Today your small group tour begins with an excursion to the 'magic town' of Cholula and the colonial city of Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza (known as the 'City of the Angels').located close to the famed twin volcanoes of Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl.
Our first stop is at the stunning Church of Santa María Tonanzintla, a beautiful Baroque church crafted by indigenous hands.
We continue to the 'magic town' of Cholula and the Cholula Archaeological Zone, an ancient Mesoamerican site known for its huge pyramid. The Great Pyramid of Cholula (also known as Tlachihualtepetl) is the largest pyramid not only in the Americas, but in the whole world. Enjoy exploring the town and on a clear day you may get a view of the Popocatepetl Volcano.
Afterwards we visit the city of Puebla where we enjoy a walking tour, starting from the Zócalo (main square). This beautiful historic centre has the largest number of 18th century buildings in all of Mexico. Here you will see the Renaissance style Puebla Cathedral with its tall bell towers. Widely considered to be one of the best in Mexico, this enormous church has a tiled dome roof inspired by St. Peter’s basilica in Rome and an amazing octagonal altar.
We also visit the 17th century Church of Santo Domingo and the attached Virgin of Rosario Chapel, one of the largest and most impressive examples of Mexican Baroque art, which is finely decorated with gold leaf.
We also visit the Religious Museum of Santa Monica, which is housed in a former convent and has an interesting collection of religious objects, before returning to Mexico City.
Note: On group tours, for operational reasons it is sometimes necessary to substitute one hotel for another of a similar standard.