San Miguel del Milagro

San Miguel del Milagro is an old colonial-era pilgrimage site and remains a rugged, hillside town well worth visiting today. Just off the Puebla highway, where the highway runs along the border between Tlaxcala and Puebla, it's a town often visited in combination with the archaeological sites of Cacaxtla and Xochitécatl, both of which are very nearby. As a place of pilgrimage, the city has welcomed visitors since colonial times when this was the only trip most people would ever make.

The temple dates back to 1631 when a Christianized man from the area named Diego Lázaro witnessed a series of apparitions of the archangel Saint Michael. (That's the miracle of the town name.) He began building a chapel over the natural spring found here. The larger church followed in 1712. And people have almost always come here in search of the water that is said to cure all kinds of ailments. Today, the spring is covered by the tiled dome located right next to the chapel. Inside, many historical examples of devotional art from past centuries are still preserved.

The city can be explored on foot from the Cacaxtla archaeological site, although local taxis are also happy to help visitors navigate some of the town's numerous steep slopes. As such, it's also a town of many admirable views.

The old town of San Miguel is still sometimes known by its even older name, Tenoxtle. This indicates that the town is, in fact, much older than its chapel and the numerous houses that seem to cling to the surrounding hills. Like much of Tlaxcala, it is a place with a deep and enduring history, and visiting it is an unforgettable experience.

Most visitors arrive via the nearby capitals of Tlaxcala or Puebla. Just 90 minutes from Mexico City, San Miguel is about 20 minutes south of the capital of Tlaxcala and a similar distance from the center of Puebla. Even closer is Nativitas, the journey from which takes just ten minutes. Nativitas also has a few more hotels, as well as the most visited market in the area.