Naucalpan

Naucalpan is a suburban municipality on the northwest side of Mexico City. It covers a large area and includes Ciudad Satelite and the upscale "edge city" of Interlomas. It is an area of high rise buildings with hundreds of residential and commercial office towers along with sprawling shopping malls. == Understand == Naucalpan has a very long history, having been settled by the Tlatilica indigenous culture as early as 1700 BC. == Get in == The easiest, fastest, and cheapest way to Naucalpan is to use the Mexico City Metro subway system. Take Line 2 (blue) to Cuatro Caminos. This station is a large transportation hub, called Centro de Transferencia Modal (CETRAM). Several bus and BRT lines start and end at this station, which has routes covering most of Naucalpan and adjacent parts of Mexico City's northwest suburbs. The nearest major bus terminal for intercity bus lines is Terminal de Autobuses Poniente (known as Observatorio). Some intercity buses may stop at the Cuatro Caminos CETRAM, but most likely, only some regional buses from Grupo IAMSA and maybe a couple from Flecha Roja. See Bus travel in Mexico for more info on intercity buses. === By car === Several major highways can be used to reach Naucalpan. Some of the busiest are: Anillo Periferico (Blvd. Manuel Ávila Camacho) - from other parts of Mexico City, use the Anillo Periferico to sit in traffic as you inch your way towards Naucalpan MEX-134D (Autopista Toluca–Naucalpan) - from Toluca and points west of Mexico City (this is a toll road) MEX-57D (Autopista Chamapa–Lechería) - bypass highway used by travelers coming from Querétaro (this is a toll road) == Get around == It is difficult to get around in Naucalpan. Traffic is some of the worst in the Mexico City metropolitan area with snarled traffic jams, and slow travel times on buses. The one Metro station (Cuatro Caminos) is not close to most neighborhoods in Naucalpan and almost always requires using two or more transport modes to get anywhere. Some small relief is promised in late 2026 when the Mexicable cable car route 3 opens between Cuatro Caminos and the neighborhoods of Izcalli Chamapa and Lomas del Cadete. == See == 1 Torres de Satelite, Manzana 025, Periferico Blvd. Avila Camacho (in an island in the middle of the busy Periferico (the major highway circling Mexico City)). Five iconic towers designed by sculptor Mathias Goeritz and architect Luis Barragán. These massive, brightly colored triangular prisms stand in the median of the Periférico expressway, symbolizing the entrance to Ciudad Satélite. (updated Jun 2026) 2 Parque Quetzalcóatl, Ret. Villa Los Naranjos 53297, Paseos del Bosque. 10:00 - 12:30, by appointment only. A stunning, surreal sculpture park designed by famed Mexican architect Javier Senosiain. Tucked into a natural ravine, its winding trails, colorful tile sculptures, and cave-like structures are intended to suggest the undulating form of the Aztec feathered serpent. Advance reservations are required (see website). Group tours can be arranged. Guides speak both Spanish and English. M$1600 for foreign citizens, M$1300 for Mexicans. (updated Jun 2026) 3 Plaza Revolucion (Parque Revolucion), Av. 16 de Septiembre Manzana 005, Naucalpan Centro. The town's main plaza is runner-up in the race to be Mexico's ugliest zocalo. It has some monuments and a few tall trees, but most of it just plain paving stone. It cries out for better gardens, benches, and a really thorough cleaning and upgrade to encourage residents to use and love the park. Grim. (updated Jun 2026) 4 El Conde Archaeological Zone, Manzana 019, El Conde. Tu-Su 09:00 - 17:00, closed M. Ancient ruins from the Preclassic period. Estimated to have been built between 1400 - 600 BC by the Tlatilica people. The site was later occupied by Chichimeca (around 1000 AD) and then by the Tepenac people beginning in 1428. The ruins include a large rectangular platform that is thought to have once been a palace for the noble class and low-lying pyramid temples. Small site with so few visitors that the site staff often don't show up, so the place has a reputation for very sporadic actual opening hours (despite what's posted on the sign at the entrance and on the INAH web site). (updated May 2026) === Churches === 5 Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, Calle Zaragoza 1, Los Remedios. Catholic shrine in the Los Remedios National Park. (updated May 2026) 6 Catedral Metropolitana de la Santa Sabiduría de Dios (Hagia Sophia Greek Orthodox Church), Manzana 028, Calle Agua Caliente esq. Saratoga s/n, Lomas Hipodromo. Su 10:00 (divine liturgy). Greek Orthodox church containing a large number of stunning paintings, murals, and screens representative of traditional Byzantine iconography. (updated May 2026) 7 Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel de Tecamachalco (St. Michael's Church), Manzana 019, San Miguel Tecamachalco. Small colonial-era church that was built in the 16th century to serve the small indigenous, agricultural village of Tecamachalco. The church has beautifully maintained gardens and a plaza in front. It hosts an annual festival on September 29 (the feast day of St. Michael). (updated May 2026) == Do == === Los Remedios National Park === Los Remedios is an urban park that is part of the Mexico national parks system. It protects the forests and historical sites around Cerro Moctezuma, a 2,300-meter-high mountain. It is a popular park for jogging, working out, horseback riding and dog walking. It covers about 900 hectares, mostly wooded with wide, marked trails, but is severely threatened by illegal squatters and deforestation. 1 Los Remedios National Park (Parque Nacional Los Remedios), Calle Morelos Manzana 007, Bosque de los Remedios, ☏ +52 55 5560 1732. 05:00 - 18:00. (updated May 2023) ==== Activities ==== Hiking Nature walks ==== Historic and cultural sites ==== Basilica Sanctuary of the Virgin of Los Remedios - One of the oldest basilicas in all the country, built in 1575. It is home to an image of the Virgin Mary brought to Mexico by Hernan Cores. It's a nice spot to visit and the little town there is exceptional to bargain if you are in search of local art. Aqueduct - a 500-meter-long colonial-era aqueduct features 50 stone arches, it was built to supply water to the sanctuary Archaeological ruins - the mountain has ruins of a Chichimeca temple and petroglyphs (stone etchings) == Buy == 1 Paseo Interlomas, Vialidad de la Barranca Manzana 003, Bosque de las Palmas. Daily 11:00 - 21:00. Huge, modern shopping mall anchored by several department stores including Liverpool and Sears. Has a Cinepolis mult-screen theatre, a playground for kids, countless boutique shops and several food courts. The mall is sometimes referred to as the "UFO mall" due to its futuristic architecture. (updated Jun 2026) == Eat == There are a lot of restaurants in this area, but most are unremarkable corporate-style concept restaurants with unexceptional cooking for a mass market clientele with fat wallets. There are casual eateries in all the myriad shopping centers and a lot of large restaurants that cluster along the Periferico (Blvd. Avila Camacho). 1 La Casa de los Olivos, Valle de Mexico 16, ☏ +52 55 5360 5166. Daily 08:30 - 17:30. Casual restaurant serving traditional and regional Mexican dishes like milanesa or chile en nogada. Breakfast includes egg dishes, chilaquiles, hotcakes and sweet breads. (updated Jun 2026) 2 Porfirio's, Blvd. Manuel Avila Camacho 5, Toreo Parque Central, ☏ +52 55 5162 7213. Tu-Sa 10:00 - 01:00, Su M 10:00 - 22:00. Upscale Mexican restaurant that is part of a corporate chain of good, but overpriced eateries for the business lunch crowd. M$400. (updated Jun 2026) 3 La Vaka, Boulevard Manuel Ávila Camacho Norte Conjunto, San Miguel, ☏ +52 55 5920 0172. Daily 13:00 - 22:00. Brazilian steakhouse with all-you-can-eat buffet. M$400. (updated Jun 2026) == Drink == == Sleep == 1 Fiesta Inn Express, Periférico Norte, ☏ +52 55 5387 9910. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 13:00. Moderate contemporary hotel with large rooms but hit-or-miss service and maintenance. M$2000. (updated Jun 2026) 2 Fiesta Americana Mexico Toreo, Periferico Blvd. Manuel Ávila Camacho 5, Lomas de Sotelo, ☏ +52 44 3310 8137. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Upscale hotel in a huge shopping mall. Overpriced buffet breakfast. M$3200. (updated Jun 2026) 3 Novotel Mexico Toreo, Av. Primero de Mayo 120-Torre 2, San Andres Atoto, ☏ +52 55 8920 0400. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 13:00. Luxurious modern high-rise hotel with well-appointed rooms. Good restaurant with full breakfast. M$2000. (updated Jun 2026) == Connect == == Go next ==