Experience the Best of Puebla in 2 Days: Travel Guide & Itinerary

If you’re planning your Mexico itinerary and thinking about spending 2 days in Puebla, then you’re on the right track. Puebla is a charming colonial Mexican city known for its rich history, vibrant architecture, and delicious cuisine.

Located about two hours from Mexico City, it’s famous for its well-preserved historic centre, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You can explore some amazing churches like the Puebla Cathedral and the ornate Rosary Chapel. Or stroll through colourful streets lined with Talavera-tiled buildings. Or how about diving into local flavours with iconic dishes like mole poblano and chiles en nogada.

With nearby attractions like the Great Pyramid of Cholula and bustling artisan markets, Puebla is perfect for a two-day getaway.

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If you’re spending time in Mexico City and have a day or two to spare, you MUST visit the charming, UNESCO-listed city of Puebla! Puebla is best known for its 288 churches (!), stunning architecture, rich history, and, of course, its irresistible cuisine (mole poblano & chile en nogadas!) The great news is that getting […]

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Where to Stay in Puebla

Staying in/near the Historic Centre is perfect for your 2 days in Puebla, since most things to see and do are found here.

We stayed just on the outskirts at Al Otro Lado Del Rio. It was absolutely beautiful, and only a 5 minute walk to the centre!

Budget friendly: Al Otro Lado Del Rio 

• Description: A charming, budget-friendly boutique hotel located near Puebla’s historic centre. It offers cosy rooms with traditional décor & a rooftop terrace restaurant. It is also really close to key attractions like the Puebla Cathedral and Amparo Museum.
• Why Stay Here: Great value for money, excellent location, and authentic atmosphere.

Mid range: El Sueño Hotel & Spa

• Description: This boutique hotel offers spacious, uniquely designed rooms and a relaxing spa. Its central location, vibrant courtyard, and personalised service make it a favourite for mid-range travellers.
• Why Stay Here: A peaceful retreat in the city, offering a mix of charm and modern comforts.

Luxury: Banyan Tree Puebla

• Description: Located just outside of the historic centre, this luxury boutique hotel offers elegant rooms, a fitness centre, and a rooftop pool. 
• Why Stay Here: The ideal choice for those wanting a higher-end, intimate experience close to the main attractions.

Day 1 in Puebla

Free Walking Tour 🚶🏽

We have become massive fans of free guided walking tours lately, and Estacion Mexico is our go-to choice. They offer amazing free walking tours across lots of cities in Mexico, and we can’t recommend them enough! 

In Puebla, they’ve got 2 tours operating per day (11am and 4pm). We would recommend doing the 11am tour as soon as you arrive so you can get a great overview of the city with a local guide.

You cover quite a lot of the main things to see, but as the tour only lasts 2.5 hours, you can come back on your own time to explore at a more leisurely pace. 

Lunch at Cemitas y Tortas La Poblanita 🥪

You will finish your tour right by the Cathedral just in time for lunch. A short walk away is Cemitas y Tortas La Poblanita which serves HUGE Cemitas – a classic Pueblan sandwich. 

You can easily share one between 2, or if you want to try one for yourself. Remember they can box up what you don’t eat!

The classic flavours are the Milaneza de Cerdo (marinated breaded pork chops) and the Pierna Adobada (marinated pork leg). The sandwich is made with a large bread bun, and stuffed with your chosen filling along with onions, stringy cheese and served with a side of spicy, jammy chilli peppers. Yummmmmm!

You can also try Chalupas here – another Pueblan classic. We recommend the set of 6 Chalupas: 2 red (not too spicy), 2 green (more spicy) and 2 mole (the local and very popular savoury chocolatey sauce).

The menu is super reasonably priced here, so we came back twice!

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Wander Around the Zócalo ⛪️

After eating your monster of a Cemita, it’s time to explore the colonial streets.

The Zócalo in the Historic Centre is a buzzing square surrounded by restaurants and cafes with views of the cathedral. Stroll through the square, and let the lively atmosphere and rich history sink in as you soak up the local culture.

Explore The Incredible Churches ⛪️

A trip to Puebla would not be complete without checking out as many of the beautiful churches as you can. Puebla has 70 in the historic centre alone (and 288 parishes across the whole city)! 

Check out our specific blog post on our favourite churches in Puebla, which also includes opening hours and helpful tips.

We’d recommend saving the Cathedral & Templo de Santo Domingo for tomorrow, but these ones are great to explore in afternoon:

1. Iglesia de San Francisco
2. Iglesia de la Compañía
3. Templo del Ex-Hospital de San Roque
4. Iglesia de San Pedro Cholula (taxi/Uber required to get here, it’s a little out-of-town)

Dinner at Antojeria Nacional Analco 🫔

As a buffet-style restaurant, Antojeria Nacional Analco is a great way to sample a lot of different Mexican food. Order as much as you like from their menu for a fixed price per person.

We just asked for our waiter’s recommendations (¿Qué me recomienda?), and were stuffed by the end.

The restaurant is super popular in the evenings and has a great atmosphere with music. It is also perfect if you are staying at Al Otro Lado Del Rio like we did.

It is located through the hotel courtyard and up the stairs to the right – there will be someone outside the hotel to help guide you in.

We started with tortilla and pork crackling snacks with an array of dips and a delicious beer broth soup. This was then followed by a mix of tacos, tortas ahogadas, and chalupas. We were in heaven!

Tip: It was more on the expensive side so make sure you arrive hungry to get your money’s worth!

Day 2 in Puebla

Breakfast tacos at Tacos El Pasaje 🌮

Start your morning with a breakfast taco at this popular local stand located just down from the Zocalo, through the arcade. This unassuming stand opens around 8:30 in the morning.

They have so many different flavours but we just opted for the first 2 on the menu. They were delicious and filling, and for only 36 MXN (£1.40)!

Santo Domingo Church & Museo José Luis Bello y Zetina ⛪️

Visiting this church is an absolute MUST! The rosary chapel at the front left of the church is breathtaking, and has been referred to as “eighth wonder of the world” over the years! 

Just next door is a hidden museum, which is completely free – although it’s required to have a tour guide accompany you.

The museum is a collection of 3,028 pieces of furniture and art collected by José Luis Bello y González and his son José Mariano Bello y Acedo. It includes pieces from not only Mexico but from all over the world.

Our guide didn’t speak much English but together we all walked around the house-turned-museum and enjoyed the vast array of different items.

Opening times: from 10am-4pm (closed on Mondays)
Cost: Free

Calle de los Dulces (Street of Sweets) 🍬

After checking out the museum, head down Calle de los Dulces, which is a buzzing street lined with many shops selling sweet treats – perfect for a mid morning pick-me-up!

The popular (and our favourite) ‘dulces típicos de Puebla’ which translates to ‘traditional sweets from Puebla’, are:

• Palanqueta – similar to a delicious peanut brittle.
• Los Borrachitos – a chewy sweet covered in sugar, but alcoholic flavoured! We loved the champagne one – of course.
• Tortitas de Santa Clara – our favourite! These delicate biscuits, with icing on top made from pumpkin seeds and sweetened milk. They were so delicious we bought a bag of them to snack on throughout the day.

But don’t worry if these specific ones aren’t a bit of you – this city is known for over 300 different types of confections, all of which you can find on Calle de los Dulces.

Lunch at Fonda Tipica La Poblano 🌶️

A Puebla classic is the Chile En Nogada. It’s a seasonal Mexican dish consisting of a fried poblano chilli, stuffed with meats, spices and fruit. It is covered in a creamy walnut sauce, which is then topped with pomegranate seeds and fresh herbs.

The colours of the dish are apparently meant to represent the Mexican flag, which is a nice touch.

Chile En Nogada is typically only served in August and September in most restaurants, but Tipica La Poblano serves it all year round. It’s one of the pricier items on their menu, as is the case with most restaurants in Puebla, but it’s worth it to try this local classic.

If you haven’t yet tried Mole, they serve all customers with a small portion of free tortilla chips and Mole here as well. If you like it, you can order one of their many Mole dishes.

Artist’s Quarter & Parian Market 🎨

After filling up at Fonda Tipica La Poblano, make sure to explore the famous Artist’s Quarter before heading across the road to explore the Parian Artisan Market.

Each stall has some great souvenirs for you to take home, such as traditional clothing, Talavera pottery, jewellery and many other local crafts.

As with a lot of markets, there’s a lot of duplication of items, but if you spend enough time looking you can find some really special souvenirs.

Enjoy a Shot of the famous Pasita drink at La Pasita 🥃

Inside the vibrant yellow building with striking blue window frames lies La Pasita, a cosy standing-room-only bar known for serving its signature local drink, the Pasita.

The bar was originally a grocery shop, but a few months after its opening the owner decided to turn it into a bar – and we’re glad he did!

He invented a drink called ‘La Pasita’ that gave the establishment its current name! It is a sweet raisin liqueur that’s served in a shot glass and topped with a cube of cheese and a raisin stuck on a toothpick. 

Opening hours: 1-6pm
Cost: MX $40 for one La Pasita, which is around £1.50 or US $2.

Palafoxiana Library 📚

Explore the first and oldest library in the Americas. It was founded in 1646 and has more than 45,000 books and manuscripts.

It’s housed in a stunning Baroque-style building, and the library is full of beautiful wooden shelves and intricate carvings.

Whether you’re an avid reader or simply enjoy exploring historical treasures, the Palafoxiana Library is a fascinating stop that showcases Puebla’s rich intellectual heritage.

To find the library, walk into the building and head up the stairs at the back on the right hand side. There is also a small museum next door which has a brief history of Puebla, as well as a 3D model of the cathedral.

Opening hours: 10am – 5pm (closed on Mondays)
Cost: MX $45, which is around £1.70 or US $2.30 (Entry is free on Sunday)

Cathedral ⛪️

Once you have finished in the library, head back to the Cathedral to walk around at your own pace and take in the architecture and the peacefulness. It really is magnificent!

Street Food Dinner 🌮

Puebla offers fantastic street food, which we’ve covered in our article on the MUST-TRY dishes in the city. For dinner, we recommend sampling a variety of dishes from different spots to fully immerse yourself in the local culinary scene:

Antojeria Nacional Analco – try the Pelona here,a fried Puebla classic sandwich filled with shredded meat, lettuce and cream. We had it with picanto salsa and it was the perfect level of spice – and extremely delicious!

La Churreria – the best churros in the city. You NEED to try the churros here – the line may look long but it goes down pretty quickly. You don’t have to order a whole bag, you can order as many as you want (9MXN each or a whole wheel for 300 MXN!)

Or if you want to visit a street food restaurant where you can sample loads of different dishes, head to Los Portales, which has a wide selection of tasty options. 

And there you have it – your ultimate guide to 2 days in Puebla!

We hope this guide helps you make the most of your visit and that you fall in love with Puebla just as much as we did.

If you are travelling from Puebla to Mexico City or vice versa, why not find out what there is to do in Mexico City with our Mexico City Guide!

Enjoy your trip, and don’t forget to let us know how you found it!