Region

Central Mexico

The capital, Teotihuacán, and volcano country.

CDMX · Edo. de México · Puebla · Morelos · Tlaxcala · Hidalgo

Estado de México

The ring around CDMX, from pyramids to pine-forest lakes

The Estado de México guide →
Ruins

Teotihuacán

The Americas' biggest ancient city, an hour from the capital

Must-seePueblo

Valle de Bravo

Lakeside pine town, paragliders, and winter monarchs

Worth it

Hidalgo

Cornish miners, basalt canyons, and pasties north of CDMX

The Hidalgo guide →
Pueblo

Huasca de Ocampo

Mexico's first Pueblo Mágico, quiet base for canyons

If nearbyNature

Prismas Basálticos

Basalt columns and a waterfall, better after the rains

If nearbyPueblo

Real del Monte

Cornish miners left the pasties; the fog stayed

Worth itRuins

Tula

Toltec warrior statues standing over a working town

Worth it

Mexico City

The capital, and the reason most trips start here

The Mexico City guide →
City

Mexico City

Where nearly every central-Mexico trip begins and half of them end

Must-see

Morelos

Warm weekend valleys just south of the smog line

The Morelos guide →
City

Cuernavaca

The faded 'city of eternal spring' south of the smog

Skip unless…Pueblo

Tepoztlán

Cliff-top pyramid, a famous market, weekend gridlock

Worth itRuins

Xochicalco

Hilltop ruins and an underground solar observatory

Worth it

Puebla

Mole, Talavera, and volcano views two hours east

The Puebla guide →
Pueblo

Atlixco

Flower nurseries, volcano views, and a big Christmas glow

If nearbyPueblo

Cholula

A church on the world's largest pyramid, and beer after

Worth itCity

Puebla

UNESCO streets and the region's most serious kitchen

Must-see

Tlaxcala

The smallest state and the most overlooked

The Tlaxcala guide →
Ruins

Cacaxtla

Vivid battle murals in Mexico's least-visited state

If nearby