Where to Go in Mexico  

You'll find modern cities and ancient Aztec and Mayan ruins, as well as Spanish colonial-era towns. Where to begin? Here are a few of the best places to visit in Mexico.

1. San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas

Head to multi-cultural Chiapas, the Mexican state bordering Guatemala, if you're ready for off-the-beaten-track beauty. Some 12 different indigenous groups dwell here, so you'll hear many languages and experience many cultures. The colonial city of San Cristóbal de las Casas makes a convenient jumping-off point for famous spots like the gorgeous archaeological site of Palenque, the Agua Azul Waterfalls, the Montebello Lagoon and the Lacandona Jungle. Well-preserved San Cristóbal—one of the best cities in Mexico with easy access to Mayan ruins—sits in a lush valley surrounded by high mountains. Its narrow streets are quiet and serene and the residents are friendly. You'll find some of the best coffee in the world here from local plantations. Don't miss a visit to Na Bolom, a museum-research center with photos and relics.

2. Guadalajara, Jalisco

Head for Guadalajara, the old and beautiful capital of Jalisco, if you want to experience an authentic Mexican city. It's a big city—a major financial center—but you'll also find streets full of mariachi music and horse-drawn calandrias clattering down the historic center. Take in the landmark, twin-towered cathedral surrounded by four wide plazas that form the shape of a cross. Guadalajara mixes the old and the new, the historic and the modern. Don't miss the huge Orozco mural depicting the Mexican Revolution in the Palacio del Gobierno, or the open-air Mercado Libertad that sprawls in the center of the city—it offers everything from vegetables to guitars. Head for the Estadio Movistar for an outing with local flavor as you root for the Las Chivas soccer team. The village of Tlaquepaque, just on the edge of town, has wonderful jewelry, copper work and glassware.

3. Mazatlan, Sinaloa

One of the legendary fun-and-sun Mexican beach towns of the mid-20th century, Mazatlan recently revamped and restored its beautiful historic old town. A visit to its fabled golden beaches remains alluring, especially now that they've become easy to reach with a new, modern highway servicing them. Keep your visit to the "Zona Dorada" short, then leave the tourist area behind and explore the neoclassical historic core of this tropical paradise. Have drinks at the bars along the central malecón in Old Mazatlan and admire the 19th-century buildings and little plazas near the cove beach of Playa Olas Altas. This lively quarter offers your pick of art galleries, cafes and eateries.

4. Veracruz, Veracruz

A visit to Veracruz takes you to both the long, thin coastal state in southeastern Mexico and the modern port city founded in the 1500s. Veracruz City is a mix of grit and grace. Begin your exploration at the zócalo, officially the Plaza de Armas, an attractive space with arcades on three sides, as well as the Palacio Municipal and an 18th-century cathedral. The energy of the city picks up toward evening as the plaza fills with musicians, entertainers and people-watchers. Practice piloting a helicopter at the renovated Museo Histórico Naval and take in a lesson in Mexico’s maritime heritage. Explore the region's many beaches while you're in Veracruz, as well as the dormant volcano, Pico de Orizaba. The city goes all out to celebrate Carnival every year with a rowdy and exuberant festival.

5. Morelia, Michoacan

Browse your way through over 100,000 historical monuments and ogle colonial architecture for the ages in beautiful Morelia, capital of the state of Michoacan. You'll understand why this city was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO after a visit to its historic center with its narrow streets and pink marble 16th- and 17th-century buildings—including the town's elegant cathedral. Even the city aqueduct is gorgeous with 253 Baroque arches. If you visit in winter, you won't be alone. Up to one billion Monarch butterflies migrate annually to the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacan, a nationally protected area not far from Morelia.

Ready to travel? Find your hotel in San Crist, Mazatlan, Morelia.