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Ocuituco

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Overview

Wikivoyage guide · 9 sections

▸Introduction448 chars

Ocuituco is a historic small town of fewer than 5,000 residents (2010) in the mountains of the Central Mesican state of Morelos. Eco-travelers come to hike in the pine forests and the Barranca del Amatzinac, a canyon formed by waters flowing from the slopes of the Popocatépetl volcano. Travelers interested in history come to see the Ex-convento de Santiago Apóstol, one of the oldest Spanish missions in Mexico, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

▸Get in369 chars

The nearest major airport is Benito Juárez International Airport in Mexico City. To get from Mexico City to Ocuituco, take Metro (Line 1 or Line B) to the San Lazaro station, which connects to the TAPO bus station where you can take a Volcanes bus to Nepantla (there is no bus station in Ocuituco). From Nepantla, you can take a taxi for the 20-minute ride to Ocuituco.

▸See683 chars

1 Templo y Ex-convento de Santiago Apóstol (St. James the Apostle Monastery), Calle Asuncion. This was the first mission to be established by the Augustinian order in the Americas. Construction of the church and monastery began in 1534. It features a Renaissance-style facade on the main church with the cloister surrounding a central courtyard. The courtyard features a fountain of six stone sculptures of lions. Another fountain in the plaza in front of the church features sculptures of mermaids and mythological figures. The monastery is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site that includes several historic 16th-century monasteries near the Popocateptl volcano. (updated Feb 2026)

Facts

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Source

WBP almanac

External sources

Wikivoyage Wikipedia

Media

From Wikipedia679 words

Introduction

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (June 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Municipality in Morelos, MexicoOcuitucoMunicipalityCountry MexicoStateMorelosDemonym(in Spanish)Time zoneUTC−6 (CST) • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT) Ocuituco is a town in the Mexican state of Morelos and the municipal head for the Municipality of Ocuituco which includes the towns of Ocuituco, Huejotengo, Huecahuaxco, Huepalcalco, Metepec, and Ocoxaltepec, as well as a number of settlements with fewer than 300 inhabitants. The name comes from Nahuatl Okuiltoco and means Where there are weevils. It is one of the 36 municipalities of the state of Morelos. To the north of Ocuitico is México State, southeast is Zacualpan, east is Tetela del Volcán, and southwest is Yecapixtla. It stands at 18°52′N 98°46′W / 18.867°N 98.767°W / 18.867; -98.767, at 1,920 meters above sea level. It is considered one of the municipalities of the "Los altos de Morelos" (Morelos highlands).

History

More in sights0

▸Do51 chars

Thermal baths and spas are found throughout Morelos

▸Festivals168 chars

Festival Santiago Apostol - July 25 is the feast day for the town's patron saint. The whole town turns into a festive carnival with food, music, and traditional dances.

▸Buy410 chars

1 Mercado Municipal, Calle Molotla (along the zocalo). Daily 08ː00 - 16ː00. Small traditional Mexican marketplace with fresh fruits and vegetables and other foodstuffs along with stalls where local cooks prepare regional dishes at affordable prices. (updated Feb 2026)

Tianguis - Saturday is the traditional market day in Ocuituco when a pop-up farmers market and flea market happens in the main plaza (Zocalo)

▸Eat1,022 chars

1 Cuexcomete, Calle Reforma 16, ☏ +52 735 397 4415. M and W-Sa 13ː30 - 22ː30, Su 09ː30 - 22ː30, closed Tu. Scenic outdoor patio restaurant with Mexican artesanias decorating the space, serving regional and traditional Mexican dishes. Sunday brunch has an expanded menu. Friendly service. M$200. (updated Feb 2026)

2 El Abuelo Chon, Carretera Ocuituco - Tetela del Volcán km. 13.5, Barrio San Nicolás, ☏ +52 735 127 8063. W-Su 09ː00 - 16ː00, closed M Tu. Beautiful restaurant in a forest setting. Serves regional and traditional Mexican cuisine. The barbecue lamb is recommended. Tortillas are hand-made. Full bar serves large, well-made drinks. M$200. (updated Feb 2026)

3 La Chilaqueria, Carr. Ocuituco - Tetela del Volcan, ☏ +52 735 128 1899. Daily 08ː30 - 15ː30. Great place for breakfast with several variations on chilaquiles (including cecina, naturally), as well as eggs, hotcakes, omelettes and molletes. Comfortable outdoor dining area with contemporary furnishings and friendly service. M$200. (updated Feb 2026)

▸Sleep456 chars

1 Ecohotel Quinta La Joya, Carr. Ocuituco - Jumiltepec 17, Barrio de San Nicolas, ☏ +52 551 379 7123. Check-in: 15ː00, check-out: 12ː00. Ecologically focused small boutique hotel with attractive, well-maintained facilities. Rooms are spacious and comfortably equipped. Dogs allowed (extra fee). (updated Feb 2026)

2 Hotel Ocuituco, Los Alcranes, ☏ +52 731 170 2756. Check-in: 15ː00, check-out: 12ː00. Moderate hotel with basic amenities. (updated Feb 2026)

▸Go next57 chars

Ruta de los Conventos del Popocatépetl

Yecapixtla

Cuautla

[edit] During the epiclassic and early postclassic periods, Ocuituco was inhabited by Olmeca-Xicallancas. By the late postclassic, it was inhabited by Xochimilcas, contrasting with most of the rest of Morelos where the people were Tlahuica. Local products included wood and flowers. After being conquered by the Aztec Empire, Ocuituco became the capital of a strategic province. Ocuituco was subject to Xochimilco. In turn, Jumiltepec, Ecatzingo, Hueyapan, Itzlan (near modern Metepec) and Nepopoalco (near modern Tlalmimilulpan) were all subject to Ocuituco. Together they fought wars against Huejotzingo, Huaquechula and Atlixco, and Diego Durán claims that this was because the latter city-states wanted to steal a large jade idol. The province of Ocuituco also included Tlacotepec, Zacualpan, Temoac, Huazulco and Amayuca to the south. After the Spanish Conquest, Hernan Cortés received the submission of the Cacique of Ocuituco. During the Colonial era, Ocuituco was one of the few towns subtracted from the Marquessate of the valley of Oaxaca and was commissioned to Fray Juan de Zumarraga in the year of 1548, as a means of financing the traveling expenses of the monks arriving from Spain. At a later time, the town of Jumiltepec was used for this purpose. After the historical siege of Cuautla in 1812, José María Morelos y Pavón took to the town of Ocuituco to regroup his forces, and then to Chiautla, where he defeated the Spanish chief París. Ocuituco was one of the most severely affected municipalities during the September 19, 2017 earthquake. 74 people died in Morelos including several in the Ocuituco. 529 homes were destroyed and another 511 were damaged in the municipality. Juan Jesus Anzures Garcia of Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (PVEM) was elected Presidente Municipal (mayor) in the election of July 1, 2018. One of the biggest concerns is the high rate of crime and violence. The state of Morelos reported 209 cases and 28 deaths due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico as of April 27, 2020; six cases were reported in Ocuituco. Schools and many businesses were closed from mid March until June 1. On June 2, Ocuituco reported 15 confirmed cases and two deaths from the virus; the reopening of the state was pushed back until at least June 13. Ocuituco reported 34 cases, 28 recuperations, and five deaths from the virus as of August 31. Sixty-six cases were reported on December 27, 2020.

Population

[edit] The municipality reported 18,580 inhabitants in the year 2015 census. Fewer than 1% speak a native indigenous language.

Geography

[edit] Ocuitico has a semi-warm sub-humid climate, with rains starting in summer (From June to October), with medium humidity (75.16%). Over 70% of the economy consists of agricultural activities, mainly for corn, peaches, and avocados.

Communities

[edit] Ocuituco is the municipal seat. It has 4,846 inhabitants and stands at 1,919 meters above sea level. There are three preschools, two elementary schools (grades 1−6), one middle school (grades 7−9), and one high school (grades 10−12). Sister city: Pharr, Texas Ocoxaltepec has 1,338 inhabitants. Ocoxaltepec is located at 2352 meters above sea level. There is one preschool, one elementary school, and one middle school.