Mayapan
Tecoh, Mexico
Mayapan was the last great capital of the Maya in Yucatan, ruling much of the north of the peninsula from the 1220s…
2 tickets & tours
Country
Best ancient sites in Mexico
Mexico’s ancient past is several civilisations, not one. The Zapotecs levelled a ridge above Oaxaca around 500 BC for Monte Alban, and Mitla, Yagul, Dainzu and Atzompa fill the valleys around it. The Maya held Yucatan, Campeche and the Chiapas rainforest, where Bonampak keeps its painted rooms. Central Mexico adds the Great Pyramid of Cholula, the murals of Cacaxtla, Xochicalco and the Toltec warriors of Tula, while El Tajin and Cempoala stand near the Gulf coast and the round pyramids of Guachimontones lie west of Guadalajara.
Oaxaca 4Bacalar 2Calakmul 2Nativitas 2Palenque 2Xpujil 2Campeche 1Cancún 1Cempoala 1Chetumal 1Cholula 1Cozumel 1Dzemul 1Huatulco 1Izamal 1Mahahual 1Mérida 1Miacatlán 1Mitla 1Ocosingo 1Oxkutzcab 1Papantla 1Pénjamo 1Santa Elena 1Tecoh 1Tepeyahualco 1Teuchitlan 1Tula de Allende 1Tulum 1Yaxcabá 1
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Becan
Xpujil, Mexico
Becan is a Maya city in the forests of southern Campeche, Mexico, surrounded by a dry moat almost 2 km long that is…
1 ticket or tour
Xochicalco
Miacatlán, Mexico
Xochicalco is a hilltop city in western Morelos, 38 km south-west of Cuernavaca, that flourished between about AD 700…
1 ticket or tour
Xochitecatl
Nativitas, Mexico
Xochitecatl is a ceremonial centre on the summit of an extinct volcano in the state of Tlaxcala, begun around 800 BC,…
1 ticket or tour
Yaxuna
Yaxcabá, Mexico
Yaxuna is a Maya city in central Yucatan, about 20 km south-west of Chichen Itza, that was lived in from the Middle…
1 ticket or tour
Atzompa
Oaxaca, Mexico
Atzompa is a Zapotec hilltop city above the Oaxaca valley, a satellite of Monte Alban that flourished in the Late…
No online ticket
Balamku
Calakmul, Mexico
Balamku is a small Maya site in the forest of southern Campeche, about 50 km north of Calakmul, discovered only in…
No online ticket
Cantona
Tepeyahualco, Mexico
Cantona is a fortified pre-Hispanic city on a lava field in eastern Puebla, at about 2,500 metres, which flourished…
No online ticket
Chicanna
Xpujil, Mexico
Chicanna is a small Maya site in southern Campeche, famous for a temple whose doorway is carved as the gaping mouth of…
No online ticket
El Rey Ruins, Cancun
Cancún, Mexico
El Rey is the largest Maya site on the island of Cancun, a group of 47 low temples, platforms and houses set between…
No online ticket
Kinich Kakmo Pyramid, Izamal
Izamal, Mexico
Kinich Kakmo is a Maya pyramid in the centre of Izamal, in Yucatan, rising about 40 metres above the streets of the…
No online ticket
Plazuelas
Pénjamo, Mexico
Plazuelas is a pre-Hispanic city of the Bajio tradition in Guanajuato, on a hillside 11 km west of Penjamo, occupied…
No online ticket
Sayil
Oxkutzcab, Mexico
Sayil is a Maya city of the Puuc hills in Yucatan, south of Uxmal, best known for its Great Palace, a three-level…
No online ticket
Tula Archaeological Site
Tula de Allende, Mexico
Tula, the ancient Tollan in the Mexican state of Hidalgo, was the capital of the Toltecs and reached its height between…
No online ticket
Tours and activities in Mexico
Ancient-site tours and day trips in Mexico
Rankings for Mexico
Which one to choose in Mexico
Ancient sites in Mexico: questions
How many ancient sites are there in Mexico?
This catalogue lists 38 ruins and ancient sites in Mexico, 29 of them with tickets or tours to book online. The most booked are Monte Alban, Great Pyramid of Cholula, Chacchoben.
Which is the oldest ancient site in Mexico?
Xochitecatl, founded in 800 BC, is the oldest in the catalogue for Mexico.
Which ancient sites in Mexico are free to enter?
2 of the 38 ancient sites in Mexico charge no entry fee, among them Xcambo, Kinich Kakmo Pyramid, Izamal. The entry fee is shown on each page.
Which ancient sites in Mexico are UNESCO World Heritage Sites?
10 ancient sites in Mexico in this catalogue are on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including Monte Alban, Calakmul, Muyil.