Mexico Travel Guide

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Top Things to See

Mexico City's Zócalo
This gigantic main square in the capital is overlooked by the Catedral Metropolitana - one of the biggest churches on the planet and the first to be built in the ‘new world'.

Museo Nacional de Antropología
The exhibits in the National Museum of Anthropology (www.mna.inah.gob.mx) cover 20,000 years of human life, so take your time. Visits to Mexico's pre-Colombian sites are more meaningful after seeing and understanding the priceless art on show here, including the 3,000-year-old Tlatilco Acrobat.

Teotihuacán
The ‘city where the Gods are born', 48km (30 miles) northeast of Mexico City, boasts the ruins of an imperial center that matched ancient Rome and peaked around the same time. The Pyramid of the Sun is the fourth largest in the world.

Tepoztlán
Tepoztlán ('place of copper') is a relaxed town overlooked by steep, jagged cliffs and a pyramid dedicated to Tepoztécatl, God of the Harvest. In the center, the imposing Convent of the Nativity (dating from 1580) is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Silver jewelry
The ornate silver jewelry produced in Taxco is a joy to behold. Fortunes were made from the silver mines here, and one was poured back into the Church of Santa Prisca and San Sebastián, a jewel of Churrigueresque architecture.

Puebla
For chic colonial-style, look no further than Puebla, nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Madre. Church domes and house walls are covered in talavera, colorful glazed tiles that are still produced by the town's artisans.

Sacred City
The sunset over Monte Albán, a sacred prehistoric city and center of the Zapotec culture, which flourished 2,000 years ago, is a magical sight. The remarkable Central Plaza, the Ball Court, and many of the tombs are open to the public.

Tulum
Seeing the sunrise over the Mayan ruins of Tulum, near Playa del Carmen, is well worth an early start. Explore in peace then take a pre-breakfast dip in the turquoise sea - the ruins are practically on the beach.

Manatees
Manatees abound in Chetumal Bay, Gulf of Mexico. Distant cousins of the elephant, manatees like to live in warm shallows - a habit that has seen many of them killed by boat propellers.

Chichén-Itzá
The ceremonial city of Chichén-Itzá was built over 1,000 years ago, but the Mayan magic still draws crowds. Each spring and autumn equinox, shadows show Kukulcan (the snake) working his way up the steps.

Top Things to Do

Volcanoes
The high, scenic and often snow-capped volcanic peaks of Popocatépetl and Nevado de Toluca make for memorable climbs. You can even go scuba-diving in their spectacular water-filled craters.

Gondolas
A world away from Venice, brightly painted trajineras (a type of gondola, usually accompanied by mariachi singers) can be hired to cruise the beautiful, tree-lined canals and Aztec-engineered floating gardens of Xochimilco.

Day of the dead
Mexico's Day of the Dead is actually a two-day festival. On 1 November, angelitos (dead children) are remembered, and the next day, dead adults. Celebrations range from sombre and quiet affairs with candlelit visits to cemeteries, to raucous remembrances.

Beaches
On the Baja Peninsula, head for the Cabos San Lucas and San José del Cabo. On the Caribbean side, make for Cozumel, an island with nothing but beaches in every direction - Playa Bonita is one of the best.

Ranches
Luxury guest ranches let you play at being cowboy, with action-packed days in the saddle and relaxing evenings of fine local cuisine and indulgent tequila tastings.

Diving
The reefs of Los Manchones, Cuevones, Chital or La Bandera - are all prized diving spots worth a closer look, known for their extraordinary marine life and unusual cave structures.

Beach parties
Those with a ticket to one of Cancún's 15,000-capacity beach parties will want to sleep all day as they will need all the energy they can get. Take a break for sunrise.

Fine arts
The Ballet Folklórico, performing Wednesdays and Sundays at Mexico City's Palace of Fine Arts. Performers dance their way through Mexico's rich traditions and ancient rituals, and the headdresses are stars in their own right (www.balletamalia.com).

Watersports
Mexican resorts offer a full range of watersports, including jet-skiing, windsurfing and sea-kayaking. Surfing can be enjoyed on the wild Pacific breakers and parasailing is another exciting sport.

Spas
The ancients knew what was good for them and made full use of the country's countless hot springs. Follow in the footsteps of the Aztecs with a relaxing spa break.