Tlatelolco

Tlatelolco was the most important commercial centre in pre-Hispanic times. In Nahuatl, Tlatelolco can be translated to "terrace" (Tlatelli) or "sandy point" (Xaltilolli).

Founded in 1338 by an Aztec nomadic tribe, Tlatelolco became the sister city of Tenochtitlan. Its people became known as the Tlatelolca tribe, while their immediate neighbours were called Tenochcas.

At this archaeological site in Mexico city, you can see the remains of a 700-year-old pre-Columbian city which has seen centuries of wars and massacres.

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in Mexico City
El Zocalo
One of the world’s biggest city squares with an iconic Bandera monumental, which was once the ceremonial centre of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire. Today it is known as Plaza de la Constitución.
Catedral Metropolitana
The Catedral Metropolitana in Mexico City is one of Mexico’s most iconic structures and a monument to the country’s history and the largest cathedral in Latin America.
Templo Mayor
The Templo Mayor or Great Temple (called Hueteocalli by the Aztecs) was the heart of the Aztec empire, a site where people would come to worship their gods. It was also a place of sacrifice, where human beings were killed as offerings to the gods.
Chapultepec Castle
Chapultepec Castle is an immense stone edifice that sits atop a hill in the heart of Mexico City built by the Spanish in 1725 as a large manor house for their viceroy and commander-in-chief of the colony, New Spain.
Museo Nacional de Historia
Shows Mexico's history from Cortes to the 1910 Revolution
Basilica de Guadalupe
The Basilica of Guadalupe, officially Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, dates back to 1709 and it houses the famous cloak with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Related Tours

Teotihuacan & Our Lady of Guadalupe Private Day Trip from Mexico City
The Aztec sacred city of Teotihuacan, located 60 km away from Mexico City, is one of the most impressive and revered cities in the ancient world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

On your private tour you will:

  • Travel back in time to the archaeological site of Tlatelolco;
  • Experience life as an Ancient Aztec on a private tour of the beautiful, awe-inspiring Tlatelolco area, the last stronghold of the Aztecs and home to the largest and most important market in central Mexico in pre-Hispanic times;
  • Explore the impressive Aztec pyramids: the Temple of the Moon and the Temple of the Sun – learn about their significance, be amazed at their magnificence and admire the stunning panoramic views if you reach the summit;
  • Walk along the ‘road of the dead’ the avenue that links the temples, and discover some fascinating stories along the way;
  • Visit the hidden palaces and admire the wall paintings that hold the enigmatic secrets of this ancient civilisation;
  • Transfer to the archaeological park of Teotihuacán and enjoy a walking tour before stopping for lunch in the town;
  • Travel to Villa de Guadalupe where you will see the old temples and the new Basilica dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe;
  • Stroll around the Villa and learn about ‘La Lupita’, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and her religious importance for Mexicans, and pilgrims the world over;
  • Enjoy a relaxing, scenic ride back to Mexico City.
The vast ancient settlement called ‘Teotihuacan’ by the Aztecs – meaning ‘where the gods were created has captivated visitors for many years with its awe-inspiring stepped pyramids, spectacular temples, wall paintings, coded glyphs, and platforms with panoramic views, all connected by the grand ‘Avenue of the Dead’.

Just thirty miles from Mexico City, it is now a UNESCO world heritage site. Founded as early as 400 B.C. it became a huge trading centre of pre-Columbian Mexico with as many as 25,000 inhabitants. It is believed a fire in the seventh century largely destroyed it – and it remained abandoned until the Aztecs took over the ruined city in the 1400s.

Your private guide will tell you what we know about the people who built it, lived it, and worshipped here – and also what we still don’t know about this fascinating and truly mighty archaeological site: their language of glyphs and symbols.

You’ll be able to judge for yourself as you explore the majestic temples of the Sun, the Moon, and the Avenue of the Dead.

After Teotihuacan, enjoy a lunch break in the town followed by a visit to the iconic Villa Guadalupe.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a national holy shrine in Mexico and houses an important relic: the cloak of Saint Juan Diego on which miraculously appeared the image of the Virgin Mary. It is one of the most important shrines in Mexico, and indeed to Catholics the world over. It is said Mary appeared to Juan Diego in 1531 and asked him to build a church in her honour.

This happened on Tepeyac hill, where the Spanish had recently destroyed a temple to the mother goddess Tonantzin, the Aztec goddess of love. The cloak with Mary’s image is kept above the altar, mystifying scholars and historians for centuries.

It is the most popular Catholic pilgrimage site and the third most visited sacred site in the world. Avoid it on the 12th of December – the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe!

Enjoy the basilica, the miracle of the cloak, the stunning architecture and the surrounding picturesque grounds, followed by a scenic private transfer back to your hotel.
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