Ocuituco claims the first Augustinian convent built in Mexico, begun in the 1530s on the southern slopes of Popocatépetl, and the church of Santiago Apóstol with its cloister belongs to the same World Heritage group of early convents around the volcano as Cuernavaca's cathedral. Its cloister keeps a rare carved stone fountain, and the convent's thick walls and simple lines show the early, almost defensive style of the first missions.
The village of Ocuituco lies in the northeast of Morelos, at around two thousand metres, among orchards of peaches, avocados and plums, with the snowy cone of Popocatépetl looming above. The volcano is active, and puffs of smoke and ash are common; occasionally eruptions close roads and airports. Tetela del Volcán, a few kilometres away, has another Dominican convent from the same period with fine murals.
The roads on the slopes of Popocatépetl are some of the most beautiful in central Mexico, winding through villages, orchards and pine forest, with views of the volcano and the valleys. They can be narrow, steep and potholed, with topes in every village, and traffic is light. The road along the southern slopes links a chain of convents, each with its own character, and makes a superb day's ride.
The convents of this chain were built in a hurry, as the friars raced to convert a huge population after the conquest, and they share a pattern: a large walled atrium where crowds gathered, small chapels at its corners for processions, an open chapel for mass in the open air, and a fortress like church with a cloister beside it. Many of them sit right on top of earlier temples, a deliberate statement of the new faith. Walking through Ocuituco's cloister, with the volcano visible over the walls and village life going on outside, you feel that layering of histories. Local people still use the church for weddings, festivals and Sunday mass, and the feast of its patron, Saint James, falls in late July.
Tetela del Volcán, five kilometres away, offers fuel and something to eat, and Cuautla, further south, is a larger town. Try the local fruit, especially in the markets, and the dishes of Morelos, such as cecina and tlacoyos. Ride in daylight and check volcano alerts before heading up the slopes.