Metepec, Pottery town in State of Mexico, Mexico.
Metepec is a town in the State of Mexico that sits on rolling land near Toluca. Colonial churches stand beside residential areas, and visitors can see the surrounding mountain slopes and volcanoes from the center.
The pottery tradition began here long before Spanish arrival, when indigenous groups created clay works for daily use. Under Spanish rule, workshops evolved and integrated European religious themes into the existing methods.
Workshops line the streets where artisans shape clay figures and vessels, often displaying their finished work right outside their studios for visitors to see. The colorful nativity scenes crafted here depict everyday Mexican life with dozens of tiny characters and detailed domestic settings.
Visitors find most pottery workshops in the streets around the main square, where artisans are often visible at work. The town sits close enough to Toluca for a day trip, and many shops open in the morning.
A large tree made of colorful clay stands at the entrance to the town and shows hundreds of tiny figures hanging from its branches. Local artists regularly renew the decoration of this symbol, which has become a landmark for travelers.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
