While relaxing beach holidays and exciting city breaks can be a lot of fun, sometimes we all need to push the boundaries of our travel experiences. There are surely few better ways of doing this than to head off to the jungles of Mexico to explore some of the most intriguing Aztec ruins.
The Aztecs were a culture that flourished in Central Mexico over 600 years ago. What led to the success of their empire and many other ones in ancient America was gold, which held both symbolic and spiritual meaning in society. Even though the Spanish Empire conquered them in the 15th century, many of their treasures remain lost.
This search for lost Aztec gold and relics has inspired people, including many video game developers to create games like Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider, that put you in the shoes of real explorers. There are even slot games like Gonzos Quest that feature a medieval character hunting for the lost gold of the mystical city of Eldorado that had its roots in the Aztec Empire.
While there is still plenty to discover about the mysterious Aztec people, they have thankfully left behind some fascinating ruins that give us a glimpse of how they lived their lives. So if you’re willing to try a holiday with a difference, here are some of the top Aztec attractions to put on your bucket list.
Teotihuacan
This is an ancient Aztec city just south of Mexico City, and it was thought to be the home of well over 100,00 people. Teotihuacan covers no less than eight square miles, and it has many fascinating murals and the spectacular Avenue of the Dead to check out.
A key thing among the Teotihuacan highlights is the iconic Pyramid of the Sun. This 75-meter high stone structure is what you usually think of when someone mentions Aztec ruins. Such is its reputation that it has helped Aztec culture live on into the modern-day. What makes this ancient city intriguing is that researchers are still exploring the site and are finding strange artifacts.
Other highlights in Teotihuacan include the equally stunning Pyramid of the Moon, and no trip to this ancient city is complete without a walk up the Temple of the Feathered Serpent. Just don’t try and scale this structure in the midday heat; otherwise, you may find yourself joining the hundreds of sacrificial victims that were found buried beneath this iconic temple!
Tenayuca
Surrounding by an army of stone serpents, the pyramids of Tenayuca are easily one of Mexico’s must-see Aztec sites. This fantastic place is relatively easy to reach as it is just on the outskirts of Mexico City. It is thought that Tenayuca was built by Xolotl, who was the leader of the mysterious Chichimecas, but it ran into disuse following the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in 1520.
Thankfully archeologists have done a great job of excavating this site, and you can gain access to Tenayuca for a not unreasonable 55 pesos. You can get a walk around the pyramid that predates the ones at Teotihuacan as well as getting some decent selfies in front of those famous stone serpents.
Don’t forget to check out the excellent Tenayuca Museum that even featured exhibits of weird and beautiful things like the New Fire ritual that took place every 52 years.
El Tepozeco
OK, so this Aztec ruin is definitely not for the faint-hearted as it can only get reached by taking a once-in-a-lifetime hike through the mountains of Morelos. But once you have managed to survive this journey, you’ll be greeted by the sight of a beautiful pyramid temple that is surrounded by some genuinely eye-watering scenery.
Interestingly the temple is dedicated to Tepoztecatl, who was the Aztec god of an alcoholic beverage called pulque. You’ll probably need a few glasses of pulque after making it this far, but at least you won’t be harassed by lots of other tourists at this lesser-known Aztec ruin.
This temple is also worth a trip as it’s in the stunning Tepoztlan National Park that’s home to some of Mexico’s most distinctive flora and fauna.