Culture and Tradition
Living tradition, tours and festivals
Every altar tells a life.
In late October, Malinalco families build monumental offerings that remember the everyday lives of those who are gone. Each altar reflects the trade of the person remembered: a classroom for a teacher, a carpenter's tools, a barber's chair.
Walking through the houses is free and open to all. Bring a tall candle for the family, who place it on the altar; in return you are offered bread, coffee or chocolate. The cemetery fills with flowers, candles and music.
- Until 2 November
- Free, open visits
- Bring a candle
Papel picado, mojigangas and music
When the town celebrates, the cobbled streets fill with papel picado, mojigangas, horses and music. Festivals here are not watched from the sidewalk: you walk them.
The main square hosts a market with little crates of miniature sweets, bread dolls, sugar cut-outs and hummingbirds carved from copal wood. A handmade souvenir to take home.
A museum that explains the pre-Hispanic world
The Dr. Luis Mario Schneider University Museum shares Malinalco's natural, cultural and historical heritage. Its route is symbolic: it explains the region's pre-Hispanic worldview through time, nature, farming cycles and local Indigenous tradition.
It is a good first stop to understand the identity of the town before climbing to the archaeological site or exploring the centre.
- Tuesday to Sunday
- 10 AM - 5:30 PM
- Closed Mondays
What you shouldn't miss
Monumental altars, a cemetery of flowers and candles, and a market in the square.
More informationLess than 10 km from town, a 16th-century sanctuary with the image of the Lord of Chalma. Pilgrims arrive with dances and flower garlands.
A symbolic journey through the region's pre-Hispanic worldview.
Palenques and mezcal communities to learn the artisanal agave process.
Mezcal RouteCopal wood hummingbirds, bread dolls and crates of miniature sweets.
The Mexica temples of Cuauhtinchan, about 400 steps from the centre.
Heritage and historyChoose your experience: Day of the Dead, museum or mezcal. Check hours and prices, and book directly with each organizer.
Tradition, tours and museums
Day of the Dead
The Day of the Dead in Malinalco is a deeply symbolic celebration, where streets, homes and cemeteries fill with candles, marigold flowers and offerings that honor loved ones. The atmosphere becomes a space of memory, tradition and spiritual connection.
The monumental altars stand out: impressive collective installations that combine art, identity and tradition. With multiple levels, pre-Hispanic elements and contemporary details, these altars become a visual and cultural attraction that reflects the living soul of Malinalco.
Rancho el Caporal
In this tourist, cultural, historical and gastronomic experience you will learn everything about mezcal production: its origins, the processes, and even take part in some of them. You will find out why Malinalco has its own mezcal identity, along with some historical episodes that will surprise you. At the end, we will have a guided 5-stage tasting of our different products, in which you will learn to appreciate, analyze and fully enjoy their sensory qualities
More information
“Destiladora Rancho el Caporal” now produces the most award-winning mezcal in the State of Mexico, with 11 medals, including Grand Gold medals at both the National Brand Competition and the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, which in 2024 awarded us the “Revelation Spirit” distinction, naming it the best spirit in the country that year.
Duration: the experience lasts 3 hours
Cost: $650 per person ($450 locals, $300 frequent customers)
1st visit: 12:00 PM
2nd visit: 3:30 PM
3rd visit: 7:00 PM
Includes:
You will leave this experience as a mezcal expert
- Round-trip transportation from Malinalco downtown
- Historical and cultural tour
- Description of processes
- 5-stage sensory tasting
Museo Universitario Dr. Luis Mario Schneider
The Museo Universitario Dr. Luis Mario Schneider in Malinalco is a museum devoted to sharing the municipality's natural, cultural and historical heritage. Its tour is organized symbolically to explain the region's pre-Hispanic worldview, covering themes such as time, nature, agricultural cycles and local indigenous tradition.
It is a key space for understanding the town's cultural identity and one of the most representative museums in the State of Mexico.
Hours
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- 10 AM - 5:30 PM
- Wednesday
- 10 AM - 5:30 PM
- Thursday
- 10 AM - 5:30 PM
- Friday
- 10 AM - 5:30 PM
- Saturday
- 10 AM - 5:30 PM
- Sunday
- 10 AM - 5:30 PM
Mezcal Route
The Mezcal Route in Malinalco is a tourist experience that visits palenques and mezcal-producing communities in the municipality, where you can learn the artisanal process of agave spirit, from cultivation to distillation in traditional ovens and stills.
More information
During the tour, visitors usually see maguey fields, interact with local producers and take part in guided mezcal tastings, accompanied by explanations of its history, production techniques and cultural importance in the region.
It is an experiential tourism route that combines nature, gastronomy and tradition, positioning Malinalco as one of the key destinations in the State of Mexico to experience mezcal culture authentically.