Tlaxco

Tlaxco is a fantastic little town and giant municipality far in the north of Tlaxcala. The town is one of the few places in the state that lets visitors by pass the state capital. The town is relatively cool, at a high altitude (2540 meters), and offers cozy indoor respite for weary outdoor travelers and adventurers. The town is especially well-known for pulque and the fiercest bulls in Tlaxcala. 

People end up here after exploring the surrounding maguey fields and the vacation area around the Laguna de Atlangatepec. The sky is wide open. The lake is about 15 minutes outside the town center. But then, Tlaxco is not a big town. About 15,000 residents call the town home, with about 30,000 more in the surrounding (giant) municipality. 

The town is centered around the old monastery of San Luis Obispo, but the old pulque haciendas take up much of the country outside the town limits. Soltepec, Tenexac and Casa Malinche are the biggest, and they are important parts of the agricultural tourism industry here. Casa Goyri, another former hacienda, is an important participant in the pulque and crafts fairs that fill out a good deal of the annual cultural calendar. 

Chamorro al pulque, escamoles, chinicuiles, and maguey worms are just the most exotic foods on offer. More hesitant palettes will rejoice in the artisan cheeses, baked cottage cheese, regular pulque, related products. The local pulque industry is enormous. The town center is also home to a woodworking museum, and artisan works can be admired here and in the surrounding streets. Ironwork and silver jewelry should also be looked at closely by any discerning visitor. 

The Pulque Fair is held every year on March 18 and 19, but pulque is a big part of the Tlaxco Fair that occupies most of the town in late July. The fair celebrates the best of everything in and around the region. 

Trips from Mexico City generally originate from TAPO, the east bus station. Autobuses Teotihuacan and Autotransportes Tlaxcala will both get you to Tlaxco in about 2.5 hours. The trip from the state capital is a lot quicker. Tlaxco is about an hour to the north.