Popular routes in Mexico

Central route across the country

Colonial San Miguel de Allende, full of vivid colors

Central route across the country covers 1740 km long area, starting from the US-Mexican border and ending in the capital, Mexico City. Passing through this part of the country, (the region called Bajío), you will see the northern deserts and colonial cities. The route covers both big and small Mexican towns: Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Hidalgo del Parral, Durango, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, Querétaro and finally you reach the metropolis, the Mexico City. The route covers both big and small Mexican towns: Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Hidalgo del Parral, Durango, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, Querétaro and finally you reach the metropolis, the Mexico City.

The 'colonial necklace' route

Mexico's Colonial Heartland gives you the opportunity to make a contact with Mexico’s rich history, culture, and people. In this „colonial necklace“ route, which starts and finishes in Mexico City, you can feel the real spirit of the towns from the colonial era through the independence movement, up to the present day. After exploring the colonial part of Mexico City which will surely impress you with its beauty, follow the route towards east, to Puebla, Cuernavaca, then it heads more south for Taxco, turning west to Morelia, then Pátzcuaro, then further west the route continues to Guadalajara, to the north it goes to Zacatecas, then it goes down to Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende and Querétaro, in order to finish in Mexico City.

There's no way of escaping the omnipresent souvenir shops

The Deep South route

The Deep South route covers the area from Mexico’s colonial heartland to its famous Caribbean beaches. After the fascinating sightseeng of the Mexico City, go east through Puebla to Oaxaca. South of Oaxaca you can visit some beach spots on the Pacific coast, such as Puerto Escondido, Zipolite or Bahías de Huatulco, perfect for leisure. Then turn east and be sure to visit San Cristóbal de Las Casas, and Palenque, perhaps the most fascinating of all ancient Maya cities. Continue the journey across the Yucatán Peninsula, passing through Campeche, Mérida with Uxmal, the Maya ruins which are very close. Next stop is Chichén Itzá, a must-see ancient Maya place. Take some time to rest on the beautiful on the Caribbean coast.  Along the ‘Riviera Maya’ it is surely recommended to visit Tulum, Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and Cozumel.

Barranca del Cobre down the Pacific Coast

This is what Pacific Ocean looks like in Mexico

Mexico’s Pacific coast is full of famous resorts, and beaches with jungles. Be sure not to miss them. Hit the coast from Chihuahua via Barranca del Cobre (Copper Canyon). Go down the coast and explore Mazatlán, after it the ancient island of Mexcaltitán, and the lagoons of San Blas. Your journey continues to Sayulita, offering an outstanding touch with nature during whale-watching. Enjoy shopping in Puerto Vallarta. Should you desire the world’s most luxurious resorts be sure to pay a visit to Playa Tenacatita, Melaque, Barra de Nexpa, Caleta de Campos, Troncones, Zihuatanejo, Acapulco and Puerto Escondido where you can hit the bars and clubs at night. To end your trip, visit exotic beaches of Mazunte or Zipolite, or enjoy the resort of Bahías de Huatulco.

Exotic routes

Wild life

Southeastern tropical forests and jungles

On this trip from Chiapas to the Caribbean coast you will experience the most exotic wildlife by visiting some of Mexico’s famous archaeological sites. The tour starts at San Cristóbal de Las Casas, heads north to Maya ruins of Toniná which are situated in the jungle and continues to the waterfalls of Agua Azul and Misol Ha. Palenque, the most extraordinary of all ancient Maya cities, is a must-see on the route. Bonampak, Yaxchilán, and Las Guacamayas are three unbelievable jungle Maya sites that will get you close to the real jungle wildlife. Go back to Palenque and from there you can proceed to the Reserva de la Biosfera Calakmul, which is the home of hundreds of species of rainforest wildlife. Some important archaeological sites will surely impress you with its beauty, such as the awesome ancient city of Calakmul. To the northeast, the well known Reserva de la Biosfera Sian Ka’an is situated along the Caribbean coast. The best way to explore this wildlife region is to hire an expert local guide. Adventurers will experience the time of their life.

Indigenous, pre-Hispanic Mexico

Oaxaca house

This route is perhaps the most original one, offering you to feel the world completely different from the western civilization. Due to its rich history, Mexico has most different traditions, cultures and heritage in the world. People who lived there long before Europeans arrived represent most interesting civilizations to both experts and common travelers. Central Mexico’s Nahua people, the descendants of the ancient Aztecs, live in the hill village of Cuetzalan, north of Puebla. The biggest indigenous populations live in the southern states of Oaxaca and Chiapas. It is widely known that the Zapotecs and Mixtecs are excellent artisans in producing outstanding ceramic, textile and wood figures. Oaxaca City has Guelaguetza festival, the most amazing celebration of indigenous dance, celebrated in July every year, something you cannot find anywhere else in the world. In Chiapas Highlands, Maya populations of Tzotziles and Tzeltales still use mysterious religious and medical rituals, wearing their colorful traditional costumes. Who would not want to take a photo with these people who live in the world so different, sincere and original. In Veracruz state, the Totonac people cherish ancient rituals with their “voladores” rite, ‘flying’ from a tall pole. To see that many people visit El Tajín. The Huicholes from Jalisco, Nayarit and Zacatecas every year make a pilgrimage to the town of Real de Catorce, crossing the mountains and deserts to find the cactus with the hallucinogen peyote, apparently essential to their religious and art rituals. The canyons of the Barranca del Cobre (Copper Canyon) are known for their long-distance running feats.

Mexican lizard

Northern Mexico remote areas

Remote Mexico`s regions in the north offer extraordinary natural and historical discoveries. The route leads you through Paquimé, a  pre-Hispanic settlement in the desert, then Mata Ortiz, a village famous for its pottery arts and crafts. Further south you will see Cuarenta Casas cliffs and  the forests of Sierra Madre Occidental with the town of Madera. Going southeast you will get to Cuauhtémoc, where you can get on train to explore the amazing Barranca del Cobre (Copper Canyon). The route continues via Pancho Villa revolutionary paths: Chihuahua, Hidalgo del Parral, Canutilloand Torreón. After that, the route leads you to Torreón, Mapimí and Ojuela ghost town, which used to be the center of the very important mining region in the past. If you cross the deserts from Torreón you will come to beautiful oasis of Cuatro Ciénegas, then go south to Parras, and try their desert wine. From there you can proceed to the town of Saltillo, interesting for its Churrigueresque cathedral and a desert museum. Further south you will see Real de Catorce, a former ghost town which used to be a silver-mining center. The town was brought back to life by Catholic pilgrims and indigenous Huichol people who come there every year in order to find the hallucinogenic cactus peyote. Different artists, movie producers and cretaive people often visit Real de Catorce. Go east and visit natural region of Reserva de la Biosfera El Cielo.

Organized trips

'Lost Mexico' route

Palenque ruins

One thing is clear, the mysterious, awesome and amazing cities, temples and museums of the country`s pre-Hispanic cultures are something you must visit. It is good to start from the center of the Aztecs’ world, the Templo Mayor of their capital Tenochtitlán, today situated in downtown Mexico City. While there, visit the capital’s Museo Nacional de Antropología. Then visit amazing Teotihuacán with its gigantic pyramids, ancient Tula which used to be the Toltec capital and hilltop Xochicalco. It will take a day in order to make this trip you will never forget. Then head to El Tajín, with its excellent architecture of the Classic Veracruz civilization. You can see the mysterious sculptures of the Olmecs, known as "Olmec heads" in Xalapa’s Museo de Antropología and Villahermosa’s Parque-Museo La Venta. On your route be sure to visit Monte Albán, the ancient Zapotec capital, situated on a hilltop above the city of Oaxaca. Southeast Mexico was the home of the ancient Maya, whose architectural heritage is a must-see: the cities and pyramids of Palenque, Uxmal, Chichén Itzá and Tulum.

'Wild Mexico' route

Oaxaca plants

Let us start with Baja California with amazing gray whale–watching (from February to early April) at Laguna Ojo de Liebre and Laguna San Ignacio. You can enjoy watching dolphins and humpback whales (from November to March) at Puerto Vallarta, and sea turtles at Playa Maruata or Troncones. For those who enjoy rare bird-watching, there are places such as San Blas and Santuario Mariposa Monarca (Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary). Go south to explore Oaxaca’s Sierra Norte with its cloud forests and flora. You can see turtles at Mazunte, crocodiles at Playa Ventanilla and waterfowl at the Lagunas de Chacahua. In Chiapas do not miss bird-watching in the cloud forests of Reserva de la Biosfera El Triunfo. Visit Laguna Miramar, Yaxchilán, Reforma Agraria and Reserva de la Biosfera Calakmul with your camera as they have extraordinary tropical rainforests with monkeys, toucans and scarlet macaws. Reserva de la Biosfera Sian Ka’an is situated on the Caribbean coast. The region has monkeys, crocodiles, tapirs, pumas and jaguars. For those who seek marine wildlife adventurs this route is a must-see: snorkel or dive at Playa del Carmen, Cozumel and other dive centres on the Yucatán peninsula. Along the Yucatán’s coast up north you will also see flamingo colonies of Río Lagartos and Celestún.

'Mexican beaches' route

A cruiser in the Carribean seas of Mexico

Explore and enjoy Mexico’s most amazing clean beaches (playas) by starting from Baja California: the places of Mulegé and Loreto. Then go south to lagoon-backed beaches of San Blas and the popular surf place Sayulita. After it, you will come to Puerto Vallarta which offers exciting beach parties and marine wildlife. Costalegre, with its empty beaches,  is a paradise for those who want peace and quiet. Surfing fans from all over the world will enjoy the ocean in Melaque, Barra de Nexpa and Troncones. Continue to the bay of Zihuatanejo and popular Acapulco. Puerto Escondido is a great challenge for the most experienced surfers. Further down, you can enjoy the beaches of Zipolite. For those who want wild party time, Cancún is a promised city on the Caribbean coast. For snorkeling and relaxation visit nearby Isla Mujeres. Tulum has beachside Maya ruins and white sand beaches wild palms, and below it you can end your trip in Xcalak.

'Cultural route'

Palacio de Gobierno

Mexico is a top destination country when it comes to top-class museums, arts festivals and cities full of World Heritage colonial architecture. Its capital, Mexico City, is not only one of the country’s most amazing colonial centers but is also rich in modern architecture, with top museums (such as the Museo Nacional de Antropología). Mexico City also proudly participates on the world modern-art scene due to the work of Frida Kahlo and the great muralists. Guanajuato is another World Heritage city, situated in the north. It is full of history buildings, and home to the Festival Internacional Cervantino, a great arts festival held every October. We must mention San Miguel de Allende as another authentic artistic, colonil center. Aguascalientes has Feria de San Marcos (from April to May) which is Mexico’s biggest regional art fair. Spectacular cathedrals, modern architecture and top-class art museums can be visited up north, in World-Heritage Zacatecas and Monterrey. Mexico’s second city, Guadalajara, has an interesting entertainment scene and is said to become Mexico`s contemporary style capital.Down south is Oaxaca, another World Heritage city, with its arts and culture and excellent museums. On the Yucatán Peninsula, be sure to visit the historic center of Campeche and Merida.