17 best places to see and visit on a trip to Mexico

 

Great Pyramid at Chichen Itza in the Yucatan of Mexico

Mexico is a vast country full of attractive places that it is impossible to cover entirely in a single trip.

Two equally tempting options will likely arise when preparing for the first trip to Mexico.

On the one hand, there is the option of traveling to the Riviera Maya for its fabulous combination of Caribbean beaches, outstanding resorts, and traces of the great Mayan civilization such as Chichen Itza.

Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City

The second option is to make an eminently cultural trip that takes us from Mexico City through some of the cities declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

Tourism routes through Mexico

This route will also allow us to get to know many other exciting places, from the remains of ancient civilizations to small charming towns close to these cities.

Logically, if we have a lot of time, we can combine both routes, and then that first trip to Mexico will be complete.

The route of the cities inscribed on the World Heritage list includes a series of cities that reached great importance in the colonial era.

Benito Juarez House Museum in Oaxaca in Mexico

Many of them owe their rich heritage to the great benefits obtained from the silver mines discovered and exploited over time and, therefore, can be considered to form the Silver Route.

Those located north of Mexico City define the initial part of the so-called Camino Real de Tierra Adentro that linked Mexico City with Santa Fe (New Mexico, United States). This 2,500-kilometer route became the axis of the Viceroyalty . from New Spain.

We cannot forget Oaxaca, a city located south of the capital and one of the most attractive in the country.

The city and its surroundings, whether it be the archaeological site of Monte Albán, the artisan villages, or the Tule tree, form a beautiful and recommendable destination.

Best places to visit in Mexico

From this double option, we will highlight the best places to visit on a trip to Mexico.

Great Pyramid of Kululkan at Chichen Itza in Mexico

Ancient Mayan cities in Yucatan: Chichen Itza and Tulum

If you opt for a vacation on a Caribbean beach in the Riviera Maya for your trip to Mexico, your travel plan cannot miss a visit to some of the archaeological complexes of the Mayan civilization.

And there are several options that you will have.

Now, in this regard, the most visited place in the Mexican peninsula of Yucatan is the archaeological complex of Chichen Itza, a World Heritage Site and considered one of the Wonders of the Modern World.

Its origins date back to the 9th century AD, and its iconic image is its Great Pyramid.

Beach in the ancient Mayan city of Tulum in the Yucatan in Mexico

Another highly recommended visit is the ancient Mayan city of Tulum, whose remains of its walled enclosure offer a unique attraction as it is located by the sea.

In these visits or others you can do in Yucatan during your vacation stay in Riviera Maya, you will be able to deepen your knowledge of the fascinating Mayan culture.

Cenotes in Yucatan

On a trip to the Mexican Yucatan, you cannot miss a visit to one of the more than 3,500 cenotes enabled for visits in that region.

The cenotes are wells of enormous dimensions, extending throughout the Yucatan Peninsula and in whose crystalline fresh waters of underground rivers, you can bathe.

Cenote Chilam Balam in Yucatan in Mexico

Excursions to the Mayan archaeological complexes of Yucatan are always combined with visits to cenotes managed by Mayan communities where tourists bathe.

Mexico City

Mexico City is undoubtedly the American capital with the most significant heritage and cultural wealth, resulting from the importance it has had over many centuries.

Since pre-Hispanic times it was the center of power in the region, and today it is an unfathomable city that deserves several days to get to know.

Its historic center rises around the Plaza de la Constitución, which everyone calls the Zócalo, one of the largest in the world.

There or very close by is the Cathedral, the National Palace, the Aztec Great Temple, and an impressive set of palaces and churches from the colonial era.

Metropolitan Tabernacle and Cathedral of Mexico City

Another point of interest is Alameda Central, a vast park overlooking the Palace of Fine Arts and the Franz Mayer and Mural Diego Rivera museums.

 Paseo de la Reforma is the great avenue that leads to Chapultepec Park, where the National Museum of Anthropology is located, which is the first that we can recommend in this city and the one that should be visited if we have time for one only.

It provides a complete overview of the pre- Hispanic civilizations and the indigenous cultures of Mexico.

In Mexico City, you should not miss visiting some of the most elegant neighborhoods (called colonies). Coyoacán (with the House of Frida Kahlo ), San Ángel , Condesa and Polanco are the most interesting.

There are many other exciting places to visit in the Mexican capital, but we must recommend at least the Plaza de las Tres Culturas, with buildings representing pre- Hispanic, colonial and independent Mexico.

Mariachi in Mexico City

And also the Basilica of Guadalupe, perhaps the second most visited Catholic temple in the world after the Vatican, and the Plaza de Garibaldi, where the mariachis flock in the late afternoon.

Xochimilco Floating Gardens

We must not forget that UNESCO includes in the World Heritage list, in addition to the historical center, the floating gardens of Xochimilco, one of the few reminders that Mexico was built on a lagoon.

Xochimilco Gardens near Mexico City

We recommend visiting them, if possible, during the weekend since that is when everything is more lively, with families that travel the canals in boats and the mariachis and food stalls create a beautiful atmosphere.

Prehispanic city of Teotihuacán

The surroundings of Mexico City are full of equally exciting places.

If only one had to be highlighted, our choice would be the pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacán, which lived its heyday between the 1st and 7th centuries and is located about 50 kilometers away.

Further away, about 100 kilometers away, is Puebla, with a unique baroque neighborhood.

Archaeological remains of Teotihuacán near Mexico City

Both sets are also included in the World Heritage list since 1987.

Taxco

Taxco is one of the most attractive cities around Mexico City.

It is located about 175 kilometers away from the capital and is the typical weekend destination for its inhabitants.

The church of Santa Prisca (the most important in the city and one of the most important baroque works of art in the world) and its surroundings have been included since 2001 in the tentative list of Unesco World Heritage, so it is reasonable to think that will get that recognition soon.

Historic center of Taxco in Mexico

One of the pleasures of Taxco is wandering aimlessly through the alleys that open around the church of Santa Prisca, constantly finding splendid mansions and picturesque corners.

One of the fundamental attractions of Taxco is walking through its streets and observing the atmosphere, full of food and handicraft vendors, in addition to the surprises of finding small squares or curious corners.

It is also highly recommended to go up to the viewpoint of the Monumental Christ, which is located on Atache hill.

Queretaro

If planning a road trip from Mexico City to Guanajuato and Zacatecas, Querétaro may be the first stop on the trip.

Despite being the least known of all the cities of the so-called Ruta de la Plata or Camino de Tierra Adentro, Querétaro has a great wealth of monuments.

UNESCO included Querétaro in the list of World Heritage Sites in 1996 as an example of a multicultural city, with neighborhoods of Spanish origin and original indigenous nuclei.

There are several charming squares and gardens to walk around.

Viceregal era buildings in downtown Querétaro in Mexico

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