A roadtrip through 10 of Mexico’s most Beautiful towns and cities.
This post was updated July 2024 after 2 months spent travelling around Mexico. We’ve added a few more cities to the list, places most people are not familiar with.
I think the most beautiful towns and cities in Mexico are inland. Many are colonial cities that became filthy rich because of the discovery of gold and silver by the Spanish. They built large squares bordered by gorgeous churches and opulent palaces, constructed large convents, aqueducts and bullrings. They used different buildings materials, in some cases pink stone, in other places they decorated buildings with colorful Talevera tiles. Some of the beauty you’ll find in Mexico is incredible.
This post covers some of the most beautiful cities we’ve visited in Mexico. I‘ve created an itinerary built around bus travel – bus transportation in Mexico is fantastic (much better than in Canada or the US). Among the best bus lines are ETN, Primera Plus and ADO which I’ll refer to in this post. You’ll have reclinable seats, your own entertainment screens, AC, power outlets and onboard toilets (a man and a woman’s toilet in some buses). It’s like first class on a plane. So there’s no need to rent a car – the road trip that I describe below is actually best done by bus.
The towns and cities that I list below are my favorite places in the country. I’ve tried to vary up this itinerary with a mix of large cities and small towns. Just know that all are beautiful and interesting in different ways.
Guadalajara
Guadajara is our starting point. It is Mexico’s 2nd largest city and you can fly direct there from many US destinations (without having to transfer in Mexico City). Unlike many of the cities that I’m going to list, Guadalajara did not become rich from mining – rather it was politics (it became a regional capital in 1560), trade, agriculture and production of goods that put the city on the map.
Guadalajara has a very attractive, very walkable city center – most of the attractions are in a concentrated area connected by a series of pedestrian-only plazas and parks. You’ll see churches, fountains and museums.
Highlights include Guadalajara Cathedral (one of Mexico’s oldest and largest Cathedrals), the “Rotunda of Illustrious Men“, Plaza de Liberacion, the Degollado Theatre, Plaza Tapatio, the Cabañas Cultural Institute (which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the Templo Expiatorio del Santísimo Sacramento. The above can be done in a day. If you have a bit more time, take the double decker Hop On Hop off bus to see sites outside the center.
More: Why you should go to Guadalajara
Where to Stay: The Hotel Casino Plaza. One of the nicest hotels I’ve stayed at in Mexico.
How long to stay: I would give Guadalajara 2 days.
Next: Zacatecas. You can get from Guadalajara to Zacatecas with ETN (Mexico’s best bus line). The bus ride takes 5 hrs.
Zacatecas
Rarely visited by foreigners, maybe due to it’s reputation as being dangerous. Note: The state of Zacatecas is poor and is a crossroads for drug-trafficking into the USA…it’s also disputed territory among the cartels in the region. But the city itself is safe. It’s also possibly the most beautiful city in Mexico and a Unesco World Heritage site.
Zacatecas became extraordinarily rich after the discovery of silver in 1546. It became the largest silver producer in Mexico and the 3rd largest of all New Spain (the richest mines in all of New Spain were the Potosí mines in Bolivia).
Zacatecas’ wealth grew. Many of its buildings, primarily religious buildings, were built between 1690 and 1750 when the city was at its height. Today Zacatecas is still dependant on mining and it has 2 of the largest silver producing mines in the world.
What to see/do in Zacatecas: Cathedral of Zacatecas (huge with an incredible facade), Templo de Santo Domingo (gorgeous interior), take the Teleférico up El Cerro De La Bufa (the hill overlooking the city), the El Edén mine, Rafael Coronel Museum (an incredible museum located in a former convent). There’s lots more (see the link below), the city center is full of beautiful buildings, museums, an old aqueduct, a bullring, nice parks….Stunning city.
See more here: Why you should visit Zacatecas
Where to stay: Casa Torres right in the center.
How long to stay: I would give Zacatecas 3 full days.
Next: San Luis Potosi. You can get there by Omnibus in 2 hrs, 45 minutes.
San Luis Potosí
Another city made rich by silver mining, San Luis Potosí was named on a combination of French king Louis IX and the Bolivian mines of “Potosí”. King Louis is actually the patron saint of the city and you’ll see the Fleur-de-Lys all over the city’s Cathedral.
San Luis Potosí is a very underrated city and we were surprised by just how attractive it is. Some pretty squares and beautiful churches – the city has some of the most colourful domes I’ve seen anywhere. As I stated on my detailed post on San Luis Potosí, over 4 days we didn’t see any white faces. It’s not on the radar for most people (despite San Miguel de Allende being only 2 ½ hours away).
Attractions: Plaza de Armas (where you’ll find the Cathedral), Plaza del Carmen (considered one of the most beautiful squares in Mexico), The Templo de Carmen (wow, stunning church), San Augustin Temple, Templo de San Francisco, Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Aranzazu Square and Aranzazu Chapel, The Leonora Carrington museum (dedicated to the British sculptor/painter/writer and is located in a former prison). SLP has a lot of museums including the 2nd largest mask museum in Mexico.
More: Is San Luis Potosí worth Visiting?
Where to stay: the Gran Hotel Concordia San Luis Potosi which is excellent value (and located right in the center)
How long to stay: I would give San Luis Potosi 2 full days.
Next: Guanajuato. You can get there with Primera Plus (via León) in about 4 hours.
Guanajuato
Guanajuato is definitely on the shortlist of Mexico’s most beautiful cities. It’s a fascinating city that has gotten very popular in recent years.
It’s not a big place and you can see it all in one full day (although I would recommend 2). You’ll see lots of colourful churches and streets, an incredible university building (Guanajuato is a lively University town), and you can go up to the Pipila statue where you’ll have incredible views of the town and surroundings. Just getting into Guanajuato is an experience – you’ll have to take a taxi from the bus station which will take you through old tunnels to get to the old city.
Don’t miss Guanajuato.
More on why Guanajuato might be the most beautiful City in Mexico
Where to Stay: the very charming and very affordable Casa de Pita.
How long to stay: I would give Guanajuato 2 full days.
Next: San Miguel de Allende. ETN and Primera Plus will get you there in 90 minutes.
San Miguel de Allende
Another incredibly beautiful town.
San Miguel de Allende is a popular place and has a reputation (well-deserved) as an Expat haven in Mexico. You’ll find lots of fancy restaurants, upscale accommodation and nice bars. But it’s not just expats, Mexicans love to come here for the weekend.
Start at the Jardin, SMA’s main square. There you’ll see the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, one of Mexico’s most photographed churches. There are many beautiful churches in San Miguel de Allende: the Iglesia de San Francisco, Templo de Nuestra Señora de la Salud and Oratorio de San Felipe Neri are a few in the center. See the Public Library, go to the Artisan Market, visit “Bellas Artes“, walk down picturesque Calle Aldama to Parque Benito Juarez. Go to El Mirador for the best views of the city.
Much more on this post: A Photographic Walking Tour of San Miguel de Allende
Accommodation: The Best Hotels in San Miguel de Allende (for all budgets)
Just like Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende is an absolute “Must See”
Where to Stay: I have many recommendations in the link I’ve attached above (hotels and restaurants). But if you’re looking for something charming and affordable I recommend the Casa del Tio Hotel Boutique.
How long to stay: I would give San Miguel de Allende 2 full days.
Next: Morelia. Primera Plus will get you there in about 3 hours.
Morelia
I’ll admit that I’ve changed my mind about Morelia. I didn’t like on on my first visit. But Morelia has really changed and has some very impressive sites (it’s a Unesco World Heritage Site).
Must See’s include Morelia Cathedral, Santuario de Guadalupe (wow!), the Morelia Aquaduct (located right next to Santuario de Guadalupe), Clavijero Palace, The Church of Santa Rosa de Lima, Casa de la Cultura,Carmen church, Palacio de Justicia, and the Palacio de Gobierno del Estado de Michoacán.
More: What to See in Morelia
Where to Stay: Hotel Mesón de los Remedios. Very nice hotel, reasonable prices, great location.
How long to stay: I would give Morelia 2 days.
Next: Mexico City. You can get there by Primera Plus in just over 4 hours.
Mexico City
Big, bustling Mexico City. A city I both love and hate.
So much to see but here are some of the things you have to do: Take the Hop On Hop Off Turibus to get acquainted with the city. You’ll be very impressed by some of the neighborhoods in Mexico City. Absolute Musts: the Metropolitan Cathedral (the largest cathedral in the Americas) and the Zocalo (main square. Mexico City’s zocalo is one of the largest in the world), Palacio de Bellas Artes, the National Palace, the Latinoamericana tower (for great views), and a walk along historic Avenue Francisco Madero. Outside the center, the National Museum of Anthropology is incredible and an absolute must (it is located in Chapultepec park which is full of museums as well as a zoo). Chapultepec castle is another of my favorite places to visit in CDMX.
Very popular is the historic neighbourhood of Coyoacán where you’ll find the Frida Kahlo Museum (in a blue building called “La Casa Azul”). In Coyoacán you’ll also see the Parroquia San Juan Bautista which is one of Mexico’s oldest churches.
There’s so much more and you could spend weeks in Mexico City.
More: 48 hours in Mexico City
Where to Stay: A very affordable and central option is Hotel Castropol in the Centro Historico (it’s a 3 star hotel). More upscale is Hotel Cathedral (4 stars) which is a great value option.
How long to stay: It depends on how much you like big cities. I would personally give Mexico City 3 days.
Next: Puebla. Take the ADO bus from the TAPO terminal or the airport in Mexico city. It will take 2 hours to get to Puebla.
Puebla
Puebla is a beautiful city that I consider one of Mexico’s highlights. It’s a rich city and unlike the cities that follow in this post (which feel indigenous) Puebla feels European. You could easily think yourself somewhere in Spain.
Highlights include a huge main square (zocalo) and Cathedral (Puebla Cathedral), beautiful churches and colourful buildings. Puebla’s buildings are famously decorated with talavera tiles, a colourfully-glazed ceramic originally brought to Mexico from Spain (These tiles can be found on fountains, patios, the facades of homes, churches and other buildings in Puebla). The Amparo Museum is a highlight, a beautiful modern building with one of the largest pre-Hispanic art collections of any museum in Mexico.
More: Is Puebla Mexico’s most beautiful city?
Where to Stay: at the excellent Meson Sacristia de la Compañia Hotel Boutique.
How long to stay: I would give Puebla 3 full days. Also, make sure to visit nearby Cholula.
Next: Oaxaca. Take the bus from the main CAPU station (Centro de Autobuses Puebla). ADO is the best bus line to take. It’ll take about 5 hours to Oaxaca – a spectacular trip through rugged mountain scenery.
Oaxaca
Southern Mexico is very different than what you see up north. Oaxaca state has one of the highest indigenous populations in Mexico with over 50% speaking languages other than Spanish. You’ll see the culture reflected in clothing, cuisine, arts, and handicrafts. It (along with Chiapas further south) are unique and reflect a different side of Mexico.
Oaxaca is colourful and vibrant. It has great churches (Santo Domingo church is one of the most beautiful churches in Mexico) and a pretty city center. Just outside the city is Monte Alban, one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Mexico (and my personal favorite). Oaxaca also has great food (it is the home of ‘mole’) and is known for its chocolate and coffee. Visit the Mercado 20 de Noviembre, go to a Mezcaleria for Mezcal (our favorite is La Mezcalería). Explore the neighbourhoods of Xochimilco and Jalatlaco for street art.
Where to Stay: Parador del Dominico which was excellent with a perfect location in the center.
Where to eat: Zandunga is an excellent restaurant. Go to Mayordomo for chocolate.
How long to stay: I would give Oaxaca 3 full days (including a half day for Monte Alban).
Next: San Cristobal de las Casas. Of all the bus trips mentioned in this post this is the longest. ADO has luxury buses doing this overnight trip (they have 4 buses every evening leaving Oaxaca between 7pm and 10:30 pm) arriving 11 hours later in San Cristobal.
San Cristobal de las Casas
San Cristobal de las Casas is in Chiapas, Mexico’s most southernly (and poorest) state. Arriving here is different than anyplace above. It is lush, green and mountainous and is Mexico’s principal coffee-growing area (in many ways it reminds me of the Eje Cafetero in Colombia which has exactly the same geography and climate).
San Cristobal de las Casas is a really pretty city that’s not unlike Oaxaca with its many churches (including the Cathedral of San Cristobal de las Casas), colourful streets and steep hills. It’s sleepy and authentic, with many small restaurants and cafés. You’ll see indigenous women, dressed in beautiful wool skirts and colourful shawls, selling textiles, arts and crafts. I don’t think there is anywhere in Mexico where you can buy the quality of textiles that you can find in San Cristobal.
I loved San Cristobal de las Casas. It’s a place you can stay for weeks, just chilling, exploring and drinking coffee. It just feels really authentic.
More on San Cristobal de las Casas.
Where to Stay: Hotel Grand Maria (in a beautiful historic building in the center).
How long to stay: I would give San Cristobal de las Casas 3 full days.
San Cristobal de las Casas ends this Mexico road trip. From here you can take the bus or taxi to Tuxtla Gutiérrez (1 hour away) and fly out from there. Tuxtla Gutiérrez International Airport has frequent flights to Mexico City (major airlines being Aeromexico, Volaris and Interjet).
Do you have your own favorite town/city in Mexico to add to this list?
Related: 11 Unforgettable Off-the-beaten path adventures in Mexico
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Thanks for including Morelia. But I’d love to know if there are specific reasons why you don’t particularly care for it? I’ve lived in Morelia for two years, and after having visited all of the other cities you detail in this excellent article, find it to be the most livable city in central Mexico. (Perhaps you’re focused more on quick touristic visits and not for people who are looking for suggestions on places to live.) But thanks for an excellent itinerary…with this route you can really get a flavor for some of Mexico’s diversity.
Thanks for your comment Scott. You’re right this was more focused on places to visit rather than live. I wrote about my thoughts in detail here.
Hi Frank
I will be moving to Mexico with two medium size, well behaved dogs. Will they be allowed on the ADO bus?
You’ll find info here: https://hola.ado.com.mx/hc/es/articles/360038945812-Animales-permitidos-para-transportar Unfortunately they have to be in the trunk of the bus in a carrier case.
The bus is not suitable for transporting dogs. They can only go under the bus in the hold…hot, terrifying and potentially deadly.
Of all of the towns and cities on your road trip list, which is the most kid friendly/appealing and has the most for little kids to do (parks, space to run, playgrounds, music, other kids, outdoor art, dancers, and least hilly)?
I’d say Mexico City and Puebla – just because they have more kid-friendly activities (like the hop on-hop off for example). Both are flat and both have lots of parks.
This looks like a great itinerary, Frank! I am tucking it away for future reference. I have been to Mexico several times but never inland. Love this idea! Thanks!
Thanks Tonja 🙂
Hi there!
I’ve lived in Mexico most of my life and, as is so often the case, I’ve missed a lot of my own country… This looks like a great road trip and with any luck buses will keep running and the madness will pass!
Hi Nancy!
Thanks for the comment. I’m lucky – my mom lives in San Miguel de Allende so I’ve had a chance to see a lot of Mexico.
I get a bit of info on the coronavirus situation from my mom but otherwise not quite sure how everything stands and if buses are running. But in normal times (which I hope we’ll see again) all of these destinations make for great places to visit.
Where do you live in Mexico if I may ask?
Frank
My visit to Mexico was all too brief. I would love to return and visit some of the places you mention here, they sound very authentic and characterful. I also love Mexican food. I did use the Ado buses when I visited and like you mentioned the buses are very comfortable and a good option for travelling around.
I would imagine the bus rides, in between the cities, must have gone through some really nice scenery. Especially the further south you got.
Exactly, dramatic geography Ted!
On a recent trip my wife and I visited Guanajuato, San Miguel, and Querétaro. Guanajuato was the most interesting. When I was there I wondered how long it would take to get used to the celebratory noise that resounds off the valley walls nearly every night. San Miguel was just not our thing. Querétaro was so very comfortable. It is the place we would return (of the three) if we just wanted to chill.
We love Mexico City. If you stay in a neighborhood like the Condesa, you can easily forget just how large the city is.
I haven’t been to San Cristobal in over 20 years, but I still think about going back. Very enjoyable place.
Thanks TJ. You might have felt about SMA the way I did the first time I visited. I called it Mexico-lite which I stand by. But with time I’ve gotten to really like the town, mostly because my mom has a nice place in the center and knows the best spots. And also, with our travel lifestyle I always like going back, it’s the closest thing to home these days.
I only visited Queretaro once. It was nice but just didn’t love it (which might be because we had come from Guanajuato which had blown me away). I’ll have to give Queretaro another visit.
Thanks for the comment TJ!
Timely post! We just booked an Airbnb for a month in Mexico City this winter where we’ll work remotely. We visited for a few days a couple of years ago and just loved it! I now have some ideas for day trips. Thanks!
Do yourself a favor and surprise your partner with a visit to the Hanky Panky speakeasy. It has a secret entrance and exit that are really fun. My wife’s facial expressions will be with me forever. Just make sure to call ahead (or reserve via Facebook I think) to get on “the list”.