Stairway to the Sun

We had come across Teotihuacán in research around the less city-type things to see in Mexico City, and a recommendation from a friend also backed it up. We undertook our first AirBnB Experience with Hugo & Gabriel, a well-reviewed brother duo who grew up not too far from the site.

Hugo and Gabriel picked up our party of nine from in front of Parque Mexico in Condesa, a very convenient and safe spot. Whisked away in their clean and well-cared for Dodge Sprinter van (#vanlife), we arrived just over an hour later which included one coffee pit-stop and bathroom break on the road. Since we started early (7:30am meet time), we managed to have a less crowded experience.

A quick tour through the museum to learn about the history, and then it was a walk down the Avenue of the Dead to the first major pyramid, the Pyramid of the Sun. We climbed to the top, had time for photos and to take in the sights, and then it was down again. We appreciated the brothers informing us about specific points of interest around the area and the pyramids (juicy stuff like sacrifices and such) whilst keeping us moving to be sure we didn’t linger too long in the sun, but also getting us to see the former city in its entirety. We found it well-paced.

The Pyramid of the Moon was last, but not least, and while smaller, we appreciated the view from this end of the whole Avenue of the Dead, and having a sense of scale and smaller crowds. There’s a lot to respect and learn about Teotihuacan, and I recommend taking a tour with Hugo & Gabriel. As a bonus, we had home-cooked food at their family’s home half an hour away, which was tasty, and a great booster for the longer drive home since traffic had now picked up. They get you back by 3pm, which allows you to still have some time in the day and make time for a proper dinner.