Capulálpam de Méndez is a town that preserves its musical, festive, medicinal and gastronomic traditions intact, which together with its natural spaces and architectural attractions, have made it a welcoming tourist destination. We present you the complete guide to Magic Town Oaxacan for you to fully enjoy.
1. Where is Capulálpam de Méndez?
Capulálpam de Méndez is a town located in the Sierra Norte Oaxaqueña, 73 km northeast of the state capital, Oaxaca de Juárez. It was elevated to the category of Mexican Magical Town by virtue of its architectural beauty, its natural landscapes and its traditions, among which music, natural medicine, traditional festivities and its culinary art stand out, among the most outstanding tourist attractions.
2. What is the best way to get to Capulálpam de Méndez?
The town is more than 500 km from Mexico City, so the most comfortable way to go from the Mexican capital is traveling by plane to Oaxaca de Juárez, then traveling by land to Capulálpam de Méndez. Anyway, if you dare to go by road from Mexico City, the trip is about 7 and a half hours. From Oaxaca de Juárez, take federal highway number 175 to Tuxtepec and in Ixtlán, access the detour to Capulálpam de Méndez.
3. What type of climate does the town have?
Capulálpam de Méndez is located in the Sierra Norte at an altitude of 2040 meters above sea level, so its climate is predominantly cold and humid. The average temperature does not have too high peaks between one month and another, oscillating between 14 and 18 ° C. It rains a little, a little more than 1,000 mm a year. The rainiest period is from June to September, while between January and March it rains very little.
4. Can you tell me something about your story?
The indigenous people of that region of Oaxaca faced the conquerors, but already in the middle of the 17th century the encomendero Juan Muñoz Cañedo had managed to consolidate a town of 4 neighborhoods in the area. In 1775 a gold mine was discovered, the first plantation for the benefit of the metal was founded and the human flow began to increase. From viceregal times the town was called San Mateo Capulálpam and in 1936 it was officially renamed Capulálpam de Méndez in honor of the Oaxacan liberal leader Miguel Méndez Hernández.
5. What are the main tourist attractions?
In the town, the Church of San Mateo, patron saint of the town, and other monuments, as well as the beautiful houses located on cobbled streets and slopes stand out. Capulálpam de Méndez also has a long tradition of indigenous and traditional medicine and visitors come to the town in search of cleanses and cures. The traditional festivals of the town are very attractive and are great occasions to enjoy the wind music and marimbas. Nearby there are spectacular places to practice adventure sports and to observe nature.
6. What is the Church of San Mateo like?
The construction of the parochial temple of San Mateo was concluded in 1771, according to an inscription placed in an arch of the main facade. The church was built with yellow stonework and inside it stands out a set of 14 superbly preserved noble wood altarpieces, about which there are discrepancies regarding their origin. One version indicates that they were made by local artists and another that they came from other towns in the mountains.
7. Are there any other notable monuments?
One of the emblems of the Pueblo Mágico is the Monument to the Miner, which shows a worker drilling a gold-bearing rock and which constitutes a mandatory stopping point in the center of town to take a photo. Another work of singular beauty is the Monument to the Mother, a tender sculpture of a mother with a child in her arms surrounded by flowers and trees. Another place of interest in Capulálpam de Méndez is the Community Museum.
8. Is it true that there are some excellent viewpoints?
Many locals and visitors like to admire the sunrise from the Mirador de la Cruz, a site from which there is an impressive view of the king's star at dawn. The solar disk is seen showing between the oaks and pines until it exhibits all its luminosity and beauty. From the El Calvario viewpoint there is a splendid view of the town and in the place you can see orchids and birds, such as woodpeckers and sparrows. Near El Calvario is the Los Sabinos Recreation Center, a place used for camping and outdoor activities.
9. What can you tell me about traditional medicine?
Many people go to Capulálpam de Méndez to condition body and mind in its Traditional Medicine Center, in which specialists in ancestral treatments clean and comfort the most decayed bodies with their temazcal baths, sobas, massages and other naturopathic practices. . In the same center you can take and buy different preparations made with herbs and other plant "powers" of the area.
10. What is the musical tradition like?
The typical music of Capulálpam de Méndez is the syrup, the musical genre that developed in much of the Mexican territory from the 18th century. Unlike the famous Tapatío syrup originating from Jalisco and performed with a mariachi, the Capulálpam syrup is played with the instruments we usually find in a philharmonic orchestra. Another genre with its own weight in the town is marimbas music, played with this percussion instrument similar to the xylophone.
11. What stands out in the gastronomy of Capulálpam de Méndez?
The regional gastronomy has several symbols, among which we must mention the local mole, called chichilo. It is prepared with various species of chili and peas and is the most important local companion for all types of meats. In the main square a gastronomic fair takes place on Sundays. That day in the morning, the women put the comales and pots on the typical anafres to cook tamales, tlayudas and other delicacies, which are accompanied by water chocolates and other traditional drinks.
12. Can I practice any sport?
At the Los Molinos Recreation Center there is a zip line about 100 meters long and 40 meters high that passes over the riverbed and offers wonderful views of the surroundings. They also have a large rocky slope of about 60 meters to practice rappelling. Nearby is Cerro Pelado, through which you can make excursions following the old roads of the viceregal era between the communities of the mountains.
13. Are there other excursion options?
About 15 minutes from Capulálpam de Méndez there is a cave called Cueva del Arroyo that is worth visiting. The millennial work of the seeping water has sculpted curious rock formations under the ground and the place is visited by hikers and climbing and rappelling enthusiasts. At the entrance of the cave you can hire a guide and the necessary equipment.
14. What are the main holidays?
Practically every weekend is a party in Capulálpam de Méndez. On these days musical groups are organized that go through the streets of the town followed by locals and visitors, filling the atmosphere with joy. The musical pilgrimage ends in the atrium of the temple, where the musicians close by performing a few more pieces. In the middle of the patron saint festivities of San Mateo, in mid-September, the annual fair takes place and the celebration of All Saints in early November is also very colorful.
15. What are the main hotels?
The offer of accommodation in Capulálpam de Méndez is still somewhat limited. On the old road to La Natividad, next to the sawmill, are the Cabañas Xhendaa, a set of 8 picturesque units built in wood. In the Capulálpam Ecotourism Center there is a group of 16 brick cabins with capacity for up to 8 people, equipped with the most basic services and with a fireplace. A widely used option to get to know Capulálpam is to stay in the city of Oaxaca de Juárez, where the hotel offer is broader. On the way from the Oaxacan capital it is worth mentioning the Hotel Boutique Casa Los Cántaros, Hotel Villa Oaxaca, Casa Bonita Hotel Boutique, Mission Oaxaca and Hostal de la Noria.
16. Are there any good places to eat?
The Los Molinos Recreational Center has a restaurant serving regional food and they also prepare trout raised on site. At El Verbo de Méndez Café, located in Emiliano Zapata 3, they have a magnificent panoramic view and they serve excellent breakfasts with homemade seasoning. In nearby Oaxaca de Juárez there is a wide gastronomic offer of all types of cuisine.
We hope you have enjoyed this virtual tour of Capulálpam de Méndez as much as we did. See you soon for another wonderful tour of some Mexican corner.
