Xochicalco

Tickets and tours: which to book

Entry is by a standard ticket from INAH, the national heritage institute, bought at the site museum near the car park. It covers the museum, the ruins and, from noon, the observatory cave. On Sundays Mexican citizens and residents enter free, which makes the site busier with families. There is no timed entry, and local guides sometimes offer their services at the entrance; agree the price and length before setting off.

Only one product including Xochicalco appears on GetYourGuide: a day out from Cuernavaca that combines a Spanish lesson at a language school with a guided visit to the site and transport. It suits students already staying in Cuernavaca rather than ordinary sightseers. Other agencies in Cuernavaca and Mexico City run day trips that pair Xochicalco with Taxco, the silver town further south, or with the lagoon at Tequesquitengo, usually with transport and a guide but not always the entry fee.

Most independent visitors drive or take a taxi from Cuernavaca. The sensible plan is to arrive at opening, spend an hour in the museum and the lower plazas, and time the climb so that you reach the observatory soon after noon.

A short history

The hill was first settled by about 200 BC, but the city grew only after Teotihuacan declined in the 7th century. Between about AD 700 and 900 it became a fortified centre of trade and religion with perhaps 10,000 to 20,000 people, controlling routes between the central highlands and the coasts. Around 900 the city was burnt and abandoned, and the Tlahuica later settled the area. Antonio Alzate described the ruins in 1777, and Alexander von Humboldt published them in 1810. Leopoldo Batres restored the Temple of the Feathered Serpent in 1910, and major INAH excavations followed from the 1940s and again from 1988. UNESCO listed the site in 1999.

Getting there

Xochicalco lies in the municipality of Miacatlan, 38 km south-west of Cuernavaca and about 122 km by road from Mexico City. By car from Cuernavaca, take the federal road or toll motorway south towards Acapulco, leave at Alpuyeca and follow the signs west for the last few kilometres to the car park by the museum: about 45 minutes. From Mexico City allow two hours on the toll road via Cuernavaca. Buses from Cuernavaca towards Miacatlan and Coatlan pass the junction about 4 km from the entrance; from there a taxi is the practical way up. The nearest international airport is Mexico City, with a small airport at Cuernavaca.

Rules and what to bring

Climbing is allowed only on the stairs that are open; ropes mark buildings that are closed, and the reliefs of the Feathered Serpent temple must not be touched. Drones and tripods need INAH permission. The hilltop is exposed and hot, so bring a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water, and wear shoes with good grip for the steep stone steps. There are toilets at the museum and a few drinks stalls at the car park, but no restaurant.

When to go

Morelos is warm all year, and Xochicalco is hottest in April and May, before the rains, when the bare plazas reflect the sun. From June to September afternoon storms are common, so plan the visit for the morning and finish at the observatory around noon. October to March is dry and pleasant, with clear views across the valley, and is the best season.

Sundays bring families from Cuernavaca, as entry is free for Mexican residents, and school groups visit on weekday mornings during term. The spring equinox in March draws crowds who gather to receive the sun on the hilltop. The observatory is most spectacular around the zenith days in mid May and late July. Allow two to three hours, including the museum.