The City of Puebla

With 1.4 million residents, the city of Puebla is located 80 miles southeast of Mexico City in a large valley surrounded on four sides by the mountains and volcanoes of the Trans-Mexican volcanic belt. It is located 25 mi. east of the Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuat volcanoes, giving residents a magnificent view of their snow-topped peaks. It is Mexico's fourth largest city and is the capital and largest city of the state of Puebla.

Read a recent New York Times article on Puebla, Mexico. 

History

Established by the Spanish in 1531 on the main route between Mexico City and the port of Veracruz (the most important port in Mexico), Puebla was the principal city of colonial Mexico. Puebla's appearance is the most European of all Mexican cities because it was planned by a Spanish city designer rather than being built within an existing Indian community. Although modern Puebla is highly industrialized, its historic downtown remains a Spanish-colonial treasure filled with elegant 17th and 18th century European architecture and art. The downtown area of Puebla is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its beauty and historical significance.

Transportation

Direct flights to Puebla are available from many US cities. Puebla is also accessible by express bus from Mexico City International Airport. Travel time between the two cities is approximately 90 minutes.

Climate

Puebla enjoys an ideal climate with warm (not hot) weather year-round. Located at high elevation, temperatures in Puebla hover around 70-80° F during the day, with cooler temperatures at night (around 50° F). The city enjoys 95% sunshine with excellent air quality.

Safety

Is Puebla a safe city?

Absolutely. It is one of the safest cities in Mexico. While students must always be mindful of safety, the city of Puebla enjoys a very low crime rate, and UPAEP university provides safety orientations to all students.

Life in Puebla

A thriving city, Puebla is an important industrial, cultural, and educational center of central Mexico. It is also one of Mexico’s most beautiful cities, with well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture and some of the largest and most ornate cathedrals in the country.

Puebla is considered by many to be the gastronomic capital of Mexico. Its most famous culinary creation is mole poblano — a complex brown chili sauce, traditionally served over poultry, that involves dozens of ingredients and carries hints of its unsweetened chocolate.