10 places you should visit when in Mexico

There’s always so much excitement around travel to Mexico – it’s no wonder that this vast nation attracts so many tourists each year. With outstanding gastronomy, fascinating Mayan history, and coastal regions that boast some of the world’s most idyllic beaches, it’s easily a dream destination for all travel enthusiasts. Its cities and towns brim with intrigue, as well: the capital Mexico City houses more state-of-the-art museums than anywhere else in the world, while age-old towns showcase quirky and infectious character, such as San Juan Chamula and Zinacantán. Due to the country’s sheer size and vast array of attractions, it can be overwhelming to map out an itinerary – especially if you’re planning your first visit and aren’t sure where to start. We’ve made things a tad bit easier for you with this round-up of 10 places to visit in Mexico, spanning unmissable colonial towns and bigger sprawling cities, with Mayan ruin reserve sites and beautiful stretches of sand thrown in for good measure.

Puebla

The city of Puebla is famous for its long-standing food heritage, charming streets lined with colonial-era architecture, and the active Popocatépetl volcano that looms over it. With these three features alone, it regularly emerges as a favorite destination to explore while in Mexico – its convenient location just south of Mexico City is yet another string to its bow.

Did you know? Puebla is known as being home to Mexico’s national dish, mole poblano, often referred to as the original and therefore the nicest type of mole dish, and by far the most prevalent throughout Mexico.

Jalisco

They say you haven’t experienced the real Mexico if you haven’t been to the state of Jalisco, and more accurately, its capital city Guadalajara. The land of mariachi and tequila, Guadalajara was the birthplace of two of Mexico’s most celebrated traditions and still attracts thousands of tourists, all eager to experience Mexico’s greatest dance and drink at their most authentic. For architecture buffs, Guadalajara is also renowned for its famous 16th-century neo-Gothic Cathedral, a fine symbol of the Roman Catholicism.

To the west of Guadalajara and on the Pacific coast is the popular beach resort of Puerto Vallarta. Backed by palm-covered mountains and looking out to a sensuous crystal-blue ocean, it contains some of Mexico’s dreamiest scenery and nurtures a sophisticated, lively tourist scene. Puerto Vallarta owes much of its magnetism to its landscape: with the largest natural bay in all of Mexico (the perfect launching point for whale-watching excursions) and verdant surrounding forests, the city is nothing short of stunning – it’s a dream come true for the adventure traveler seeking coastal respite.

Oaxaca

Situated in the southwest of Mexico, the state of Oaxaca (pronounced ‘Wa-ha-ka’) offers a special fusion of magical festivities and traditions that have long vanished in other parts of Mexico. In the middle of the rugged mountains that manifest Oaxaca’s rural charms is the capital Oaxaca City, a colonial hub where artistic vibrancy forms the foundation of a thriving creative scene. Oaxaca’s artists thrive at the forefront of Mexican contemporary art, and the city’s regular festivals will reignite the soul of even the most jaded traveler.

Six miles west of Oaxaca City is the impressive Monte Albán, a pre-Columbian archaeological site that attracts visitors due to its significant prominence atop a mountain range and its ancient title as the Zapotec capital and political heart. Another site at the core of the Zapotec era is Mitla, the religious center of Zapotec culture. Its fascinating wall carvings really make it stand out from the rest of Mexico’s archaeological ruins; take time to explore the many intricate geometric mosaics that symbolize forms and structures of the earth and sky.

Chihuahua

Northern Mexico can be distilled into one state: its untamed beating heart, Chihuahua. Saddle up and shine those cowboy boots as you brace yourself to visit this authentic buckaroo country, typified by the mesmerizing landscape of the Chihuahuan Desert. Although this desert covers the majority of the state, the latter’s capital Chihuahua City is alluringly off the beaten path and delivers a great surprise to those sensible enough to include it in their itinerary.

Chihuahua City’s dazzlingly attractive plazas and colonial streets will delight photographers. Elsewhere, history enthusiasts will not pass up the opportunity to visit the museums that document key episodes of Mexican history to have unfolded here, and commemorate revolutionaries such as Francisco ‘Pancho’ Villa.

Chihuahua is perhaps most famous for its majestic Copper Canyon, a group of canyons that spread out across a total surface area four times the size of the Grand Canyon. This natural landmark offers a seemingly endless amount of activities, which you’ll get to enjoy after soaking up the breathtaking scenery aboard the El Chepe passenger train, which connects Chihuahua with the Pacific Ocean. Zip-lining across the canyon is an unmissable experience, which will have you feeling on top of the world.

Guanajuato

A highland state in central Mexico, Guanajuato was once sought after for its abundant mineral resources – an asset that attracted Spanish colonists, at the expense of the Indigenous people who lived there at the time. Nowadays, Guanajuato’s treasures present themselves in the form of picture-postcard colonial cities: the eponymous capital Guanajuato, and San Miguel de Allende, both of which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Guanajuato boasts a labyrinth of quaint colonial streets, sun-drenched plazas lined with trees, and excellent cafes – not to mention the dazzling marketplace and numerous museums and theaters. The city is also home to the world-famous Mexican enchilada, houses some of Mexico’s finest chefs and restaurants, and contains a vibrant arts and culture scene loved by local students. San Miguel de Allende is just as magical, if not more so, than the capital; it is also a Mecca for expats, namely hailing from Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Veracruz

Veracruz is attractively off the beaten path, though its most celebrated and unique attraction, the archaeological site of El Tajín, is what draws in the crowds. This pre-Columbian city was of great significance in ancient Mexico, and is of particular interest nowadays due to the famous alcoves that line the Pyramid of the Niches – the only site in Latin America to showcase this fascinating architectural style.

El Tajín’s main contender for historic wonder is the Museo de Antropología de Xalapa, where you can spend all day touring formidable anthropological displays; indeed, it houses the largest collection of Mexican artifacts that span thousands of years. The museum building itself is an outstanding structure, and its serene gardens offer more intriguing sculptures and pretty scenery.

Mexico City

Mexico City pulsates to an extraordinary beat, as a sprawling urban forest with a thick mélange of cultural offerings and eclectic scenes. Hedonists will be impressed by the world-class bars, hosting stellar DJs up on swanky rooftop terraces; foodies will relish the innovative and exciting culinary scene, while art aficionados will quickly immerse themselves in the many galleries that fill the city’s still-bohemian neighborhoods. Of course, history buffs will stumble upon all manner of striking monuments and sites; just 50km north of Mexico City, Teotihuacán displays the original city of the Aztecs and is the former capital of ancient, pre-Hispanic Mexico.

In the heart of modern-day Mexico City, however, you must indulge in the thriving cultural scene, using the the Palacio Nacional as a starting point for your city tours. Visit Frida Kahlo’s Blue House, where she once lived and which now acts as an art gallery exhibiting her greatest works. Another of the city’s most prestigious museums is the Museo Nacional de Antropología, offering world-class insights into pre-Hispanic Mexico through to more modern-day Indigenous lives.

The vastness of Mexico City is mirrored by its tourism infrastructure, with a staggering nine routes for the double-decker tourist bus that runs daily on unique tours throughout the city. You shouldn’t miss taking a cantinas tour, which will see you hopping across these traditional Mexican outposts – super-cool bars with swinging doors, exactly like the kind you’ll see in old-school Western movies.

Chiapas

Chiapas delights every kind of traveler; its mysterious charm ignites fervent enthusiasm and its photogenic sites and colonial towns are endlessly pursued by photographers and wanderers alike. The majestic archaeological site of Palenque is one of the state’s top treasures: saturated by thick jungle forest, these remains of an important Mayan capital are preserved by UNESCO status and aren’t to be missed during your time here.

San Cristobal de las Casas is perhaps one of the most stunning colonial towns in Mexico. Its streets are filled with character, its squares are alluringly atmospheric, and the architecture is simply magical. Quirky shops and cafes punctuate quaint cobbled streets, while museums, galleries and a beautiful cathedral will keep you busy with cultural sightseeing throughout the day. Come sundown, live music bars and an indefatigable tequila crowd will keep you going through the night.

Yucatan

Chichén Itzá is arguably the highlight of the Yucatan region’s sites, and probably the most well-known of all the ancient Mayan ruins. The formidable structures and breathtaking ball courts will leave you spellbound as you fathom how pre-13th-century Mayans possessed such remarkable skills and intelligence.

The ancient Mayan city of Uxmal, about a 90-minute drive from the state of Yucatan’s capital Merida, is considered another of the country’s most important Mayan architectural sites – it’s well worth the visit for its striking monuments alone. As the cultural capital of the entire Yucatan Peninsula, Merida itself prevails as the preferred option over more touristy coastal resorts such as Cancun, particularly for those interested in colonial history, quaint cafes, and museum-hopping.

Campeche

The state of Campeche is a true fairy-tale land. In parts eerily quiet, in parts vociferous and atmospheric, it is excitingly off-the-beaten-track and contains many areas that remain unexplored by tourists.

Epic sprawls of jungle connect monstrous lost Mayan lands, of which Calakmul stands the largest and most striking. It is in fact the second most important Maya ruined city after the world-famous Tikal in Guatemala. Calakmul, however, remains off the tourist radar and makes for an especially rewarding visit. It’s most impressive due to the dense surrounding jungle and the reverberating sounds of the animals that reside within it.

Another example of Campeche’s magical world is Edzna, an archaeological site 60km southeast of the state capital. With over 20 Mayan complexes and an ingenious network of water collection and irrigation systems, Edzna is a mesmerizing showcase of strategic and innovative Mayan structures. Meanwhile, the capital city of Campeche strikes wonder in the hearts of all: it has been meticulously restored over the years, including its colonial mansions and fortified ramparts, and is a must-visit for architecture lovers.

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