Taxco occupies an extraordinary position in the Guerrero highlands, surrounded by cave systems, ruins, colonial cities, and thermal pools. The silver-mining town is a day trip destination itself from Mexico City, but if you are based here for several days, the surrounding region rewards exploration.
Quick comparison
| Day Trip | Distance | Transport (each way) | Entry | Time Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cacahuamilpa Caverns | 27 km | Bus ~MXN $30 | ~MXN $200 | Half day |
| Ixtapan de la Sal | 50 km | Bus ~MXN $60 | ~MXN $400–800 | Full day |
| Xochicalco ruins | 90 km | Car ~1.5 hrs | ~MXN $90 | Half–full day |
| Cuernavaca | 80 km | ADO bus ~MXN $100 | Museum ~MXN $80 | Full day |
| Tepoztlán | 100 km | Car or bus via Cuernavaca | Free (hike) | Full day |
| Tolantongo thermal pools | 200 km | Car ~3.5 hrs | ~MXN $400–500 | Full day |
All costs approximate, as of 2026.
Grutas de Cacahuamilpa - 27 km northwest, 30 minutes
The single best day trip from Taxco and one of the most impressive cave systems in the world. The Grutas de Cacahuamilpa have been explored since the 1830s and the main gallery - 2 km long, up to 80 m high - contains chambers filled with massive calcite formations: curtain stalactites, monolithic stalagmites, and crystalline flowstone pools.
Guided tours (compulsory, departing every 30 minutes from 9 am to 5 pm) last approximately 1.5–2 hours and cover the main passage. The guide points out formations nicknamed for their resemblance to animals and monuments - sometimes cheesy but the formations are genuinely dramatic without the narration. Entry approximately MXN $200 as of 2026.
The adjacent Dos Bocas canyon has a swimming hole where the underground rivers emerge (free access). Bring a torch for an impromptu exploration of the entrance passages.
Getting there: buses run from Taxco’s main bus terminal to Cacahuamilpa every 1–2 hours (approximately MXN $30, 30–40 minutes). Alternatively, taxi (approximately MXN $150–200 return) or car.
Ixtapan de la Sal - 50 km north, 45 minutes
A thermal spa resort town with sulphur springs in the Estado de México highlands. Ixtapan de la Sal’s main draw is its Balneario Municipal (large public thermal pool complex, entry approximately MXN $400–600 depending on day and facilities) and the more upscale Ixtapan Hotel & Spa (day passes approximately MXN $800–1,200, includes full spa circuit).
The town itself is unremarkable but the sulphurous mineral water (38–40°C, high in bicarbonate and calcium) has a loyal following among Mexican families. Weekends are extremely crowded - midweek visits are considerably better. Buses from Taxco via the local road (approximately MXN $60, 1 hour).
Xochicalco - 90 km north, 1.5 hours
An undervisited UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site and one of the most politically significant cities of early post-Classic Mesoamerica. Xochicalco flourished from 700–900 AD as Teotihuacan declined, and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent has among the most elaborate low-relief carvings in Mexico - seated figures (possibly astronomers or ambassadors) alternate with undulating feathered serpents on every façade surface.
The Observatory is a natural cave modified by Xochicalco’s architects: twice a year (April and August), a shaft of sunlight enters through a vertical shaft in the cave ceiling and illuminates the cave floor for approximately 30 minutes - used to calibrate the solar calendar. Entry approximately MXN $90 as of 2026.
Getting there: car is the practical option - 1.5 hours north via Cuernavaca (Highway 95D north, then west). Public transport requires Taxco → Cuernavaca → Miacatlán → taxi. Most visitors combine Xochicalco with Cuernavaca in a single day.
Cuernavaca - 80 km north, 1.5 hours
The City of Eternal Spring sits at 1,500 m in a climate-perfect basin that has attracted wealthy Mexicans and foreign residents since the Aztecs maintained gardens here. Cuernavaca has three major cultural attractions:
Palacio de Cortés - Hernán Cortés built his palace on the ruins of the Aztec palace he destroyed. Now the Cuernavaca Regional Museum, it contains Diego Rivera’s 1930 murals depicting the Spanish Conquest in graphic detail - considered among Rivera’s most powerful work. Entry approximately MXN $80 as of 2026.
Cathedral of the Assumption - begun 1529, this is one of the oldest functioning cathedrals in the Americas. The Capilla Abierta (open chapel) was designed for outdoor mass to accommodate the large indigenous population that converted under Spanish pressure.
Jardín Borda - 18th-century terraced gardens built for a Taxco silver mining family, later used as a royal residence by Emperor Maximilian. Entry approximately MXN $60.
ADO buses run from Taxco to Cuernavaca multiple times daily (approximately MXN $100 each way, 1.5 hours). Car via Highway 95D.
Tepoztlán - 100 km east, 1.5–2 hours
A colonial village in a dramatic canyon of vertical basalt cliffs in Morelos state. Tepoztlán has a strong artistic and spiritual community, a good Sunday market, and the Tepozteco pyramid (400 m above the town on a cliff edge, approximately MXN $75 entry).
The hike to the Tepozteco takes 1–2 hours one way on a well-marked trail through cactus and forest. The pyramid itself is small but the views over the valley and surrounding cliffs are extraordinary. Start early - the trail is hot and exposed by midday.
The town’s Saturday and Sunday markets are excellent for mezcal, chillies, pottery, and local cheeses from Morelos farms. El Tepozteco restaurant on the main market street serves traditional Morelian food (quesillo, tlayudas, barbacoa on Sundays from approximately MXN $100–180 per person).
Grutas de Tolantongo - 200 km north, 3.5 hours
The most spectacular natural site within day-trip range of Taxco - turquoise thermal water cascading down a red-rock canyon in Hidalgo state. Tolantongo has multiple pools at different temperatures, hot springs in a cave passage, and a canyon swimming hole where the river runs warm.
Entry approximately MXN $400–500 per person (2026); accommodation is also available for those wanting to stay the night. Weekends see queues of 1–2 hours to enter - book weekday visits, leave Taxco by 6 am, and aim to arrive when gates open at 8 am.
Getting there: car only (3.5 hours via Cuernavaca and Ixmiquilpan). No direct public transport from Taxco.
Planning tips
- Cacahuamilpa is your no-brainer first trip. 30 minutes from Taxco, accessible by bus, spectacular caves. Do it your first full day in Taxco.
- Cuernavaca + Xochicalco works as a single day. Drive north to Xochicalco (open from 9 am), 2 hours on site, then continue to Cuernavaca for the afternoon.
- Tepoztlán on a Sunday for the market and pyramid hike - the morning light on the cliffs is best before 10 am.
- Tolantongo on a weekday only - weekend visits at peak times can mean 2+ hours in traffic before the canyon gate.
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