The colonial city of Toluca is great for wandering round, haggling in markets, or scaling mountains.
City Center: The colonial center of Toluca features the Portal Madero, a lively little arcade that runs along Avenida Madero.
A block north, the Plaza de los Martires is surrounded by old government buildings and is full of interesting features. To the northeast of the plaza you will arrive at Plaza Garibay, which has a fountain, giving a refreshing feel to the air on hot days.
On the east end of the plaza stands the fascinating Cosmo Vitral Jardin Botanico, a beautiful indoor garden, lit through 48 glorious stained glass panels made by the Tolucan artist Leopoldo Flores, and constitutes the largest work of art in glass in the world.
Arts & Crafts: If you want to haggle in the midst of the hustle and bustle of a market, then you can go to Mercado Juarez, located on Fabela behind the bus station. If, on the other hand, your haggling abilities are more likely to swing in favor of the market sellers, then you would be well advised to go to Casart, which has pre-fixed prices and only the highest quality pieces.
Centro Cultural Mexiquense: The Cultural Center, 4.5km west of the city center, incorporates three excellent museums, with anthropology, arts & crafts, and modern art as attractions.
Calixtlahuaca: This site was created by the Aztecs, and is believed to have been a school for the children of the ruling-class of Aztec society. There is an unusual circular pyramid here and access is by highway 55, at 2km west of Toluca.
Metepec: Metepec is the home to the craft of the "Arbol de la Vida" (Tree of Life), which are highly elaborate, and can be found at very good prices directly from the clay worker's workshops. Metepec is a suburb of Toluca, at 7km to the south.
Nevado de Toluca: This extinct volcano reaches 4690m high, and has the unusual feature of twin lakes in the crater, called El Sol and La Luna. Bear in mind that there is snow present in winter to spring, and the weather can turn at any time of year, so take the appropriate clothing. Also, you should take your own food and water if you plan to visit mid-week. There are various shelters at different levels of the ascent, with varying levels of utilities.
Shopping
Toluca boasts a range of establishments, with everything from interesting markets to multi-national superstores.
