Totolapan is a small town on the northern slopes of the Sierra de Chichinautzin, in the state of Morelos, and its Augustinian convent of San Guillermo is one of the fourteen sixteenth-century monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl that UNESCO listed in 1994. The friars who came to Mexico after the conquest built these fortress-like complexes to convert the indigenous population, with huge walled atriums where crowds could gather for open-air masses, chapels at the corners for processions, and austere churches with thick walls. Totolapan's convent is relatively modest, but its simplicity and setting give it a special charm.
The convent was famous for a crucifix, the Cristo de Totolapan, which became an object of intense devotion in colonial times and has an eventful history of being moved and returned. The church and cloister have remains of mural paintings, and the atrium is lined with old trees. From the town, on a clear day, you can see the snow-capped cone of Popocatépetl, the active volcano that dominates the region and occasionally puffs ash into the sky.
The riding around Totolapan is very enjoyable. The town lies on the road between Tlayacapan, Atlatlahucan and the highlands toward Mexico City, and the roads wind through pine forest, cornfields and small villages, with views of the volcanoes. The altitude is high, around two thousand metres and more, so the air is cool and the engine may feel a little weaker. Weekend traffic from Mexico City can be heavy, especially on the main roads to Cuautla and Cuernavaca, and the topes, speed bumps, are everywhere. The rainy season, from June to October, brings afternoon storms, so ride in the morning.
Totolapan has small shops, a market and simple food stalls, and fuel should be available in or near town; larger towns like Cuautla and Yecapixtla have more services. Tlayacapan, a few kilometres away, is a Pueblo Mágico with another convent of the route, pottery workshops and a lively market, and is a good place for lunch. Local dishes include cecina from Yecapixtla, thin salted beef, and tlacoyos, corn cakes filled with beans. Combine several of the convents in a day, and you will have a vivid picture of colonial Mexico.