Mexico: Travelogue in the Land of a Thousand Faces

Mexico is too big for a single trip. Too rich, too diverse, too alive. Here are the pieces I brought back.

Mexico: the world capital

Mexico is a world city of 22 million inhabitants. Chaotic, fascinating, inexhaustible. Zócalo (Constitution Plaza) is one of the largest plazas in the world — a baroque cathedral, the National Palace with Diego Rivera's frescoes, and the ruins of the Aztec Templo Mayor. Three civilizations at a single glance.

The National Museum of Anthropology In Chapultepec Park is the most beautiful museum in Latin America. The Aztec Sun Stone, the Mayan rooms, the Olmec treasures — it takes a full day. Free on Sundays.

Neighborhoods make up the city Coyoacán (Frida Kahlo's house), Roma-Condesa (cafes, galleries, Art Deco architecture), Xochimilco (Pre-Hispanic canals by trajinera). Mexico isn't a stopover—it's a destination in its own right.

Oaxaca: Culture Concentrated

Oaxaca is the city I recommend to anyone who doesn't know Mexico. Extraordinary cuisine (moles, tlayudas, mezcal), vibrant crafts, spectacular markets. The Benito Juárez Market and the November 20th Market are gastronomic cathedrals.

At 30 minutes, Monte Albán control the valley — UNESCO-listed Zapotec site, pyramids on a mountain ridge at 2,000 m altitude. One of the most beautiful archaeological sites on the continent.

The Sierra Norte North of the city offers Mexico's best community ecotourism trails — the Pueblos Mancomunados, a network of Zapotec villages that manage their forests and welcome hikers. Rustic cabins, marked trails, local guides.

The Yucatan Peninsula: Between Mayan Ruins and the Caribbean

The Yucatan is the classic gateway to tourist Mexico—but there are two Yucatans. That of the resorts of Cancun and the Riviera Maya. And that of the interior: Merida (the white city, elegant and gastronomic), Valladolid (colonial and accessible), the cenotes (natural springs with crystalline fresh water, there are more than 6,000).

Chichen Itza is the star — Kukulkan Pyramid, a wonder of the world, 2 million visitors per year. Arrive at opening or visit Uxmal Instead: fewer people, sumptuous Puuc architecture.

The Caribbean coast of Tulum à Bacalar (The Lagoon of Seven Colors) offers the seaside. But it was the Yucatán interior that left its mark on me—the converted henequen haciendas, the living Mayan villages, the dry jungle.

Chiapas: Deep Mexico

The Chiapas is the southernmost state of Mexico—mountains, Lacandon jungle, indigenous communities. San Cristóbal de las Casas It's the base: colonial city at an altitude of 2,200 m, indigenous market, Tzotzil and Tzeltal crafts.

The Blue Water Waterfalls and the Mayan city of Palenque (buried in the tropical jungle) are the two highlights. Palenque is smaller than Chichén Itzá but infinitely more atmospheric — the mist, the forest, the howler monkeys.

The Sumidero Canyon (1,000 m gorges) are explored by motorboat from Chiapa de Corzo. Impressive and accessible.

The Pacific Coast: From Puerto Escondido to Puerto Vallarta

The Mexican Pacific is the antithesis of the Yucatán. Less touristy, wilder. Puerto Escondido (Oaxaca) is the Mexican capital of surfing, with Zicatela beach and its monster wave, but also protected beaches for families. Puerto Vallarta (Jalisco) combines a charming town with access to the wild beaches of Banderas Bay.

Between the two, the coast of Mazunte and Zipolite Keep a bohemian and naturalist spirit. It's the Mexico of the eternal siesta.

For practical information, consult our Mexico Practical Guide. For the itineraries, our Mexico Travel Guide.

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