As a result of its great location and according to many Ecatepec travel guides, Ecatepec is an important business centre, but also a major tourist attraction in Mexico. The city offers a combination of modern, contemporary architecture and beautifully preserved buildings dating back to the eighteen century and a spectacular view over the volcanic mountains.
Ecatepec is an important Mexican city, located in the metropolitan area of the Valley of Mexico and just half an hour away from the capital city, Mexico City and 72 miles from Oaxaca.
The local topography is strongly marked by the Valley of Mexico and by the surrounding high volcanic mountains among which the famous and spectacular Popocatépetl Volcano. The valley has an average altitude of 2200m, a defective drainage of the waters coming from the mountains and a soil mostly composed of clay making the entire area the subject of landslides and floods.
Due to location and elevation this area has a subtropical climate with two seasons, high temperatures reaching 32ºC in the wet season and even -5º in the dry season. The precipitations are present mostly from June to October while the winds are almost absent making sometimes the air within the city irrespirable due to heavy pollution.
The Valley of Mexico, where the city is located, used to house five important lakes connected to one another but drained in the fourteen century in order to control flooding.
Most of the local spontaneous flora and fauna has been eradicated due to extended agriculture and other human activities. Still, some draught resistant plant species can still be found here like cactuses or tree species like the pepper tree, cedars, pines, acacia, eucalyptuses and more.
The original fauna from Ecatepec has been slowly replaced by domestic animals; but one can still find here some bird species like pigeons and woodpeckers and several reptile species like lizards, rattlesnakes and more.
Due to its strategic location, Ecatepec is an important point in the national transport network. This metropolitan area is crossed by major national and international highways, making the connection with the capital Mexico City. For getting around there numerous public transport options from the underground train to buses, taxis and rent a car services. There is no local airport here, the nearest can be found in the nearby Mexico City, the Lic Benito Juarez International Airport.
Ecatepec numbers about 1.687.000 people, and is one of the most populous cities in the country. The city has a number of fourteen smaller communities under its jurisdiction with few residents, most of the people preferring to live and work in Ecatepec or in the nearby capital city.
This entire metropolitan area plays an important role in the country’s economy due to its high industrial development form the last years. Important multinational companies have set up here offering numerous job opportunities for the locals. Tourism industry is one of the most developed, the city offering numerous cultural tourist attractions, various accommodation facilities and great services.
The traditional cuisine has as main ingredients local vegetables, numerous kinds of meats and spices. Beans are very popular here, as well as rice, corn and the chilly peppers. The Spanish influences are still present, many traditional dishes having as ingredients olive oil, almonds, oregano and more. Some of the most popular dishes are the guacamole, gravy made of avocado, tomatoes and spices, nachos, potato chips covered with cheese, chimichanga, pastry filled with different ingredients like beans, meat or cheese.
With its rich culture, busy city life, numerous tourist attractions and hospitable people, Ecatepec is a great place to visit for business purposes or for a captivating vacation.