All over Mexico, we are drawn to ancient historic sights. Chichen Itza. Tulum. Teotihuacan, Tenochtitan, Mitla, Cholula, and more. It was thought for decades that Mezoamerican cities and temples were not found this far north. But here it is - Canada de la Virgen. An ancient mezoAmerican site located about 25 minutes outside of San Miguel de Allende.
As the site itself is surrounded by privately owned land, it was necessary to arrange a visit through a tour. We found a tour led by Albert Coffee, an American who moved here decades ago to work as an archaeologist at this specific site. You would be hard pressed to find a more informative guide.
Our day started with a short van ride from the center of the city. We slowly began to climb into the nearby foothills until we reached the main entry. From there, we had to board another bus that took us for a 15 minute drive. But we were still not there! It was a walk down and up a cobbled road that leads to the site.
Canada de la Virgen is a very impressive site! There is a main pyramid with a sunken patio. This was really reminiscent of our visit to Atzompa in Oaxaca. And, come to learn, it is thought that the residents of this ancient city originated in Oaxaca.
Now, we have been to countless historic sites, but this really was the first intense tour with an incredibly informative guide (whose native language is English!). We very much enjoyed this tour, and although we were not sure whether it was worth our time and money, it most certainly was, as we learned a lot.
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