Malinalco, nestled in the mountains of central Mexico

Posted by Bob Bowers Aug 5, 2009

An extended road trip last winter led us to a small colonial city in the state of Mexico, some 120 miles south of Mexico City. Malinalco is largely unknown, and rarely on tourists' itineraries, but it is well worth visiting. Included in Oropeza & Sanchez's coffee table book, One Hundred and One Beautiful Small Towns in Mexico, Malinalco offers history, an Aztec warrior initiation site and a setting that will please any photographer.

Its remote location was chosen by the Aztecs who built initiation and sacrificial temples high on a hill overlooking the city. Read about this extraordinary ruin that was started in 1501 in this article.

The photogenic city bursts with flowering Jacaranda and Cacaloxochitl trees in the winter, which help attract the hundreds of migratory and resident birds found here. This article discusses those sights, and includes photographs of both of the trees mentioned above.

Malinalco is off the beaten track, but only 40 miles from the state capital of Toluca. If you plan a trip to central Mexico, consider adding this beautiful little town to your itinerary.