North of Mexico City
This fabulous archaeological zone lies in a mountain-ringed offshoot of the Valle de México. Site of the huge Pirámides del Sol y de la Luna (Pyramids of…
Must-see attractions in Around Mexico City
North of Mexico City
Two kilometers north of Tula's center, ruins of the main ancient ceremonial site are perched on a hilltop. The highlight is standing atop a pyramid,…
Cholula
Located two blocks to the southeast of Cholula’s central plaza, the Pirámide Tepanapa looks more like a hill than a pyramid and has a domed church on top…
Teotihuacán
The world’s third-largest pyramid – surpassed in size only by Egypt’s Cheops (which is also a tomb, unlike the temples here) and the pyramid of…
Tepoztlán
Tepoztlán's main sight is this 10m-high pyramid perched atop a sheer cliff at the end of a very steep paved path that begins at the end of Avenida del…
Cholula
The incredible Pirámide Tepanapa looks more like a hill than a pyramid, but it's still the town's big draw, and with miles of tunnels veining the inside…
Taxco
The icon of Taxco, Santa Prisca is one of Mexico’s most beautiful and striking pieces of baroque architecture. Its standout feature (best viewed side-on)…
North of Mexico City
There’s a very simple reason to visit this wonderful, expansive museum comprising the restored Jesuit Iglesia de San Francisco Javier and an adjacent…
Toluca
At the northeast end of Plaza Garibay, the stunning and unique Cosmovitral Jardín Botánico was built in 1909 as a market. The building now houses 3500 sq…
Teotihuacán
The Pyramid of the Moon, at the north end of the Calzada de los Muertos, is smaller than the Pirámide del Sol, but more gracefully proportioned. Completed…
Cuernavaca
Let’s face it, who wouldn’t want to be independently wealthy and spend their life traveling around the world collecting art for their lavish Mexican…
Teotihuacán
Teotihuacán's third-largest pyramid is the most ornate. The four surviving steps of the facade (there were originally seven) are adorned with striking…
Puebla
Puebla’s impressive cathedral, which appeared on Mexico’s M$500 bill until 2019, occupies the entire block south of the zócalo. Its architecture is a…
East of Mexico City
Inside the Palacio de Gobierno there are color-rich murals of Tlaxcala's history by Desiderio Hernández Xochitiotzin. His style is vividly realistic and…
Museo Internacional del Barroco
Puebla
This monumental white, architecturally spectacular museum is dedicated to the showy baroque movement – art, fashion, music and literature. The museum,…
Taxco
A splendid, envy-inducing home-turned-museum, with an interesting collection of vintage art and craftwork from across Mexico, comes to life alongside…
Puebla
This superb private museum, housed in two linked 16th- and 17th-century colonial buildings, is loaded with pre-Hispanic artifacts, yet the interior design…
East of Mexico City
This fantastic small contemporary-art museum houses an excellent cache of early Frida Kahlo paintings that were returned to the museum after several years…
Santuario de la Virgen de Ocotlán
East of Mexico City
One of Mexico’s most spectacular churches is an important pilgrimage site for those who believe the Virgin appeared here in 1541 – her image stands on the…
North of Mexico City
This gorgeous, sprawling cultural center is an oasis of calm at Pachuca’s bustling heart. Formerly the Convento de San Francisco, the complex includes…
Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios
Cholula
The Pirámide Tepanapa is topped by the brightly decorated Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios. It's a classic symbol of conquest, but possibly an…
Cholula
The Arabic-style Capilla Real has 49 domes and dates from 1540. The mosque-inspired design makes the yellow church unique to Mexico and creates a…
East of Mexico City
The national puppet museum displays dolls and marionettes from all around the world in a fantastic renovated building on the zócalo. It’s a fun stop for…
East of Mexico City
This ceremonial pre-Hispanic site inhabited by Los Totonacas has niche 'pyramids' similar to El Tajín’s (Veracruz) that are in varying states of ruin. The…
East of Mexico City
A branch of the museum that holds interesting temporary exhibits and a good permanent collection of contemporary Mexican art.
South of Mexico City
Atop a desolate plateau with views for miles around, Xochicalco is an impressive and relatively easy day trip from Cuernavaca that shouldn’t be missed. It…
Cholula
The large murals at Cacaxtla are intriguingly on display among the ruins rather than in a museum. They evoke a real sense of history where it happened and…
South of Mexico City
One of central Mexico’s most stunning natural sights, the Cacahuamilpa caverns are a must-see for anyone visiting Taxco or Cuernavaca. The scale of the…
East of Mexico City
Given its isolation from any town of significance, the vast and incredibly well-preserved Mesoamerican city of Cantona is virtually unknown to travelers…
Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca’s cathedral, Templo de la Asunción de María is plain and solid with an unembellished facade. It stands in a large high-walled recinto (compound…
East of Mexico City
The long, sweeping slopes of this dormant 4460m volcano, named after Cortés’ now much-maligned indigenous interpreter and lover, dominate the skyline…
West of Mexico City
An invigorating 358-step hike up the mountainside above Malinalco takes you to one of the country’s few reasonably well-preserved temples (even surviving…
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…
Teotihuacán
This expansive square complex is believed to have been the residence of the city’s supreme ruler, and its rooms may have been the city’s administrative…
Cuernavaca
Opened in 2018, this contemporary art museum is comprised of off-white cubes squatting a few blocks west of the zócalo. Temporary exhibits have included…
East of Mexico City
It’s easy to pass an afternoon reading or just people-watching in Tlaxcala’s shady, spacious zócalo. The 16th-century Palacio Municipal, a former grain…
Ex-Convento Franciscano de la Asunción
East of Mexico City
Built between 1537 and 1540, this was one of Mexico’s earliest monasteries and its church – the city’s cathedral – has a beautiful Moorish-style wooden…
North of Mexico City
There are lovely wide-angled views of the green mountains in El Chico National Park from the Peña del Cuervo lookout, located on a peak at 2770m. People…
East of Mexico City
A small but delightful botanical garden in a mountain forest with fine views 4km northeast of central Cuetzalan. Admission includes a Spanish-speaking…
Teotihuacán
Lying just south of the Pirámide del Sol, Teotihuacán's site museum makes for a refreshing stop midway through a visit to the historic complex. The museum…
