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Teotihuacan Guide

Teotihuacan: The Complete Guide from Local Tour Guides

Hola! I'm Angela, a Mexico City local and a SECTUR-certified tour guide, and me and my team take people to Teotihuacan almost every day. So I put everything I tell my groups on this one page, from the pyramids and the history to how to plan your visit.

By Angela Vilchiz, owner of Find Me Mexico. Tours led by SECTUR-certified local guides · Facts checked November 14, 2026

Short answer: Teotihuacan is an ancient city about 50 km (30 mi) northeast of Mexico City, and it's where you find the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Avenue of the Dead. It was built from around 100 BCE, and at its peak around 500 CE about 125,000 to 200,000 people lived here. It's been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987.

Plan your visit See all tour options

The basics

What is Teotihuacan?

Teotihuacan was a real city, with houses, apartment compounds, markets and temples, and at its biggest it covered about 20 km² (8 sq mi). The people who built it didn't leave writing we can read today, so nobody knows for sure what they called it.

The name comes from the Aztecs. They found the ruins in the 1400s, hundreds of years after everyone had left, and they called it "the place where the gods were created". The center of the city burned around 550 CE and by about 750 to 800 CE it was mostly empty. I tell the whole story on my Teotihuacan history page.

Today it's the second most visited archaeological site in Mexico after Chichen Itza, with about 1.8 million people in 2025. And since it's only about 1 hour from the city, it's a really easy day trip from Mexico City.

If you want all the numbers in one place, I also made a Teotihuacan facts and statistics page with a source for every one.

Quick facts

LocationAbout 50 km (30 mi) NE of Mexico City

Drive timeAbout 1 hour

City datesc. 100 BCE to 750-800 CE

Peak population125,000 to 200,000

Pyramid of the Sun66 m (216 ft) tall

Pyramid of the Moon43 m (140 ft) tall

Avenue of the DeadAbout 2.4 km (1.5 mi)

UNESCO World HeritageSince 1987

Hours8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, every day

Entry (foreigners)$210 MXN (about $12 USD)

Can you climb?Moon: first section only. Sun: closed

Monuments

What can you see at Teotihuacan?

The whole city was built along one long road called the Avenue of the Dead, and the big monuments are all on it, so it's easy to understand once you see the Teotihuacan map. These are the 4 places I recommend to see:

Pyramid of the Sun

The biggest pyramid at Teotihuacan, about 66 m (216 ft) tall and built around 100 CE.

Pyramid of the Moon

About 43 m (140 ft) tall at the north end of the avenue. Its top is almost level with the Sun because it sits on higher ground.

Avenue of the Dead

The main road of the city, about 2.4 km (1.5 mi) long and 40 m (130 ft) wide.

Temple of the Feathered Serpent

The third largest pyramid, and over 200 sacrificial burials were found in and around it.

The Sun and the Moon are on every one of our tours. And on the No Crowds tour and the Tour With Me, Angela! we also walk to the Feathered Serpent temple, which a lot of people miss because it's all the way at the south end of the avenue.

History and facts

Who built Teotihuacan and what happened to it?

This is the question I get on almost every tour, and the answer is that nobody knows exactly who they were. What we do know is the city grew after about 100 BCE, it was at its biggest around 500 CE, and then the center burned around 550 CE. After that only about 30,000 people or fewer stayed. These guides go deeper:

Teotihuacan history

Who built it, how it grew, and what happened at the end.

Facts and statistics

Heights, dates, size and visitor numbers, each with a source.

Teotihuacan map

Where everything is, the entrance gates, and the route we walk.

Spring equinox 2027

March 20, 2027 at the pyramids. The crowds, the white clothes, and how to go.

Best pyramids near Mexico City

Teotihuacan, Tula, Cholula and more, with how far each one is.

Watch our Teotihuacan tour

A tour of the 2,000 year old pyramids on our YouTube channel.

Plan your visit

How do you plan a visit to Teotihuacan?

Teotihuacan is open every day from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (last entry at 4:30 PM), and the ticket is $210 MXN (about $12 USD) for foreigners. I recommend to get there early, because there's almost no shade at the pyramids and by noon it gets hot and crowded. I put everything for your trip on the Plan Your Visit page, and these are the guides people ask me about the most:

Opening hours

What time it opens, the last entry, and the best time to arrive.

Cost and tickets

The entry fee, what's free on Sundays, and what a full day costs.

How to get there

Bus, Uber or a tour from Mexico City, with prices and times.

Day trip from Mexico City

How to plan the whole day, from the morning pickup to lunch.

How much time you need

Why I recommend 3 to 4 hours at the site.

Best time to visit

The weather by month, the rainy season, and the best hours.

And if you're still deciding, I also wrote about what to wear to Teotihuacan, whether you can climb the pyramids, if Teotihuacan is safe, and how to visit Teotihuacan without a tour.

Plan your visit

Angela explaining Teotihuacan to a tour group

Seeing it with a local

Is a Teotihuacan tour worth it?

I'm biased because I give tours, but I really recommend to see Teotihuacan with a guide. Most of the site is stone platforms and pyramids, and the signs don't tell you much, so without someone explaining it, it's hard to understand what you're looking at. I go through the pros and cons in is a Teotihuacan tour worth it.

Me and my team pick you up at your hotel or Airbnb in the morning, your tickets are included, and the tour is in English with one of our SECTUR-certified local guides. We get there early so you beat the heat and the big tour buses, and we never take you to tourist trap shops. Group tours start at $1,000 MXN (about $55 USD) per person with 15 people max, and a private tour is $2,800 MXN (about $160 USD) per person.

PLUS... 10% of everything we make goes to food and medical care for the dogs at the pyramids :)

And even if it's not with us, make sure your guide is certified. I explain why in how to find the best Teotihuacan tour guide.

If you want a Teotihuacan tour or a sunrise hot air balloon above the pyramids... that's what me and my team do. You can see all our tour options and pick the one that fits you.

Teotihuacan questions people ask me

How far is Teotihuacan from Mexico City?

Teotihuacan is about 50 km (30 mi) northeast of Mexico City, so it's about 1 hour by car, and longer if there's traffic. You can take the bus, an Uber or a tour, and I explain all 3 in how to get to Teotihuacan from Mexico City.

How much does it cost to get into Teotihuacan?

The entry ticket is $210 MXN (about $12 USD) for foreigners and $105 MXN for Mexicans and foreign residents with proof. On Sundays it's free for Mexicans and residents, but foreigners still pay. Here's the full breakdown in how much it costs to go to Teotihuacan.

What time does Teotihuacan open?

It's open every day from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and the last entry is at 4:30 PM. I recommend to get there right when it opens because the sun gets really strong by noon. More details in Teotihuacan opening hours.

Can you climb the pyramids at Teotihuacan?

Only part of one. You can climb the first section of the Pyramid of the Moon, but not the rest of it. And the Pyramid of the Sun is closed to climbing right now. You can still walk the whole Avenue of the Dead and see both pyramids up close. I keep can you climb the Teotihuacan pyramids updated.

How much time do you need at Teotihuacan?

I recommend 3 to 4 hours at the site to see the Sun, the Moon and the Feathered Serpent temple. That's why our No Crowds tour is 4 hours, and if you only want the 2 main pyramids our EXPRESS tour does it in 2 hours. See how much time you need at Teotihuacan.

Who built Teotihuacan?

Nobody knows for sure. The people who lived here didn't leave writing we can read, so we don't know what they called themselves or the city. The name Teotihuacan comes from the Aztecs, who found the ruins in the 1400s. I tell the whole story in Teotihuacan history.

Is Teotihuacan safe to visit?

Yes, it's safe to visit during the day. The biggest risk at the pyramids is the sun and getting dehydrated, so bring a hat, sunscreen and water. I share all my tips in is Teotihuacan safe.

Teotihuacan Tours