first stage of construction took place between 1575 and 1618. The second phase was directed by Bishop Juan de Palafox y Mendoza who consecrated the cathedral in 1649. The main structure and interior design include mainly Baroque and Neoclassical features. Reaching over 70 meters, the cathedral’s towers are the tallest in the country. Designed by Manuel Tolsa, the stunning main altar depicts the kings and queens of 17th-century Europe, while the painter Cristobal de Villalpando decorated the dome of the apse chapel. The choir is an exquisite example of Mudejar artwork with inlaid wood of eight different varieties. According to local legend, the nine-ton main bell was raised at night by angels while the workers slept.

Rosary Chapel
Hailed at the time as the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” the beautiful Rosary Chapel (Capilla del Rosario) was consecrated in 1690 following 40 years of construction. Attached to the Temple of Santo Domingo, the chapel is bathed with natural light. The walls and ceilings are entirely covered with masterful paintings, ornate sculptures, elements of Talavera Poblana and plasterwork covered in dazzling gold leaf. The lavish chapel is considered to be one of the finest examples of Baroque art in Mexico.

ART

Amparo Museum
The Amparo Museum (Museo Amparo) possesses a permanent collection of over 6,000 works of pre-Hispanic origin and features multiple temporary exhibitions displaying Novo Hispano, modern and contemporary art. Situated in a 16th-century colonial structure that formerly housed a hospital, the building was converted by Pedro Ramirez Vazquez, a renowned figure in Mexican architecture. The museum has a souvenir shop, libraries and a beautiful rooftop terrace cafeteria which offers magnificent view of the nearby cathedral.

International Museum of Baroque
Built by Toyo Ito, recipient of the 2013 Pritzker Architecture Prize, the International Museum of Baroque (Museo Internacional del Barroco) opened in 2016. It offers an overview of the prolific Baroque period in Europe and Latin America during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The museum is situated in the Angelópolis, one of the most modern areas of the city. Parks, bike paths, shopping malls, universities, cultural venues and the Star of Puebla Ferris wheel are located nearby.

Constancia Museums
In 1835, businessman Esteban de Antuñano opened the first factory in Mexico driven by hydropower which remained in operation until 1991. Today, the nearly 7,000-meter structure houses three museums—the House of Music in Vienna (Museo Casa De La Musica De Viena En Puebla), the Puppet House (Casa De Las Marionetas Mexicanas) and the Children's Museum (Museo Infantil)—which are integrated into the original architecture.

UDLAP's Art Chapel
With its striking French field architecture and green metalwork, UDLAP’s Art Chapel (Capilla del Arte) stands out among the buildings of Puebla’s historic city center. The former site of the city’s first retail store, the landmark building was constructed by Schwartz & Maurer using materials ordered by catalog and shipped from France. The building’s metal core is characteristic of Art Nouveau. The façade features large windows adorned with intricate vegetal ornamentation. In 2009, the building’s upper floor was donated to the Universidad de las Américas Puebla and converted into the Art Chapel cultural center which features a contemporary art gallery, event rooms and an auditorium.


SHOP

El Parian
Located three blocks from Puebla’s main square at 6 Norte Street, the market of El Parian is an excellent source for traditional crafts. Open Monday to Sunday, the market boasts over 100 stalls featuring an assortment of regional artisan wares including textiles, embroidery, jewellery, leather goods and beautiful creations in Talavera, Puebla’s famed ceramic pottery. There are also purveyors of tempting regional culinary treats such as camote, jamoncillos, borrachitos and marzipan.

OFFBEAT

Palafoxian Library
Located in Puebla’s historic center, the Paxafoxian Library (Biblioteca Palafoxiana) is widely considered to be the oldest public library in The Americas. Established in 1646 with a donation of 5,000 volumes from Bishop Juan Palafox y Mendoza, the library is recognized for its antiquity, originality and artistic value. A museum since 1981, the library holds over 42,000 books and manuscripts dating back to the fifteenth century and continues to serve as a repository for researchers from around the world. UNESCO added the library to its Memory of the World Register in 2005.

Bubas Bridge
In 2014, Puebla’s local government found evidence of a network of tunnels beneath the city. Further exploration revealed an underground passage over 70 meters in length with a history reaching back over 300 years. Constructed in 1682, the tunnel known as Bubas Bridge (Puente de Bubas) originally connected Bubas Hospital to the city and it continued to serve as hidden road for the distinguished upper class families of colonial-era Puebla for many years. Today, the Secrets of Puebla program offers tours of the tunnel to visitors.

San Andres Cholula and San Pedro Cholula
Listed as Magical Towns of Mexico (Pueblos Mágicos de México) since 2012, San Andres and San Pedro are the two municipalities that comprise the modern city of Cholula. Though distinct, the towns share an exceptionally rich heritage reaching back over 2,000 years. A fervently religious community since the pre-Hispanic era, Cholula is known for its vast number of churches. Conquistador Hernán Cortés claimed, mistakenly, that there existed one for each day of the year.

In San Andres, the main attraction is the Great Pyramid of Cholula. Standing over 60 meters tall, it is the largest pyramid in the world spanning over 400 meters per side. A 16th-century Catholic church crowns the top of the pyramid where visitors can take in excellent panoramic views. A labyrinth of underground tunnels and excavated ruins at the base may also be explored.

San Pedro has evolved into a more urban city. At the Plaza de la Concordia, highlights include the former convent of San Gabriel, which houses a Franciscan library, and Portal Guerrero, Mexico’s longest arched gallery offering an array of restaurants and cafés.

Atlixco
Referred to as the “City of Flowers,” the small town of Atlixco is noted as having the finest climate in the world. Its enviable temperature and humidity allow for the cultivation of many flower species, including orchids. This incredible bounty of blooms is honored with year-round celebrations including the Huey Atlixcayotl, featuring traditional dance performances, and the Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) festival when the city’s streets and square are blanketed in marigolds and chrysanthemums. An array of 17th- and 18th-century Novo-Hispanic churches can be found all over the town.

For outdoor enthusiasts, a visit to the nearby mountain of Cerro de San Miguel is highly recommended for its spectacular views and natural springs. On the way there, one can pass through Chipilo, an agricultural community founded in 1882 by exiled Italians whose descendants continue to speak in an Italian dialect and create traditional milk products that are popular in the region.

Upon entering the Church of Santa María Tonantzintla, visitors are confronted with a spectacular mélange of religious imagery. The interior walls and ceilings are completely covered with ornately painted plaster producing a veritable explosion of peculiar faces, figures, masks, flowers, Mexican fruits, birds and abstract decorative designs. The figures that populate the walls, including hundreds of cherubs with indigenous features, have been described as less refined than traditional Baroque, but such stylistic differences give the church a distinctly regional tone.

The fusion of European and indigenous Mexican cultures is also reflected in the church’s name. Following the introduction of Christianity to the region, the Aztec goddess Tontantzin was appropriated as an iteration of the Virgin Mary.

Chautla Hacienda
Located northwest of Puebla, Chautla Hacienda was once a vast tract of farmland owned by the Marquis of Selva Negra. In the nineteenth century, the land became the property of an Englishman named Thomas Gillow. His son built an English-style castle (El Castillo) in remembrance of his ancestors. He also modernized the estate with electricity in 1903 by building Latin America’s first hydroelectric power plant on site and introduced its first railway system. Today, a small fraction of the hacienda remains, providing a lovely destination for a leisure outing. Visitors can view the original manor house, go fishing or row boating on the lake, enjoy a picnic beside the pine forest or tour the castle which serves as a museum.

Former Convents of Huejotzingo and CalpanUNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1994, Huejotzingo and Calpan are located on the slopes of the volcano Popocatépetl. They belong to a group of 14 area monasteries that were built in the sixteenth century by the Augustinians, Franciscans and Dominicans in order to evangelize the surrounding region. The communities of Huejotzingo and Calpan are very festive and host a variety of celebrations throughout the year. Huejotzingo’s carnival is renowned for its widespread local participation, sumptuous costumes and representations of Puebla’s history. Between July and August, Calpan holds one of the best Chiles en Nogada festivals in the country. Though it is possible to enjoy this exquisite dish in Puebla, the farm-to-table experience of sampling it in Calpan is especially memorable.


OUTSIDE PUEBLA

Atlixco Day Tour
Referred to as the “City of Flowers,” the small town of Atlixco is an enchanting and colorful destination for a day of shopping and sightseeing. You will have time to peruse the markets where a bevy of local products, fruits, cheeses, flowers and artisan crafts are on display. In the evening, the hotel will deliver your purchases to your room or prepare a dinner from your selections.

Cuetzalan
Set high in the clouded hills of the northern reaches of the state, the small town of Cuetzalan is known for its cobblestone streets, grottos, waterfalls and coffee plantations. It is also a place of well-expressed cultural fusion between the indigenous population and mestizos, a characteristic reflected in local artisan crafts and the town’s typical white dresses. Visitors to this quiet and restful retreat enjoy high-quality freshly blended local coffee and the chance to witness the Dance of the Flyers, a traditional ceremony in which the performers climb 40-meter poles and slowly descend by rope. 170 km from Puebla

Pahuatlán
Nestled in the Sierra Norte Mountains, the small town of Pahuatlán is a magical place bursting with tradition. Noted for its cobblestone streets, red tile roofs and simple traditional architecture, the town specializes in handicrafts, including embroidery, beadwork, textiles, leather goods and Amate bark paper, one of the oldest papers in the world, which has been produced since before the Spanish conquest. Locals also serve up exquisite freshly baked bread and some of Mexico’s finest Arabica coffee. A tour of an area coffee plantations allows visitors to travel back in time and connect with the area’s rich heritage.

Tlatlauquitepec
Known as the Sierra Norte’s garden, the small mountain town of Tlatlauquitepec offers a perfect pairing of culture and nature. The lush natural environment surrounding Cabezón Hill provides a magnificent encounter with the outdoors as visitors set out on trails to explore waterfalls, caves, rivers, pools and springs. Back in town, a stroll through the quiet streets allows one to appreciate the town’s colorful colonial architecture, including an imposing former Franciscan convent. Regional culinary specialties include papered trout, mole smoked beef and tlayoyos (stuffed tortillas). 160 km from Puebla

Xicotepec
Surrounded by deep green mountains covered in mist, Xicotepec is home to a pre-Hispanic ceremonial center, Vivo Xochipila. At this indigenous shrine, the most important ceremony of the year takes place on June 24 in honor of the flower goddess and features sacred rituals, traditional dances, parties and, of course, flowers. To the delight of travelers, the town’s culinary traditions include cecina (salted beef), tostadas, enchiladas, chorizo ahumado (smoked sausage) and acamayas (shrimp-like crustaceans). 220 km from Puebla

Zacatlán de las Manzanas
The town of Zacatlán is characterized by its peculiar cool and misty climate. Away from the bustle of the big cities, it is a relaxing escape featuring a picturesque historical center and beautiful gardens. It is surrounded by orchards of apple and other fruit trees which fill the air with intoxicating scents during blossom season. Juárez Garden is the town’s most popular spot, where one can peruse an array of boutiques and art galleries. The town’s main annual festival is the Apple Fair (Feria de la Manzanais) held in August in celebration of the fruit-growing traditions of the region. Located 20 minutes by car from Zacatlán, Las Piedras Encimadas Valley is filled with pine forests and fascinating volcanic rocks carved into capricious forms by millions of years of erosion. 121 km from Puebla