Is There An Active Volcano Near Puebla Mexico (& Can You See It)?

Is There An Active Volcano Near The Central Mexico Town Of Puebla And Can You See It From The City?

I first visited Mexico City over a decade ago and each time I return to visit, I like to go out and explore other nearby areas like Puebla and Cholula. I was mainly interested in seeing the historic pyramid in Cholula, but I also hoped to get a look at the active volcano just outside of Puebla and Cholula, commonly known as the most dangerous volcano in Mexico.

🌋 Is There An Active Volcano Near Puebla, Mexico?

The beautiful natural attractions around Puebla and Cholula are one reason to visit this area.

There are actually two volcanoes near Puebla, Mexico: one the active Popocatépetl volcano about 40 miles (65 km) from the city, and the dormant Iztaccihuatl volcano also about 40 miles (65 km) from the city.

Getting to see the active Popocatépetl volcano on my day trip to Puebla and Cholula from Mexico City was one of the most exciting events of the day and a reason why I think this area is worth visiting (another being the Great Pyramid).

➡️ If you want the convenience of a tour to see the pyramid, the volcano, and the city, here are a few of the best tours to choose from

👀 Can You See The Volcano From Puebla?

It's possible to see it from the city but only if it's a clear day.

It all depends on the visibility of the day, but yes you can see both of the volcanoes (the active Popocatépetl volcano and the dormant Iztaccihuatl volcano) from Puebla, Mexico.

➡️ The people here commonly refer to the active Popocatépetl volcano in Puebla, Mexico as “Popo”

Where Can You See The Volcano From?

There is an active volcano near Puebla, Mexico and on clear days, you can see it.

Although it can be seen on a clear day from many places in this area, these are a few spots where you might get a better look at the volcano:

Cholula, Mexico is technically closer to the active volcano, not by too much, but on top of the hill/pyramid, you can get a good view (pictured above)

one of the closest views of the active volcano is outside of Puebla, Mexico at the Parque Nacional Izta-Popo (there are even tours from Puebla available to hike this dormant volcano area)

because the Popo volcano is active, you can often see it spouting out smoke from places all over this area, including in the city of Puebla, Mexico (especially on the southern side)

depending on where you’re heading or coming from, you might even be able to see the volcano out of the plane window to/from Mexico City

⛑ Is It Safe To Visit Puebla & Cholula, Mexico?

Since there is an active volcano near Puebla, Mexico, if it went off it could be very dangerous not only for Puebla but Mexico City too.

Volcanoes are pretty unpredictable, but you know at some point they’re going to erupt so visiting Puebla and Cholula, Mexico could be dangerous because they have not only one nearby active volcano, but also a dormant volcano (which means it’s “sleeping” but has the potential to erupt again, which could be caused by an active volcano erupting nearby).

Popo is also often considered Mexico’s most dangerous volcano and the effects of a major eruption could be detrimental not only to Puebla and Cholula but even Mexico City.

🔁 Sum Up: Is There An Active Volcano Near Puebla, Mexico?

There is not only one active volcano near Puebla, Mexico, but also another dormant volcano nearby, and an eruption of the active one could potentially cause an eruption of the dormant one so these volcanoes do pose a potential threat to Puebla, Cholula, and even Mexico City. Despite the dangers, the towering active volcano is a beautiful natural site to see (especially from on top of the Cholula pyramid), and you can even hike the dormant volcano to get a closer look.