In Amecameca’s central park stands the Kiosko de Amecameca, where various activities take place during different festivities. The Arco de San Sebastián de Aparicio marks the entrance to Amecameca and was declared a national monument in 1951. These landmarks extend from the town entrance to the central park, while also pointing to the town’s festivals and history as a monument. Sacred buildings, recurring traditions and routes in the vicinity of the national park complete this local picture.
Sacred Buildings and Their Historical Layers
The Templo de la Virgen de la Asunción in central Amecameca is built in the Dominican style and was constructed between 1554 and 1562. Its façade features a sculpture of the Virgin of the Assumption, with angels’ faces depicted at her feet. Its construction dates, style and façade detail offer three specific points to consider when viewing this sacred building.
The Santuario del Señor del Sacromonte has a different focus: it was built on the ruins of a pre-Hispanic pyramid complex. Before that, the site was home to a teocalli and a place of worship dedicated to Tezcatlipoca. The Santuario is considered one of the four most important oratories in central Mexico. While the Templo is characterized by its construction dates and façade design, the Santuario connects the present-day building with the site’s earlier use and its regional religious significance.
Festivals Throughout the Year
The Amecameca Carnival reflects local folklore and cultural traditions; the clothing and music of the Chinelos dance are distinctive features. During the patronal festival of Señor del Sacromonte, his image is taken from its niche and carried through town as part of the Ash Wednesday celebrations. These traditions have different emphases: one features a dance with its clothing and music, while the other centers on an image carried in a religious procession.
Annual Day of the Dead traditions include a procession through the streets featuring the iconic figure of the Catrina. Two other festivals also have approximate month dates: the Festival de las Luciérnagas takes place each year around July and includes various events as well as the visual spectacle of the fireflies. The Chestnut Festival is scheduled each year around August during the harvest season. Check the current festival dates when planning your trip, as these months are approximate guides.
Routes and Visitor Facilities at Paso de Cortés
Paso de Cortés is 23 kilometers from Amecameca via the access route through San Pedro Nexapa. At an elevation of 3,660 meters, it is the national park’s main tourist meeting point. The visitor center at Paso de Cortés offers tourist information, restrooms, electricity, drinks, snacks and some souvenirs.
Two routes with clearly different distances are available for different time frames. The Sendero Alpino in Parque Nacional Izta-Popo Zoquiapan runs for 7 kilometers from Paso de Cortés to La Joya. The average round-trip duration is four hours and depends on conditions and fitness. The public-use area at Paso de Cortés also has a 500-meter educational trail about the biology and ecology of the Teporingo, or Zacatuche (Romerolagus diazi). Their length and subject matter distinguish the short educational trail from the longer route to La Joya.
Camping is permitted in the public-use areas of Paso de Cortés, La Joyita, La Joya and Llano Grande. You must register with park staff to get information about the sites. When planning around the park’s facilities, consider this requirement for site information as well as the route itself.
Getting There and Planning Your Trip
From Mexico City, Volcanes or SUR buses run from the TAPO terminal to Amecameca. Check the current timetable before traveling. To get to Paso de Cortés by road, start in central Amecameca: from there, take the road toward Cuautla. Just outside town, turn left onto the road to Tlamacas, which continues via San Pedro Nexapa to Paso de Cortés.
When looking for a hotel in Amecameca, you can first decide on your focus: sacred buildings and festival traditions in town, or routes and camping opportunities in the vicinity of Paso de Cortés. For the first option, the festival calendar is a useful guide; for the second, information about route lengths and average durations can help with planning your time.
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