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If you think Mexico is all tacos, margaritas, and sun-soaked beaches, you’ve barely scratched the surface. Granted, it’s home to some stunning stretches of coastline and fabulous food, perfect for a flop-and-drop holiday. But there’s so much more to explore, from ancient pyramids and jungle ruins to colonial cities, bustling markets, and infectious live music that fills the streets. Here are our top 10 places to visit for the ultimate Mexican experience.
Mexico City is huge, chaotic, and wonderfully charming. With museums and art around every corner, tacos to die for, and the nearby Teotihuacán pyramids to discover, it’s a city that makes you feel alive.
The main Zócalo Square is overlooked by the massive Metropolitan Cathedral and is the perfect place to start your sightseeing. Pop into the Palacio Nacional to admire Diego Rivera’s murals before wandering over to the Palacio de Bellas Artes and its surrounding park. History lovers will enjoy the National Museum of Anthropology, home to the Aztec Sun Stone, and art fans will want to head to Frida Kahlo’s Blue House in Coyoacán. In the evenings, head to Plaza Garibaldi, where lively mariachi bands fill the square with music, and you can sample mouthwatering street tacos or a late-night mezcal.
For a must-see day trip, head to Teotihuacán, home to the ancient Pyramids of the Sun and Moon. Strolling the Avenue of the Dead, surrounded by enormous pyramids and temples whilst taking in the vast scale and atmosphere, is a magical experience.
Mexico’s Pacific coast is renowned for its beautiful beaches, fishing villages and some of the country’s most spectacular sunsets. It’s less glitzy than the Caribbean coastline, but it’s arguably more atmospheric with an authentic Mexican spirit.
With lots of resorts to choose from, it’s easy to find something suits you. Puerto Vallarta boasts a lively promenade, boutique hotels and great seafood. The Zona Romántica (Old Town) is ideal for wandering around its cobbled streets, and the Malecón waterfront is perfect for a bite to eat.
Mazatlán has a bit more of a traditional feel. Its Centro Histórico is full of colourful colonial buildings, grand theatres, and pretty squares. Plaza Machado is a particular highlight, especially in the evening when it sparkles with fairy lights, particularly at Christmas and during the Día de Muertos. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy the local seafood and soak up the atmosphere.
Zihuatanejo offers a slow, local feel with quiet beaches and fishing boats bobbing offshore. The main beach, Playa La Ropa, is perfect for sunbathing, swimming and relaxing.
If you fancy something with real character and history, why not ‘go loco down in Acapulco’? The resort isn’t to everyone’s taste, but it has a beautiful sweeping bay and dramatic cliffs. Make sure you catch the famous La Quebrada cliff divers as they plunge into the water with pinpoint precision in the rocky inlet.
Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum lie along Mexico’s eastern Caribbean coast, in the Riviera Maya region of the Yucatán Peninsula. This stretch is famous for its blindingly white beaches and warm turquoise sea. It is more touristy than the Pacific coastline, but it still delivers on beach bliss, cultural sites, and natural wonders.
Cancún is the place to stay for big resorts, fabulous stretches of sand, and easy day trips to nearby attractions such as Isla Mujeres, Chichén Itzá, or the lagoons of Nichupté.
Playa del Carmen feels a little more relaxed and compact, with a pedestrianised main street full of restaurants and shops, plus regular ferries across to Cozumel for diving or a day on the beach.
Once a quiet backpacking spot in the 90s/2000s, Tulum is now an upmarket, wellness-focused beach destination. Its cliffside Maya ruins are genuinely impressive, and the beaches are stunning if you can find a quieter stretch. The cenotes (natural sinkholes) are another highlight here, with Gran Cenote and Dos Ojos perfect for snorkelling in crystal-clear water.
For a change of pace from a day on the beach, take a day trip to Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, which offers mangroves, lagoons, and wildlife, including manatees and a wide variety of birds.
Just a 20-minute ferry ride from Cancún, Isla Mujeres is small, scenic, and effortlessly laid-back. This island is all about relaxing, swimming in the turquoise Caribbean, and watching the sunset while enjoying fresh seafood.
Playa Norte is the island’s most popular beach, with powdery white sand, calm waters, and plenty of beach bars and restaurants. Other beaches include Playa Sol, a quieter spot, and Playa Paraíso, known for its relaxed vibe. At the southern tip, Punta Sur offers stunning cliff-top views over the Caribbean, a lighthouse, and a sculpture garden, while nearby Garrafón Natural Reef Park provides calm conditions and lots of marine life, perfect for snorkelling.
Part of the fun of Isla Mujeres is getting around by golf buggy. It’s the easiest way to see everything, whether you’re beach-hopping or hunting down the best tacos!
Cozumel sits just off the eastern Caribbean coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, opposite Playa del Carmen, and is a paradise for divers and snorkellers thanks to the Mesoamerican Reef. Even if you’ve never dived before, this is the perfect place to give it a try. The Palancar and Colombia reefs are teeming with colourful coral, turtles, and tropical fish, and the water is exceptionally clear.
The island itself has a relaxed, laid-back feel. San Miguel, the main town, has an authentically Mexican atmosphere with waterfront restaurants and peaceful beaches. The eastern coast is wilder and exposed to the open Caribbean with strong waves, making it more popular with surfers.
A great way to soak up the culture of Mexico without the chaos of Mexico City is to head inland on the Yucatán Peninsula. Away from the beautiful Riviera Maya coastline, it’s a region full of colonial cities, ancient Maya ruins, and colourful architecture.
The main attraction is Chichén Itzá, one of Mexico’s most famous Maya archaeological sites and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Built between the 8th and 12th centuries, it’s home to the dramatic pyramid of El Castillo and the Temple of the Warriors and Great Ball Court, all of which truly showcase the sophistication of Maya engineering.
Also in the region, the ancient Maya city of Uxmal offers a quieter, less-visited experience with impressive architecture set against the surrounding jungle. Its Pyramid of the Magician dominates the site, with other highlights including Governor’s Palace and the beautifully decorated Nunnery Quadrangle.
The elegant city of Merida is a must-see and makes a great base from which to explore. Its tree-lined squares and local markets give it a cosmopolitan yet traditional feel, but the real magic happens in the evening when the streets come alive with live music, from mariachi bands to local jazz.
Further west, Campeche is a smaller walled city overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Its historic centre is UNESCO-listed, and the old town is filled with lively plazas, street art and cobblestone streets. The city is framed by ancient, fortified walls which offer wonderful panoramic views over the city and glimpses of the Gulf coast.
The delightful city of Oaxaca is widely considered Mexico’s food capital. Its reputation comes from a blend of indigenous Zapotec traditions and techniques with Spanish influences, producing iconic dishes such as mole, tlayudas, and mezcal. With a lively arts scene, it’s the perfect place to soak up the true Mexican spirit.
The stunning Santo Domingo church is surrounded by shops selling colourful textiles, pottery, and handicrafts. Nearby, Mercado 20 de Noviembre lets you sample smoky grilled meats, fresh produce, and the city’s famous Oaxacan mole, a rich sauce often served over chicken or pork.
Art is everywhere in Oaxaca, from galleries to vibrant street murals, and local mezcalerías offer plenty of opportunities to taste the region’s famous spirit. Perched above the city, Monte Albán offers sweeping views and fascinating pre-Hispanic ruins, while nearby villages such as Teotitlán del Valle showcase traditional weaving and local crafts.
Baja California feels quite different from the rest of Mexico, with wide deserts, cactus-studded mountains, dramatic coastlines, and the unique spectacle of the two seas meeting at the peninsula’s tip.
Cabo San Lucas is lively and luxurious, with beach days at Médano Beach and sunset cocktails at waterfront bars. You can also enjoy boat trips to the iconic El Arco – the famous rock formation at the tip of the peninsula, where the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez lie on either side. By contrast, San José del Cabo has a more refined, laid-back atmosphere, with art galleries and colonial plazas. The area also offers world-class sport fishing and championship golf courses for those looking for a more active day out.
In La Paz, you can swim or snorkel with whale sharks in season, usually around November to March. Meanwhile, grey whales arrive in nearby lagoons from December to March to calve. Surf lovers can head to the breaks near Todos Santos, and for walkers, there’s a great choice of desert trails with breathtaking views over the sea.
Guanajuato is one of Mexico’s most distinctive cities, built on steep hillsides with narrow streets, colourful houses, and a network of underground tunnels that add an almost magical quality to getting around.
A visit to the Teatro Juárez is a must with its grand 19th century architecture and performances, while the Diego Rivera Museum, set in the artist’s childhood home, offers a glimpse into his early life and works. The slightly eerie Museo de las Momias displays naturally mummified bodies exhumed from local cemeteries, and the Pípila Monument, perched on a hill overlooking the city, provides panoramic views over the colourful rooftops. And to indulge in a romantic local tradition, head to the Callejón del Beso, a tiny alleyway where you can share a kiss with your partner from opposing balconies.
Nestled in the far south of Mexico, bordering Guatemala and the Pacific, Chiapas is the place to go for off-the-beaten-track adventures, from lush jungles and waterfalls to the town of Palenque, home to ancient Maya ruins.
At Palenque, the ruins, including the Temple of Inscriptions, sit deep within the jungle. Visit early in the morning before it gets too busy, when the calls of howler monkeys at dawn make the experience truly magical. It may be remote, but the journey to get there is all part of the experience.
Not far from Palenque, the Agua Azul waterfalls are perfect for a dip, while the Misol-Ha waterfall offers another dramatic spot to stop and cool down.
The mountain town of San Cristóbal de las Casas makes a great base for exploring the region with its cobbled streets, lively markets, and colourful textiles.
Feeling inspired to head off on your own Mexican adventure? Simply get in touch today and we’ll help you craft your next holiday.
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