Founded in 1531, Puebla, in central Mexico, is the fifth largest city in the country with over 2 million inhabitants. Its strategic location, halfway between the port of Veracruz and Mexico City, made it an important city. Today this charming colonial city pairs perfectly with hungry travelers, since it’s known as the gastronomic capital of Mexico. Be sure to try mole poblano, a traditional Mexican dish said to be invented here. Standing in the shadow of the volcano Popocatepetl, Puebla visitors also won’t want to miss the Catedral de Puebla, with its onyx statues and domed ceiling patterned after St. Peter’s in Rome. The nearby town of Cholula boast one of the largest pyramids ever built, though the structure has been badly neglected over the centuries.
Puebla (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpweβla] (About this sound listen)), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Puebla (Spanish: Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla) is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla.
It is located in East-Central Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Veracruz to the north and east, Hidalgo, México, Tlaxcala and Morelos to the west, and Guerrero and Oaxaca to the south.
The origins of the state lie in the city of Puebla, which was founded by the Spanish in this valley in 1531 to secure the trade route between Mexico City and the port of Veracruz.
By the end of the 18th century, the area had become a colonial province with its own governor, which would become the State of Puebla, after the Mexican War of Independence in the early 19th century. Since that time the area, especially around the capital city, has continued to grow economically, mostly through industry, despite being the scene of a number of battles, the most notable of which being the Battle of Puebla. Today, the state is one of the most industrialized in the country, but since most of its development is concentrated in Puebla and other cities, many of its rural areas are very poor, forcing many to migrate away to places such as Mexico City and the United States.
Culturally, the state is home to the China Poblana, mole poblano, active literary and arts scenes and festivals such as Cinco de Mayo, Ritual of Quetzalcoatl, Day of the Dead celebrations (especially in Huaquechula) and Carnival (especially in Huejotzingo). It is home to five major indigenous groups: Nahuas, the Totonacs, the Mixtecs, the Popolocas and the Otomi, which can mostly be found in the far north and the far south of the state.
Puebla is a city in Mexico. It is in the Puebla Valley, surrounded by volcanoes and snow-capped mountains, slightly over 110 kilometers (68 miles) south-east of Mexico City. The city proper in 2005 had a population of 1.5 million people, while the metropolitan area had a population of 2.1 million.
Understand
The city of Puebla is the fourth largest city in Mexico with 2.1 million inhabitants and the Capital of the State of Puebla. It was founded on April 16, 1531 as "La Puebla de los Ángeles". It was the first city in central Mexico founded by the Spanish conquistadors that was not built upon the ruins of a conquered Amerindian settlement. Its strategic location, between the port of Veracruz and Mexico City, made it the second most important city during the colonial period. During the seventeenth century, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz lived in the city until her confrontation with the Bishop of Puebla.
The city’s main claim to fame, however, is Cinco de Mayo, a festival commemorating the May 5, 1862 defeat of a French expeditionary army by Mexican general Ignacio Zaragoza. It was after this battle that the name of the city was changed to "Heróica Puebla de Zaragoza". The forts where the battle took place are a major tourist attraction of the city and the site of an annual month-long carnival marking the anniversary of the battle. The city is also famous for its cuisine, being said it is this city where "Mole" -a famous Mexican spicy thick sauce- was invented.
Get in
By bus
Traveling to Puebla from Mexico City is fairly straightforward via bus. There are continual bus services between Mexico City and Puebla throughout the day and night both from the TAPO terminal (also known as Terminal Oriente, located beside the San Lázaro Metro station) and from Benito Juarez International Airport. Occasional buses go to/from the other terminals in Mexico City - e.g. ADO run a service from the Terminal del Norte several times a day ($184 MXN).
A one-way ticket on Estrella Roja or ADO from the TAPO usually runs about $160 MXN for regular direct service; a first class ticket ("Pullman Primera Clase" service) on Estrella Roja costs about $180-$200 MXN as of October 2016. Buses leave for Puebla approximately every fifteen minutes from TAPO and every 40 minutes or so. Travel time from TAPO to Puebla's CAPU is usually around 2 hours, but this time may vary by up to a full hour depending on Mexico City traffic conditions at that time of day. Taking an Estrella Roja bus to/from the airport (leaving from 4 Poniente) costs about $290 MXN for a one-way ticket.
Buses are also available from many other cities and towns, including Oaxaca, San Cristobal de las Casas, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Cuernavaca, Xalapa, Veracruz, Zacatlán, Cuetzalan, Tlaxcala, Tehuacán, Huamntla, and Juchitan among others, including less frequent services to destinations such as Cancún, Mérida, Puerto Escondido, and Acapulco.
From nearby Cholula, there are many buses, or you can get a taxi for approximately $50-150, depending on the number of passengers and time of day.
There are two bus terminals in Puebla: the Centro de Autobuses Puebla (CAPU), the main bus terminal, and Estrella Roja’s 4 Poniente bus terminal, this terminal is located in downtown Puebla. Both Estrella Roja and ADO run buses to the much larger CAPU. At 4 Poniente, there are secure taxis (called Top Driver Express) in which you pay the cashier and not the driver. Secure taxis are also available from CAPU. Several local buses enter the station, and many others pass within 1-2 blocks. 4 Poniente is a much smaller terminal, though CAPU is relatively easy to navigate as well.
Reference:
1. touropia
2. wikipedia
3. wikitravel
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