Municipality in Morelos, Mexico
Photo: Heimlich, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Tlaltizapán is a small town in the Central Mexico state of Morelos. Historical travelers will appreciate its storied past with a 16th century monastery, a number of other historic churches, and the site of a notorious Mexican Revolution battle in which Carrancista troops committed atrocities on locals. The charming historic centro is quiet and peaceful today and is popular as a weekend getaway. It is one of Mexico's designated Pueblos Magicos.
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The monastery of San Miguel Arcangel was established by Dominican missionaries in 1535. The church is noted for its simple, austere architecture with relatively little ornamentation. It has a side chapel with an octagonal cupola and a tall, narrow doorway topped by a half-arc with pilasters at the sides and a simple cornice above. The bell tower is similarly stark with a square shape and four open windows. The monastery is a two-story structure with arched patios surrounding a large central atrium containing several statues commemorating heroes of the Mexican Revolution.
Who's buried in Zapata's tomb? You might think that's a joke, or a trick question, but it's neither. The answer is that many people are buried here, though not Emiliano Zapata. The famous hero of the Mexican Revolution, specified in his will that he wanted to be buried in Tlaltizapan where many of his comrades had fallen in battle. Unfortunately, Zapata was assassinated and then buried in Cuautla. Visitors can visit the mausoleum that was intended as Zapata's final resting place, though the tomb is empty. Turns out the Rolling Stones were right, you can't always get what you want. Zapata's fallen comrades who are buried here include at least 5 of his generals and Zapata's brother. Locals profess to want Zapata's remains moved to Tlaltizapan, where they belong.
Zapata's Headquarters
Regional history museum telling local stories of one of Mexico's most colorful national heroes. This is a former flour mill that was turned into a headquarters of Emiliano Zapata during the Mexican Revolution. Several period artifacts including personal belongings of Zapata.
The north side of Tlaltizapan is an ecological reserve called Sierra de Montenegro - Las Estacas. It is managed by the Morelos state government and is known for its sparkling clear mineral waters which from a natural spring that includes a diving pool that locals have used for bathing and summer refreshment for thousands of years. Visitors can swim, snorkel and dive into the deep pools. Camping, glamping, and cabins are available.
Recreation area with fresh mineral spring pools and an area with water access to the nearby river. Limited facilities but it is a pleasant area with shady palm trees to relax after taking a dip in the cold waters.
Super casual seafood restaurant with outdoor patio dining specializing in catfish tamales. Good cocktails.
Rustic restaurant with ambiance galore and views of the Estacas. Traditional regional cuisine. The house specialty is the molcajete, a huge stone bowl filled with grilled meats and vegetables.
Casual, family friendly place serving traditional Mexican dishes. Pozole is the house specialty. Cocktails or micheladas available.
Clean, comfortable rooms in a modern hotel on a busy road (can be noisy at night). Rooms have ceiling fans but no air conditioning. Off-street parking available. On-site swimming pool.
Traditional hotel with spacious rooms, off-street parking, swimming pool. Rooms have ceiling fans (no air conditioning).
Moderate hotel with bare bones amenities. Swimming pool available. Parking is difficult.
The town's traditional municipal marketplace is quite small with a similarly small number of local vendors selling fresh produce and food products. A handful of vendors prepare authentic regional dishes.
From Cuernavaca, Pullman de Morelos operates hourly buses to the nearby town of Zacatepec. The 40-minute bus ride costs M$60 (May 2024) and takes 40 minutes.
Read in the guideThe town is quite small, compact, and easy to walk around. You'll probably want a taxi to get to Las Estaces or other places that are further from the historic centro.
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