Chignahuapan is a town located in the Sierra Norte of Puebla that has gained great recognition for being the first producer of spheres in Mexico. You could say that this tourist destination is the Santa Claus factory in Mexico.
But as if that were not enough, it has also become famous for its valuable thermal waters, which are presumed to be curative. For this and more, here you will find all the information you need to visit Chignahuapan Pueblo Mágico.
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Best Things To Do in Chignahuapan
Now we will share with you some of the things you should consider doing or visiting in this place.
In this article we will tell you about the 7 things to do in Chignahuapan, one of the nine magical towns of Puebla.
Considered home to one of the country’s most famous white comedy characters and famous for maintaining its Christmas spirit year-round, here are the attractions you shouldn’t miss.
Visit the Sphere Castle
▷Everything you need to know for your visit here: Castillo de la esfera Chignahuapan
The name doesn’t leave much to the imagination, so yes, you read that right. In this place you can not only see artisans working on creating spheres of all sizes, designs and colors, but you can do it ALL YEAR ROUND.
This workshop has its doors open every day so you can go and see the handling and blowing of the glass, the pigmentation, decoration and packaging of such a festive ornament. Once your tour is over, BAM! you’re off to the biggest sphere store imaginable.
Here you can spend hours looking at what ornaments to wear and you can even personalize your own ornament with diamantine or a photo.
This is definitely something to do in Chignahuapan whether you are a Christmas nut or not (like me).
To know the Tianguis de Esferas Chignahuapan
On weekends, on Romero Vargas Street, you can find the largest collection of spheres as small and large artisans open their doors to sell all kinds of spheres you can imagine: video games, sports teams, Disney, Halloween; everything!
Whether you buy or not, we highly recommend you to take a walk around the center to see this great spectacle of spheres.
If you want to buy spheres we solve some doubts you might have:
You can buy spheres throughout the year; however, the strong sales start in August and the best months to buy spheres would be September, October and November.
You can find them in all price ranges. From boxes of 50 peso spheres to boxes of more than 500 pesos. This obviously depends on the design, size and characteristics of the spheres.
The Sphere Fair is usually held in late October and early November. It is always important to verify exact dates before attending.
Visiting the Chignahuapan Hot Springs
▷See our guide to visit the Hot Springs in Chignahuapan
15 minutes from downtown you can find a place to relax, take a dip and spend the day enjoying indoor and outdoor pools, slides and hot water: the hot springs of Chignahuapan.
Because of the time and distance, we decided not to go to the hot springs, but it seems to be an excellent option if you want to relax.
Tasting the specialties of Chignahuapan
Chignahuapan Puebla has earned a gastronomic reputation for its barbacoa de hoyo.
This is made with mutton and is usually presented as mixiotes, which are made with a kind of paper obtained from the maguey leaf that gives a special flavor to the barbacoa meat.
Apart from the barbacoa de hoyo these are other typical dishes that you can eat in Chignahuapan:
- Pressed pork rinds
- Mole poblano
- Chicken in mushroom
- Rabbit in different presentations
- Chignahuapan style cemitas.
Strolling in the Plaza de la Constitución
The zocalo of Chignahuapan is a quiet place where you can hang out while eating a pizza, tacos or esquites from the street stalls.
You can also enjoy several attractions in the Plaza de la Constitución:
- Observe the colorful Mudejar kiosk, known for being made of wood and for its figures that evoke a kaleidoscope.
- Admire the Parroquia de Santiago which is full of unusual colors and, fun fact, has the first monumental clock that Alberto Olvera sold.
- Take a picture with Capulina’s sculpture; known for his white humor.
Now you know the 7 things to do in Chignahuapan and we hope you enjoy it.
Visit the Tuliman Waterfalls
This place can be visited from Zacatlán de las Manzanas or from Chignahuapan, I could say that it is located right in the middle of the two magical towns.
This place is a natural park that has several activities to enjoy in nature; however, the most impressive of all is its famous waterfall called tuliman waterfall, which can be easily visited from the magical town of Chignahuapan Puebla.
Other things to do in Chignahuapan
Go to Almoloya Lagoon
We went during the week, so the lagoon had no activity and we can not say that it is a priority attraction on the list; however we were told that sometimes on weekends there are people who rent boats to ride in the lagoon and you can go to hang out.
We also learned that the event that graces the Almoloya Lagoon is the festival of Light and Life where representations of the Mexica culture are made about death seen as the beginning of a new life and the path of the souls to reach the mictlan or underworld.
It is definitely one of the things to do in Chignahuapan if you visit in October.
Discovering the Mushroom Sanctuary
This chapel, 5 minutes from downtown by car, has a curious history. It is said that in the 19th century a person found a mushroom in which he saw the image of Jesus on the cross; after this miracle it was decided to erect a chapel around the place where the mushroom was found.
Near the altar is the mushroom inside a magnifying glass so that visitors can look for the image.
If you have time to spare you could visit it; however, we would not put it on our list of top things to do in Chignahuapan.
Admiring the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is on our list of things to see in Chignahuapan for one reason in particular.
This beautiful enclosure houses one of the largest sculptures of the Virgin Mary in a roofed place. Whether you are a believer or not, there is no doubt that the sculpture of the Virgin with the baby Jesus in her arms is impressive because of its large size and the beauty of its facial features and decorations.
What to do in Chignahuapan in 1 day
If you only have 1 day to visit Chignahuapan we suggest you use the Zacatlan and Chignahuapan Excursion from Puebla City. With this excursion you will be able to see the most important of 2 magical towns in only 1 day.
Get a better idea of the sights of Chignahuapan and see what you can do in 1 day by watching our experiential video.
Places to visit in Chignahuapan
Watch our video and discover how are the touristic places of Chignahuapan.
3 Tourist attractions to visit in Chignahuapan
In summary and in our opinion these are the 4 most important places in Chignahuapan and what you should prioritize in your visit:
- Sphere castle
- The center of Chignahuapan and its tianguis de esferas (market of spheres)
- The Hot Springs
- Quetzalapa or Tulimam Waterfall
Where to Stay
To make it easier for you to find a hotel and after having evaluated the lodgings in Chignahuapan, these are our recommendations:
Hotel Aguas Termales
Although somewhat removed from the center of Chignahuapan, this is the best hotel in the destination.
This hotel is located in one of the most important attractions of Chignahuapan, the hot springs.
The best choice for luxury travelers
Hotel los Portales
Excellent location and excellent price
Ideal for couples, families and tourists.
🏨 If you need accommodation, we recommend looking here 🏨
Other things to do from Chignahuapan
Find more destinations here: Pueba Tourism
