Central Pacific Coast
This active volcano consisting of two calderas and three cinder cones last erupted in 1870, so you’ll be safe walking the short trails at the top. The…
Must-see attractions in Mexico
Zacatecas
The most appealing of the many explanations for the name of the hill that dominates Zacatecas is that bufa is an old Basque word for wineskin, which is…
Bocamina de San Ramón & Bocamina de San Cayetano
Guanajuato
These neighboring mines are part of the famous Valenciana mining district. Silver was discovered here in 1548. At San Ramón you can descend via steps into…
Campeche
A popular path for joggers, cyclists, strolling friends and cooing sweethearts, the malecón, Campeche’s 7km-long waterfront promenade, makes for a breezy…
Mexico City
You can't miss the prominent spires of this university-run museum. Parts of the old building, made of forged iron from Düsseldorf, were brought over in…
Ixtapa
Ixtapa's finest attraction is a popular island. The turquoise waters are crystal-clear, calm (particularly on the main Playa Varadero) and good for…
Museo del Pueblo de Guanajuato
Guanajuato
Located beside the university, this fascinating art museum displays an exquisite collection of Mexican miniatures, and 18th- and 19th-century artworks by…
Cholula
The Ex-Convento de San Gabriel (also known as Plaza de la Concordia), facing the east side of Cholula's huge zócalo, includes a tiny but interesting…
Mexico City
One of the city's most cutting-edge contemporary art galleries, temporary exhibits here showcase the works of up-and-coming talent from Mexico and abroad…
Veracruz
El Tajín Chico was the government area of the ancient city and would have been home to the ruling classes. Many of the buildings at El Tajín Chico have…
Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Dolores
Dolores Hidalgo
The Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Dolores is the church where Hidalgo issued the famous Grito (a call to arms for the country's independence) and is the…
Riviera Maya
These two beautiful, protected bays are separated by a narrow point, 123km south of Cancún and 11km north of Tulum. To get here, head east (toward the…
Puerto Vallarta
Mismaloya, the location for the 1964 film The Night of the Iguana, is about 12km south of Puerto Vallarta: you can still see the dilapidated Iguana sign…
Mérida
One of the nicest plazas in Mexico, huge laurel trees shade the park’s benches and wide sidewalks. It was the religious and social center of ancient T’ho;…
Central Pacific Coast
This hill is the site of San Blas' original colonial settlement. It's worth visiting for the wonderful views of the town from the top and to stroll around…
Acapulco
Every night Acapulco’s leafy old town zócalo comes alive with street performers, mariachis and sidewalk cafes; it also hosts occasional festivals. It’s…
Mérida
Built in 1892, the Palacio de Gobierno houses the state of Yucatán’s executive government offices (and a tourist office). Don't miss the wonderful murals…
San Miguel de Allende
Known as Mexico's Sistine Chapel, this vitally important church in the hamlet of Atotonilco, 11km north of San Miguel, is defined by its connection to the…
Dolores Hidalgo
The first and biggest winery in Guanajuato opened in 2005, heralding the reintroduction of wine production in the area 200 years after the Spanish banned…
Mérida
The enormous Teatro Peón Contreras was built between 1900 and 1908, during Mérida’s henequén heyday. It boasts a main staircase of Carrara marble, a dome…
Isla Cozumel
About 17km south of San Miguel, Palancar is a great beach to visit during the week when the crowds thin out. It has a beach club renting snorkel gear (US…
Chiapas
The small and peaceful pre-Hispanic ruins at Izapa contain three groups of ruins. The northern group (Grupo F) is on the left side of the road if you’re…
Cancún
In the Zona Arqueológica El Rey, on the west side of Blvd Kukulcán, there’s a small temple and several ceremonial platforms. The site gets its name from a…
Zona Rosa & Reforma
A beautifully restored 1909 building houses Mundo Chocolate, a museum and store known as MUCHO celebrating all things chocolate. The permanent exhibit…
Oaxaca City
In former monastic grounds behind the Templo de Santo Domingo, this garden features plants from around Oaxaca state, including a staggering variety of…
Polanco & Bosque de Chapultepec
A visible reminder of Mexico’s bygone aristocracy, the ‘castle’ that stands atop Chapultepec Hill was begun in 1785 but not completed until after…
Mérida
The 17th-century Iglesia de Jesús was built by Jesuits in 1618. It's the sole surviving edifice from a complex of buildings that once filled the entire…
Isla Mujeres
At the island's southernmost point you’ll find a lighthouse, a sculpture garden and the worn remains of a temple dedicated to Ixchel, Maya goddess of the…
San Miguel de Allende
This former monastery was converted into a fine-arts school in 1938. Don't miss the murals of Pedro Martínez, plus the Siqueiros Room, which features the…
Puerto Vallarta
Around 3km south of downtown is the beautiful condo enclave of Playa Conchas Chinas. It's a tiny cove favored by families for the shallow and sheltered…
Central Pacific Coast
The beach closest to the town is Playa El Borrego, at the end of Azueta – look for the jet aircraft. It's a long sweep of gray sand with decent waves…
Todos Santos
Housed in a former schoolhouse with a lovely central courtyard, the Centro Cultural is home to some interesting nationalist and revolutionary murals…
Puerto Vallarta
Boca de Tomatlán is a seaside village that’s less commercialized than Puerto Vallarta and a good place to munch ceviche tostadas on the beach. You can get…
Misión Nuestra Señora de Loreto
Loreto
Dating from 1697, this was the first permanent mission in the Californias and was the base for the expansion of Jesuit missions up and down the Baja…
Palenque
Diagonally opposite the Templo de las Inscripciones is El Palacio, a large structure divided into four main courtyards, with a maze of corridors and rooms…
Cancún
A beach club and rustic cabins on a lovely stretch of white-sand beach overlooking Isla Mujeres. Get here before the big hotels attempt to completely take…
Zacatecas
Visiting one of Mexico's richest mines (1586−1960s) provides an insight into a source of wealth and the terrible price paid for it. Digging for hoards of…
Centro Histórico
In 1940 Mexican muralist José Clemente Orozco painted four panels around the 2nd level of the Supreme Court's central stairway, two dealing with the theme…
Celestún
This abandoned hacienda, a few kilometers southeast of town, once produced dyewood and salt, and served as a summer home for a Campeche family. It’s 5km…
Misión Santa Rosalía de Mulegé
Mulegé
Come to the imposing, stone hilltop Misión Santa Rosalía de Mulegé (founded in 1705, completed in 1766 and abandoned in 1828) for great photos of the site…
