By evening, the centre of Puebla fills with people heading out: diners around the Zócalo, music spilling from cafés and bars, and later a crowd moving toward the clubs. The city's nightlife is spread across the centre and the neighbouring town of Cholula rather than concentrated in one strip.
Puebla suits visitors who want a mix of live music, bars and clubs within reach of the historic centre, and who are happy to travel a short distance for the busiest club scene. The range runs from quiet drinks with a view to late, loud dancing, so you can shape the evening to your mood.
Where to go out in Puebla
1. Cholula
Cholula, about 10 km from Puebla, is where the city's club scene is concentrated. The antros (clubs) here are the first recommendation for anyone who likes nightlife, and many of them do not charge cover.
This suits a late, energetic night and groups prepared to travel out of the centre. Because cover charges vary between venues, it is worth checking before you commit to one.
2. Los Sapos district
Los Sapos, a few blocks from the Zócalo, holds smaller and less popular antros. It is the option for staying close to the historic centre rather than heading to Cholula.
This suits a lower-key night that can be combined with a walk through the centre. The venues here are described as smaller and less busy, so expect a quieter atmosphere than Cholula.
3. Avenida Juárez
Avenida Juárez has a good selection of bars and clubs along it. It is a straightforward choice if you want several venues within walking distance of each other.
This suits anyone who prefers to compare a few places in one evening rather than settle on a single club.
4. Live music venues
Live music is abundant throughout Puebla. Cafés and arts venues put on concerts in the evening, so you can build a night around a performance rather than a club.
This suits visitors who want to sit, listen and drink rather than dance. Check what is on for the dates you are in the city, as programming changes.
5. Zócalo bars and cafés
The area around the Zócalo is where you can take drinks with a view of the square. Cafés in the centre also open late, some serving alcoholic drinks alongside coffee, cakes and ice cream.
This suits an early or relaxed part of the evening, before or instead of a club. Note that some cafés close on Mondays.
6. Lucha libre at Arena Puebla
Arena Puebla, at Avenida 13 Oriente and Calle 4 Sur, holds a show every Monday from 20:00 until approximately 22:00. The atmosphere is described as great.
This suits a Monday night when the clubs are not your priority. Tickets are sold at the box office, and you should arrive at least 60 to 90 minutes before the start; admittance begins at 19:00. Scalpers sell tickets near the entrance at a markup, and buying from them is best avoided unless your Spanish is good.
7. Lucha libre at Arena Coliseo San Ramón
Arena Coliseo San Ramón, on Calle 11 Sur between the streets Magnolias and Azaleas, near the Metrobus station Azaleas, holds a show every Sunday from 18:30 until approximately 22:00.
This suits a Sunday evening. Tickets are sold only at the box office. The venue is not very big, and not all the fighters are top tier.
8. Baseball and soccer evenings
The Pericos de Puebla play at Estadio Hermanos Serdán on Calz. Ignacio Zaragoza 666, Malintzi, with a 114-game schedule between April and September. The atmosphere is family friendly, with stadium food including tacos arabes and cemitas.
Club Puebla play at Estadio Cuauhtémoc on the same avenue, with games possible almost any time of the year. Both suit an early evening that ends before the clubs get going.
How a night out unfolds
The sources give fixed start times for the spectator events rather than for dinner and clubs: lucha libre at Arena Puebla runs Mondays from 20:00 to about 22:00, and at Arena Coliseo San Ramón on Sundays from 18:30 to about 22:00. Baseball runs April to September. Beyond that, the sources do not specify when people eat, when the clubs fill up or how late they stay open, so plan around the event you are attending and treat the rest of the evening as flexible.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- Cinco de Mayo — a festival of the state of Puebla.
- Ritual of Quetzalcoatl — a festival of the state of Puebla.
- Day of the Dead — celebrated in the state, especially in Huaquechula.
- Carnival — celebrated in the state, especially in Huejotzingo.
- El Huey Atlixcayotl — in Atlixco, on the last Sunday of September.
Frequently asked questions
Where do people go to dance in Puebla?
The clubs, or antros, are concentrated in Cholula, where many do not charge cover. Smaller, less busy antros are also found in the Los Sapos district, a few blocks from the Zócalo.
Is there live music in the evening?
Yes. Live music is abundant throughout Puebla, and cafés and arts venues in the centre host evening concerts.
What can I do on a Monday night?
Arena Puebla holds a lucha libre show every Monday from 20:00 until approximately 22:00. Arrive at least 60 to 90 minutes early to buy tickets at the box office.
Do I need to travel far from the centre for a night out?
No. Bars and clubs run along Avenida Juárez, smaller antros sit in Los Sapos near the Zócalo, and cafés and bars around the Zócalo itself serve drinks into the evening. Cholula, about 10 km away, is the main alternative.
Decide whether your evening belongs in the centre or in Cholula, check the times of any show you want to catch, and plan the rest of the night around it.