Click here to see our route map through Mexico in more detail.
Thinking of visiting Mexico? Check out part 3 of our 7 week backpacking itinerary below. We had a absolute blast and I would highly recommend travelling to this vibrant country full of culture, friendly people and great food.
Part 3. Puebla Highlights
Puebla is a beautiful city rich in history and has some stunning displays of architecture ranging from Renaissance to Mexican Baroque. Take a stroll around town and it's not hard to see why this city was named a world heritage site in 1987. We'd heard good things about the city's famous ceramics and given it was approximately halfway between San Miguel De Allende and Oaxaca City, we thought it would make a good stop over and break up an otherwise long bus trip.
While our hostel here was not the best, we thoroughly enjoyed exploring the city on foot. Puebla is famous for it's unique style of ceramics known as Talavera and if you're in the market ceramic souvenirs then this is the place for you. Keep in mind that these items generally aren't the easiest things to transport across the world.
Talavery Pottery © Marc Johnson
There are some remarkable buildings in Puebla and the City Cathedral no exception. Commenced in 1575, it took 300 years to construct and is easily one of the most impressive buildings we visited in all of Mexico. If you're into books, don't miss the Biblioteca Palafoxiana. This is the oldest library in the Americas and contains over 42,000 books and manuscripts dating from 1473 to 1910.
Puebla Cathedral © Diego Grandi
After working up an appetite, head to a local restaurant and grab a plate of Mole Poblano. This famous local sauce is traditionally served over turkey meat and contains a diverse mix of spices including chilli and chocolate. It wasn't particularly to our taste however it would be a sin come here without at least trying it.
Puebla's vibrant streetscape
The nearby Zona Historica de Los Fuertes contains at least 3 museums and is the location of the famous Battle of Puebla which occurred on 5th May 1862. On this day, the Mexican army defeated the invading French troops and this victory is now celebrated annually as the Cinco de Mayo festival. If you happen to be here on this date then expect some serious festivities, the people of Mexico sure know how to party!
Don't miss our next travel blog, Oaxaca City, coming soon.
Happy travels,
Sandy Cove Trading Co. Team