Puebla Colonial Architecture Walking Tour (Self Guided), Puebla

One of the most authentic and traditional destinations in Mexico, the city of Puebla abounds in Baroque architecture, or rather the peculiar regional form thereof resulted from the fusion of European and indigenous styles in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Visiting this magical place you will find lots of (more than 70!) sumptuous churches, convents and sanctuaries, as well as other incredible buildings whose cupolas and walls are clad in gaily colored tiles (azulejos), ensuring the unity of the architectural landscape. The city’s main attractions are located in the gorgeous historic downtown area whose rectangular urban design had exerted a considerable influence on the development of other colonial cities throughout Mexico and further afield in the New World.

The historic center of Puebla has preserved its integrity primarily through the retention and extension of the original Renaissance grid plan laid out in the mid-16th century. Many buildings from that period, including major religious sites like the imposing (over 207 feet high) Cathedral, the churches of San Francisco (known for its incredible orange-red tile facade), Santo Domingo (a stunning Baroque-style temple famous for its resplendent Rosary Chapel), superb palaces and other historical structures, have survived, preserving for Puebla its ‘spirit of the place’ and safeguarding its cultural authenticity.

If you wish to acquaint yourself more closely with a vibrant architectural jewel in Mexico’s crown and get to see some of Puebla's purest examples of colonial design, take this self-guided walk and enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the vestiges of the city's colonial past.