Tecozautla is a small town in western Hidalgo, set among dry hills, volcanic cones, and warm mineral water. It is one of Mexico's Pueblos Magicos, but the mood is more regional weekend escape than polished showpiece.
The town's appeal comes from the mix. You can climb the pyramid at Pahnu, soak in geothermal pools at El Geiser, and still have time to wander the centre around the clock tower and parish church. Taxidho adds a more natural hot-spring setting in the canyons near the Hidalgo-Queretaro border.
Tecozautla is not as famous as the big colonial towns of central Mexico, which is part of the point. It is a good one- or two-day stop for travellers coming from Queretaro, Tula, or Mexico City who want desert scenery, warm water, and an archaeological site without crowds.