mountain pass
Paso de Cortés
The 3,600-m saddle between the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, reached by a paved mountain road from Amecameca: the route Cortés marched into the Valley of Mexico in 1519.
29 km · about 35 min drive
North AmericaMexicoPuebla
San Rafael Tlanalapan
Puebla, Mexico · North America
About San Rafael Tlanalapan
San Rafael Tlanalapan is worth a stop: 5 minutes from San Gregorio Aztotoacan, 34km from Popocatépetl.
San Rafael Tlanalapan is in Puebla, Mexico, with about 16,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is San Gregorio Aztotoacan, about 4 km away.
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Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near San Rafael Tlanalapan.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near San Rafael Tlanalapan?
Within an hour or so of San Rafael Tlanalapan: Paso de Cortés (29 km), Great Pyramid of Cholula (31 km), Popocatépetl (34 km), Puebla (39 km).
Are there any good drives near San Rafael Tlanalapan?
The nearest famous roads are Paso de Cortés.
Where is San Rafael Tlanalapan?
San Rafael Tlanalapan is in Puebla, Mexico, about 4 km from San Gregorio Aztotoacan.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 15,998
- Continent
- North America
- Country
- Mexico
- Region
- Puebla
- Timezone
- America/Mexico_City
- Coordinates
- 19.2917, -98.4681
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Mexico
Green Angels (free tourist roadside assistance on federal highways): 078.
Full driving guide for MexicoTags
Worth the detour from San Rafael Tlanalapan
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
ancient ruins
Great Pyramid of Cholula
The largest pyramid by volume in the world, topped by a Spanish colonial church, with tunnels revealing layers of ancient construction.
31 km · about 35 min drive
natural wonder
Popocatépetl
An active 5,426 m stratovolcano southeast of Mexico City, visible from the Puebla highway; the Paso de Cortés road runs on its saddle.
34 km · about 40 min drive
landmark
Puebla
A UNESCO-listed colonial city famous for its Talavera tiles, baroque churches, mole poblano cuisine, and views of snow-capped volcanoes.
39 km · about 45 min drive
cathedral
Puebla Cathedral
A Renaissance cathedral on Puebla's Zócalo with Mexico's tallest bell towers, in a UNESCO-listed historic centre off Highway 150D.
40 km · about 45 min drive
museum
Museo Amparo
Two 16th–18th-century buildings in central Puebla housing one of Mexico's finest pre-Hispanic collections alongside colonial art, with a modern rooftop terrace looking straight across at the cathedral towers and Popocatépetl.
40 km · about 45 min drive
racetrack
Autódromo Miguel E. Abed
A Mexican circuit at Amozoc de Mota near Puebla with both a road course and an oval, home to NASCAR Mexico and set against the volcanic backdrop of the central highlands.
58 km · about 65 min drive
ancient ruins
Teotihuacan
The massive pre-Aztec city featuring the towering Pyramids of the Sun and Moon and the grand Avenue of the Dead, once one of the largest cities in the ancient world.
59 km · about 70 min drive
Driving roads near San Rafael Tlanalapan
- 29 kmPaso de CortésThe 3,600-m saddle between the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, reached by a paved mountain road from Amecameca: the route Cortés marched into the Valley of Mexico in 1519.
When to drive here
Year-round
Tropical latitude: plan around the wet season rather than temperature.
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