Mexico City to Teotihuacan and Tula Toltec: Private day trip

Founded around 200 BC, Teotihuacan rapidly grew into the largest and most influential city in Mesoamerica. At its peak, it was home to over 100,000 people (with some estimates as high as 250,000), thousands of buildings, and had conquered multiple Mayan city-states. And then, it collapsed in the 7th or 8th century, and had been long-abandoned when the Aztecs found it in the 13th century. Today, Teotihuacan is one of the most impressive and enigmatic archaeological sites in the world, with the 65-meter-tall Pyramid of the Sun (the 3rd largest in the world), 43-meter-tall Pyramid of the Moon, and a number of smaller temples lining the Avenue of the Dead at the heart of the city. Between the two main pyramids, you’ll find the Palace Museum of Quetzalpapálotl - a 6th century complex with intricate carvings and murals. While you can explore Teotihuacan on your own, for more in-depth insights, you can also arrange a guided tour.

Tula began as a small urban settlement in the 7th century, but by its peak around the 900 or 1000, had grown to the largest and most powerful city in Mesoamerica. However, the city’s dominion didn’t last long, with the site being largely abandoned by the 12th century, and its pyramids and temples burned, leaving behind a small community of indigenous craftsmen who continued to inhabit the ruins through the colonial era. While little more than foundations remain of the residential neighborhood, two pyramids still dominate the site. The Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl stands in front of the ruined palace, and is unique in Mesoamerica because it is topped by four 4-metre-high basalt columns carved into Toltec warriors. Allow yourself 30 minutes for the on-site museum to see artefacts like ceramics, jewelry, metalwork, and stone figures from Tula and other ancient civilizations throughout Mexico.