With its majestic height, the Popocatepetl volcano towers over the surrounding landscape. The locals of Mexico City affectionately refer to it as 'Popo'. The volcano is a wonderful destination for walking, climbing, skiing or simply to take in the views. But make no mistake, 'Popo' is still active.
Popocatepetl means 'smoking mountain' in the Aztec language, an accurate description of Popo. Since 1994 the volcano has been somewhat active again and it’s not uncommon to see smoke plumes. The last serious activity was in 2013 when Popo spewed out clouds of ashes, forcing air traffic to avoid the area. The climb to the top of the 5,426 metre-high Popo is not particularly tough but takes at least 6 hours one way.
“14 Spanish monasteries from the 16th century dot the slopes of the volcano”