Puebla Mexico an Undiscovered Jewel for American Expats
Updated October, 2023
Puebla Mexico has always intrigued me. Every since my days as a student in Valencia, Spain, I’ve loved Spanish history and how it intertweaves with Mexico’s. Spaniards established Puebla in 1531 after the Spanish queen decided that there needed to be a station between Mexico City and Veracruz. As a result, Puebla is laid out in classic Spanish design.
According to legend, the bishop had a dream about where to build the city. In this dream, he saw a valley with woods and meadows crossed by a clear river and dotted with fresh-water springs on fertile land. While he was contemplating this scenery, he saw a group of angels descend from heaven and they traced out the city.
Convinced he had seen a divine vision, he celebrated Mass and took some of the brothers out in search of the place. Five leagues from the monastery he declared they had found the scene shown in the dream. This legend is the source of Puebla's original name, Puebla de los Ángeles.
The weather in Puebla is moderate. It never really gets hot due to its higher altitude and evenings are always cool. It can even get cold. A view of the two of the highest volcanoes in the hemisphere, Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, can be seen from practically anywhere in Puebla.
Puebla’s European heritage
Spanish-language articles and online commentary hint at city ‘s reputation for old money and a cachet that Spanish descent carries and some poblanos snicker about. One of my favorite articles about this local quirk was Matador Network's "25 Lies Every Poblano Has Told at Least Once" Three lies specific to the snob value according to the humorous article are:
My grandmother was one of the founders of the Parque Español and I have Spanish heritage on one of my grandparent's sides
I so want to go again to Europe, but I'm just too lazy to plan the trip
Of course, I know her. In fact, our families have known one another for years
In spite of its idiosyncrasies, Poblanos defend their city vehemently as the best city in Mexico. One such person is Cesár Dorantes Benitez, who represents Puebla as a rental concierge and is listed in "If Only I Had a Place," my guide to renting in Mexico.
César with wife and daughter
César works in student affairs at the Tecnologico de Monterrey, one one of most prestigious universities in Mexico. Married and with a daughter, he loves his role as a family man. He is bilingual from the 11 years spent in New York and Washington D.C. as an adult. Like everyone listed in my book, he's eager to share what he loves about his city.
“Puebla is one of the most beautiful cities in the country. You can find everything here,” he said. “If you are interested in the traditional Mexico we have that. If you are interested in shopping, we have one of the best malls in the country, Angelopolis. If you like side trips, a number of pueblos magicos are close by.”
Pueblos Magicos are places in Mexico selected for their symbolic attributes, historical significance, and legends. Each one offers something fresh and interesting for Mexican Nationals and international visitors. Nine of Mexico’s 100 “Pueblos Magicos” are in the state of Puebla.
Puebla boasts raised cobbled streets, brilliantly colored houses and unique cuisine. Another of its best features is that you don’t need to go far to disconnect and discover wonderful countryside, he adds, with mountain hiking, waterfalls and other natural features outsiders don’t usually associate with Mexico. Puebla accommodates a famous Safari Park.
Architectural styles range from Renaissance to Mexican Baroque. It’s said to have a church for every day of the year. The city was named a World Heritage Site in 1987.
A city yet undiscovered by American expats
In spite of its low cost of living and housing, celebrated cuisine and abundance of shopping choices, Mexico's fourth largest city has not yet attracted a large number of American expats, although some neighborhoods of Puebla are made up completely of expats from other countries.
One is Chipilo, an Italian neighborhood where you can find incredible cheeses and rustic furniture. The other is called San Rafael, a French neighborhood. “We have a large number of Lebanese expats and an enormous number of Spanish expats,” said Cesár. Many wealthy people from Mexico City have homes here to escape the heat in Mexico City.
Known for Talavera Pottery
If you were to live or visit Puebla, the item you would most likely buy as a gift for your friends back home is Talavera pottery, which has been made here, uninterrupted, for four centuries using a technique brought over by Spanish potters. It’s considered one of Mexico's most important symbols of artisanal art.
Terrific food
Many regions, particularly Oaxaca, lay claim to the best cuisine in Mexico. But what may give Puebla the edge is the number of schools of culinary arts based here. Many graduates decide to stay in town and it's not uncommon to find fabulous food in small, unknown eateries that graduates have started.
Puebla is particularly well-known for its cemitas, a sandwich with a type of egg bread (Lie number #5 on the Matador list: "Will you share this cemita with me? I can't possibly finish it myself.") An ongoing debate for any poblano is who makes the best cemita in town.
With his restaurant background, César warmed up to the topic of food in Puebla. I asked him who made the best cemitas. "Definitely one of the best cemitas in town is made in a local Street Market called Mercado del Carmen but this is only for real Poblanos. Tourists might not want to go to a street market. People who are not quite ready to mingle with the local market would be better off with the cemita franchise called La Atomica. They are pretty good and have the local traditional flavors.
Other dishes famous to the area are chiles en nogada, mole poblano (considered by many as Mexico's national dish), and their antojitos (street food). The tastes of the regional dishes can vary widely because each chef has their special secret ingredients and touches. Something you can't miss if you happen to visit Puebla in the right season (and on the gastronomically adventurous side) is the traditional Molé de Caderas.
Puebla's most famous view. It is a city of about three million people.
“Mole de caderas y espinazo is a seasonal, regional dish from Tehuacan, Puebla, that celebrates the region’s past. Every autumn since the 17th century, when Spanish settlers introduced livestock to Mexico, shepherds have driven goats from the coasts of Oaxaca and Guerrero to the Tehuacán Valley of Puebla.
There the goats were sacrificed in a ritual ceremony before cooked for a feast. During the migration, the animals feed only on wild grasses and salt to retain liquids and don’t drink any water. As a result, the meat, unlike that of farm-raised animals, is very lean and flavorful. You’ll be very surprised at the wide variety of choices of international cuisine in Puebla as well as the local specialties.
Local drink in Puebla
The local drink is the delicious, highly flammable La Pasita, of which there are 22 variations. La Pasita is named after the bar and was invented by Señor Emilio Contreras Aicardo.
The liquor is made from raisins and a number of other ingredients, depending on which version you prefer. It is normally served with a piece of cheese and some dried fruit. It appears to be one of those drinks every Mexican gets drunk on once, but only once, in their lives. When I looked at all the things that could go into a pasita, I found it a little frightening. I asked Cesar's advice as to what kind of caution should be taken and if he had a favorite.
“You certainly have done your homework! La Pasita is a famous traditional place, although the locals don't visit it as much as tourists. The pasita drink and where it's sold is is right across the street from the most famous flea market in Puebla, Los Sapos, so you can take them both in on the same day when you visit.
The local characters of Puebla
Apparently, you don't know Puebla if you don't know Leonel Estrada, known as Downtown's Bald Guy, or better in Spanish, 'el Pelón del Centro' or 'el Pelón del Zócalo', who recites odd poems to visitors for a living. Calling himself both poet and urban artist, he's gained celebrity on social platforms and YouTube.
The hotly contested moniker for Puebla city residents
The moniker for a person from Puebla, "Pipope," was a term I had read was loved by some and hated by others (My Mexican friends roll their eyes and laughed knowingly when I mentioned the term). As an expat and amateur street sociologist, I couldn't help but ask César about it.
Wow! Right to the face! he laughed. But that's a good question! The word has a double meaning. It’s used to make fun of Poblanos as haughty. The translation we like to give is “Pieza Poblana Perfecta,” or “a perfect piece of Poblana.” (Unknown to César, his answer happens to be # 15 on the Matador Network article’s list of “25 Lies Every Poblano Has Told at Least Once In Their Lives.’ A friend of mine from Veracruz filled me in on alternative meaning for Pipope, which I won’t share here.)
Spanish in Puebla
When I returned from Spain, I was particulaly proud that I spoke with a regional Valencian accent which saddened me to lose over time. After reading that Poblanos had an accent that even expats have been known to pick up, I asked if there’d be any hope for me to pick that accent up in my Spanish. “Yes,” he said, “Many people from all over the country make a joke about our pronounced accent. Maybe you will be so fortunate!’
Puebla’s city legends
As an old city, Puebla has its legends, the most famous being the Legend of the Two Brothers. Two brothers, inseparable and loved, the sons of a hostler of the governor, disappeared one day after leaving for school and were never found. A fountain was erected in their honor and people say they still hear the noises of playing and children's laughter near the fountain. I asked César about his favorite legend.
“The view that adorns one of the world’s largest cities, and Puebla’s as well, is enhanced by the majesty of two of the highest volcanoes in the hemisphere: Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, which has its own legend."
La Leyenda de Los Volcanes (The Legend of the Volcanos) - as told by César Dorantes Benitez
The presence of these enormous millennial volcanoes has been of great significance for the different societies that have admired and revered them, being a source of inspiration for the many legends about their origin and creation.
Thousands of years ago, when the Aztec Empire was in its heyday and dominated the Valley of Mexico, it was common practice to subject neighboring towns, and to require a mandatory tax.
It was then that the chief of the Tlaxcaltecas, bitter enemies of the Aztecs, weary of this terrible oppression, decided to fight for his people’s freedom. The chief had a daughter named Iztaccihuatl: the most beautiful of all the princesses, who had professed her love for young Popocatepetl, one of her father’s people and the most handsome warrior.
Both professed a deep love for each other, so before leaving for war, Popocatepetl asked the chief for the hand of Princess Iztacihuatl. The father gladly agreed and promised to welcome him back with a big celebration to give him his daughter’s hand if he returned victorious from the battle.
The brave warrior accepted, prepared everything and departed keeping in his heart the promise that the princess would be waiting for him to consummate their love.
Soon afterward, a love rival of Popocatepetl, jealous of the love they professed to each other, told Princess Iztacihuatl that her beloved had died in combat. Crushed by such tragedy and overwhelmed by sadness, the princess died, without even imagining it could be a lie.
Popocatepetl returned victorious to his people, hoping to find his beloved princess. Upon arrival, he received the terrible news of the death of Iztacihuatl.
Devastated by the news, he wandered about the streets for several days and nights, until he decided he had to do something to honor her love and to assure that the princess would not ever be forgotten. La Pasita is named after the bar and was invented by Señor Emilio Contreras Aicardo.
He ordered a great tomb built under the sun, piling up ten hills together to form a huge mountain. He carried the dead Princess in his arms, took her to the summit and laid her on the great mountain. The young warrior lovingly kissed her cold lips, took a smoking torch and knelt in front of his beloved to watch over her eternal sleep.
From then on, they continue together, facing each other. Eventually, the snow covered their bodies, forming two majestic volcanoes that would remain joined until the end of time.
The legend goes on to say that when the warrior Popocatepetl remembers his beloved, his heart – that preserves the fire of eternal passion – shakes and his torch smokes. That’s why to this day, the Popocatepetl volcano continues spewing fumaroles.
“Even today whenever I remember this legend in full detail… I can´t help but feel a bit overwhelmed by it,” Cesár added.
Related Links -
Activities in nature near Puebla
More about the food of Puebla by Serious Eats
For more pictures of Puebla, check out Ventanas Mexico Pinterest page.
Most recent: Be prepared: Mexicans still like to “drop by."
About the author, Kerry Baker
Hola! I'm a partner with Ventanas Mexico and author of three books.
“If Only I had a Place” is a guide to renting successfully long-term in Mexico, what realtors will not tell you. The Mexico Solution is the ultimate guide to living the best of both worlds by living in Mexico part-time, and what to expect.
My second book is “The Mexico Solution: Saving your money, sanity, and quality of life through part-time life in Mexico.” It’s the most entertaining how-to guide you’ll find on how to set up a mini life in Mexico. Lastly is a cookbook, The Lazy Expat: Healthy Recipes That Translate in Mexico. It’s for travelers, expats and snowbirds trying to maintain a healthy diet in Mexico (spoiler: You must cook.)