Here is your guide to Aculco: a pueblo magico 2 hours north of Mexico City known for its cheese, its whitewashed colonial center, a few gorgeous waterfalls, and its colder, greener climate in the mountains. I’ve been fortunate to visit a few times as it is very close to Amealco, Queretaro, another pueblo magico where my friends live.
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If you are familiar with Mexico’s nationwide tourism campaign, they promote a carefully selected 177 pueblos magicos aka “magical towns” across the country for their exceptional hospitality and tourist attractions. This same campaign has brought places like Tulum, Sayulita, Tequila, the Pena de Bernal and many others to their world renowned status today.
The majority of these pueblos are a more humble local center for culture, traditions, good gastronomy, and natural wonders. On my blog, I try to highlight not just the famous pueblos, but also the ones that are overlooked, like Aculco. If you are looking for a few hidden gems in Mexico, check out my features on San Joaquin, Amealco, Pinal de Amoles, and Tequisquiapan. In these smaller pueblos, I always recommend you visit on a Sunday, when the town comes to life and fills with Mexican families and tourists trying to make a quick weekend getaway.
GETTING THERE
Located in the state of Mexico, Aculco is very easily accessed both from Queretaro and Mexico City, being about 2 hours away from each. You can easily find bus routes leaving every hour to Aculco from these major cities.
Alternatively, if you are driving there, anticipate about 2 hours on the road and a handful of tolls. This would make a great road trip along with stops in the pueblos magicos of Tepotzotlan, Jilotepec, and Amealco!
WHERE TO STAY
It is not necessary to stay the night in Aculco because it is not a huge place. But if you want to take a calm few days here, the best options seem to be one of the hotels right off the main town plaza, Hotel Hidalgo or Hotel Jardin. You should reach out directly because they are not online.
THINGS TO DO
Like all Mexican towns, you gotta start with a walk through the colonial center, past the municipal hall, the kiosk in the plaza, the Templo de San Jeronimo, and the main cathedral is a must. Aculco in particular has some exceptionally beautiful buildings which are great for snapping a few photos. Some other sights are this cool bear statue,
Vist the Lavaderos, these old public washing stations are a trip to the past where you can see where community members used to wash their clothes all together. A lot of Mexican households do still wash by hand, but they do it comfortably in their own home where the water flows.
Market. There is a lot of commerce in Aculco, from the indoor standing market to the pop up stalls selling food, produce, and goods. As the majority of things are sourced from Mexico City, the price point is very affordable. It is also a good opportunity to buy the Lele doll (cute smiley girl with braids and a headress) as it originates from the nearby communities of Amealco.
Try the cheese. The cold, lush climate gives way to lots of ranching out here! They are famous for their cheese, so indulge to try a few cheeses where samples are offered in the Mercado del Queso and choose a tasty one to take home with you. Maybe some wine while you're at it!
Visit the waterfalls. After you are satisfied with walking around the center, you can spend the rest of your day chasing waterfalls. “Pueblos magicos” in Mexico are often speaking about the entire municipality, so a lot of the attractions are actually a short drive away. Aculco does have a tourist tram in the town plaza which can take you to these spots, leaving every 1-2 hours. We preferred to save a few pesos and go adventure mode and get there on our own!
Cascada de la Concepción
This waterfall is right off of the main road to Mexico City, so we passed it so many times over the years before actually getting off to enjoy. It is a huge and tall waterfall, with close to no safety precautions haha. Best enjoyed from the top of the falls, you can find any kind of Mexican snack with the view of the falls below. This place is a big spot for families as it is free and pleasant most the year, so don’t expect to have it all to yourself on the weekend.
Although some families had hiked down to the base of the falls, it looked rather unsafe and they had to scale parts of the canyon, so do so at your own discretion and definitely not when the rocks are wet and slippery. This is a popular day trip for outdoor enthuasiasts who sell rappelling tours down the waterfall. Ask in Aculco centro if you are interested.
Although only 20 minutes outside of Aculco, getting to this waterfall without a car is not ideal! We hopped on the main bus going from Mexico City and the bus driver reluctantly dropped us off on the side of the road here. When it was time to leave, we waited a while for the hourly bus to pass and the driver refused to stop! So if you plan on arriving here on transportation, either 1) have a taxi guy take you and wait for you 2) plan a timed taxi pick up or 3) be down for the adventure and maybe have to hitchhike or beg some kind strangers. If you do have a car, this place is so easy as there is parking right off the highway
Cascadas de Tixhiñu. First things first, you gotta figure out how to get here! The Tixhiñu waterfalls are about a 20 minute drive from the town center. We hired a cab to take us out there for about 150 pesos, and hoped for the best on the way back. We ended up walking on a rural country road for a while hoping for a lift, and got lucky to get picked up by a taxi that only charged us the colectivo fare.
Once you get to these waterfalls, it is awesome because it is free! There is a little ecotourism lodge up above the waterfall where you can pick up a snack before hiking down. It’s a quick walk down into a small canyon and along the river. To be honest, we visited in a year with little rain and it was very beautiful— I imagine even more so with more rain! Although the water is frigid, it is safe for swimming all the way up to the falls. It was especially lovely in the brief moments we got the whole place to ourselves, and we probably stayed down here and enjoyed for 1.5 hours.
DAYTRIPS NEARBY
Amealco: if you aren’t already convinced, you should add Amealco to your itinerary too! From a beautiful and colorful town center, a thriving and present Otomi indigenous culture, and a handful of the best hikes around, there is something for everyone. Did I mention the Lele doll is from here?
Jilotepec: the center for rock climbing in Mexico! While there might be more impressive canyons and rock walls, Jilotepec has rock formations that are easily accessible, close to Mexico City, and have great infrastructure for outdoor climbing. It is also a pueblo magico, though I haven’t had the pleasure to explore the town center itself. Even just the views passing Jilotepec’s canyons on the highway are remarkable.
All in all, Aculco makes for an easy, fun, and super chilled escape in central. Feel free to comment if you have more questions or if this was helpful!
Cascada Tixhiñu
