10 Best Places to Visit in Mexico

10. Puebla

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Founded in 1531, Puebla is a state in the highlands of south-central Mexico, is known as the birthplace of the chocolate-based mole poblano sauce, a specialty of the region. Its strategic location, between the port of Veracruz and Mexico City, made it the second most important city during the colonial period. Puebla’s historic center is notable for its Spanish colonial architecture. The painted Talavera tiles that adorn hundreds of its buildings are locally produced and on sale in numerous shops.

9. Copper Canyon

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Copper Canyon is a group of canyons consisting of six distinct canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental in the southwestern part of the state of Chihuahua in northwestern Mexico. The overall canyon system is larger and portions are deeper than the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Popular for hiking, it gets its name from the copper-green hue of the canyon walls. The famous Chepe (Ferrocarril Barrancas del Cobre) train connects the region via over 82 tunnels and nearly 40 bridges. Divisadero, a frequent stop on the line, offers views into Urique Canyon. More adventuresome travelers will enjoy the suspension bridges, zip lines, rock climbing and hiking trails.

8. Merida

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Nicknamed the “White City”, Merida is the capital of Mexico’s Yucatan state. It is a town steeped in colonial history, with narrow streets, broad central plazas and the region’s best museums. The city’s focal point is Plaza de la Independencia, bordered by the fortresslike Mérida Cathedral and white limestone Iglesia de la Tercera Orden, colonial-era churches built using relics from ancient Mayan temples. The Casa de Montejo, a 16th-century mansion, is a landmark of colonial plateresque architecture.

7. Taxco

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Taxco is a beautiful city in Mexico built on a hill in Guerrero. Taxco was once the most important mining region in the New World, and famed for its silver jewelry production and Spanish colonial architecture. Today, its streets paved with stones, huge colonial houses with balconies filled with colorful houses, small squares and silver workshops make Taxco one of the most popular places to visit in Mexico.

6. Oaxaca

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Oaxaca is located in a valley below the Sierra Madre mountains in Southwestern Mexico. Colonial architecture, archaeological sites, a tranquil atmosphere and one of the best Day of the Dead festivals make it a popular tourist destination in Southern Mexico. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Oaxaca is home to the spectacular Macedonio Alcala Theater and a short drive from the inspiring rock formations at Hierve el Aqua. Several archaeological sites around the city can be explored as well such as Monte Alban. Perched on a mountain, Monte Alban was the site of the ancient capital city of the Zapotec inhabitants.

5. Teotihuacan

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Teotihuacan, also known as the City of the Gods, is an archeological site 40 km northeast of Mexico City. The most important monuments are the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon, and the Temple of Quetzalcoatl. Náhuatl for "the place where men became gods". According to legend, it was here where the gods gathered to plan the creation of man. Teotihuacan became famous for its urban planning, a concept that is followed in modern times today.

4. Guanajuato

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Guanajuato is a city in central Mexico and is the Capital city of the state bearing the same name. Guanajuato is a beautiful mountain colonial town. Many tourists and locals consider this city to be the most beautiful in Mexico. It used to be a major silver mining town, and many of the mines are still active. The city is built on very hilly ground, so virtually every point in the city is on a slant. The city has a network of underground tunnels that serve as roads making this place really unique in the world.[wikitravel]

3. Mexico City

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Mexico City is the capital city of Mexico, and the largest city in North America by population. Rising from the ruins of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, Mexico City offers a unique collision of contemporary city life and historic preservation. The Historic Center is teeming in prominent landmarks such as the Plaza de la Constitucion, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the National Palace and the ruins of an ancient Aztec temple.

2. Mexico Beaches

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In fact, beach lovers usually find that the beaches are enough of a reason to visit Mexico all by itself. Its extensive coastlines include the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Some of Mexico’s popular beach destinations were: Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cancun, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta, etc. Depending on the region of Mexico that you choose, the beaches and the water around it will be different.

1. Chichen Itza

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Chichén Itzá is a world-famous complex of Mayan ruins on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. A massive step pyramid known as El Castillo dominates the 6.5-sq.-km. ancient city, which thrived from around 600 A.D. to the 1200s. Graphic stone carvings survive at structures like the ball court, Temple of the Warriors and the Wall of the Skulls. Nightly sound-and-light shows illuminate the buildings' sophisticated geometry. It is one of Mexico's most visited tourist destinations. It was granted World Heritage Site status in 1988 by UNESCO World Heritage Site and was recently selected as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.