1,000 Places to See Before You Die

by Patricia Schultz

  HOW: U.S.-based Lindblad Expeditions offers Sea of Cortez cruises from La Paz with kayaks. Tel 800-397-3348 or 212-261-9000; www.expeditions.com. Cost: boat trips of 4 nights or more from $1,990. When: Dec. Baja Expeditions operates safari-style camps at San Ignacio. Tel 800-843-6967 or 858-581-3311; www.bajaex.com. Cost: cabanas $420 per night, all-inclusive. When: Jan—Apr. BEST TIMES: Oct–May for nicest weather; Dec–Mar for whale-watching.

  Maya Cities, Ancient and Modern

  PALENQUE AND SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LAS CASAS

  Chiapas, Mexico

  One of the most extraordinary ruins of Maya culture occupies a high, strategically situated plateau surrounded by dense virgin jungle. Palenque blossomed during the 6th to 9th centuries as a center of art, religion, and astronomy and was one of the first Maya sites to be discovered. It remains one of the most majestic and best preserved, still dazzling with its elegant architecture, stucco carvings, calligraphy, and highly artistic decorative friezes. The star attraction is the Templo de las Inscripciones (Temple of the Inscriptions), the massive pyramid housing the carved tomb of King Pacal, who died in A.D. 683 (his burial mask, made of 200 fragments of jade, resides in the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City; see p. 952). Palenque’s best lodging is Chan-Kah Resort Village, featuring stone and wooden bungalows spread over 50 acres of primordial jungle.

  The descendants of more than 30 different tribes of ancient Maya live in the high-altitude, red-tile-roofed city of San Cristóbal de las Casas, in the highlands of Chiapas. This pretty colonial town is a stronghold of indigenous culture, as proven by a visit to the Saturday market, where locals come to sell their wares, most notably brightly colored woven textiles. You might hear near-extinct tribal languages and see vendors wearing distinctive headdresses and ornately embroidered huipiles (blouses). A centuries-old amalgam of Maya and Catholic rituals is commonly carried out by shamans at any of several churches, including Santo Domingo, where you’ll also find one of the city’s best crafts markets.

  The dinner bell rings at 7 P.M. at Na Bolom, the 19th-century home of late archaeologist Frans Blom and his wife, ethnologist-photographer Gertrude Blom. Now a guesthouse and museum, it is also the headquarters for continuing research and support of the area’s highland indigenous villages. The 16 rooms have fireplaces and are decorated with local crafts, and you’re guaranteed an interesting mix of guests at the communal dinners in a salon filled with art and artifacts.

  WHERE: Palenque is 88 miles/142 km southeast of Villahermosa. San Cristóbal is 142 miles/229 km southwest of Palenque. CHAN-KAH: Tel 52/916-345-1134; www.chan-kah.com.mx. Cost: from $150. NA BOLOM: Tel 52/967-678-1418; www.nabolom.org. Cost: rooms from $88; dinner $15. BEST TIMES: Dec–Feb for nicest weather. In San Cristóbal, Semana Santa (the week before Easter) for festivities and processions.

  A Breathtaking Train Ride Through Rugged Splendor

  COPPER CANYON

  Chihuahua, Mexico

  Northwestern Mexico’s Sierra Madre mountain range encompasses one of the greatest canyon complexes in the world, Barrancas del Cobre. Though called the Copper Canyon in English, it is actually a series of six major intertwined canyons, plus 200 minor ones. Cumulatively, the Barrancas are four times larger (and often deeper) than the Grand Canyon.

  Crossing this vast wilderness is the Ferrocarril Chihuahua Pacifico—“El Chepe”—one of the most scenic train rides in the world. The rail line is a 400-mile engineering marvel and takes passengers on a 13-hour journey from Los Mochis, on the Pacific coast, to the city of Chihuahua. It snakes through pine-forested highlands, across 39 bridges, and through 86 tunnels, with the most spectacular scenery between El Fuerte and Creel. (Take the train east from Los Mochis; if you travel westbound from Chihuahua, you’ll pass the gorgeous views in the dark.)

  At Divisadero the train stops briefly for seemingly endless vistas of the canyons. Another heart-stopping view is provided at the Hotel Mirador, perched at the rim at the Barrancas stop so that each room’s private balcony appears to hang over the canyon edge. From Creel, it’s 20 minutes to the charming, rustic Sierra Lodge, which offers a variety of backcountry hikes with native guides. A hair-raising, 5-hour van ride of 140 miles includes a vertiginous 6,000-foot descent to the old silver-mining town of Batopilas on the canyon floor. The Riverside Lodge, an antiques-filled Victorian-era hacienda, makes for a memorable stay.

  WHERE: Los Mochis is 543 miles/874 km south of Tuscon, AZ. “EL CHEPE”: Tel 52/614-439-7211; in the U.S., 888-484-1623; www.chepe.com.mx. Cost:$159 one way. HOW: U.S.-based California Native offers escorted canyon tours and independent itineraries. Tel 800-926-1140 or 310-642-1140; www.calnative.com. Cost: from $860 for a 4-night program, all-inclusive. HOTEL MIRADOR: Tel 52/668-812-1613; In the U.S., 888-528-8401; www.hotelesbalderrama.com. Cost: from $250, inclusive. SIERRA LODGE and RIVERSIDE LODGE: in the U.S., tel 800-648-8488 or 435-259-3999; www.coppercanyonlodges.com. Cost: Sierra Lodge from $145, inclusive; Riverside Lodge from $125, room only. When: Oct–Apr for Riverside Lodge. BEST TIMES: Mar–Apr and Oct–Nov for nicest weather.

  Colonial Gems in the Central Highlands

  SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE AND GUANAJUATO

  Guanajuato, Mexico

  Artists and writers first started arriving in the colonial city of San Miguel de Allende in the 1930s, drawn by its Old Mexico charm and the purity of its seductive light. Founded in 1542 by wealthy Spanish cattle barons, today San Miguel attracts well-heeled Mexico City weekenders and has a large community of American residents attracted to the city’s vibrant artistic and cultural scene. Cobblestone streets are lined with galleries, as well as restored mansions, 18th-century churches, boutiques, outdoor cafés, and excellent restaurants. Grab a bench in tree-shaded El Jardín, the central plaza, and watch the light change at dusk against the salmon-colored Parroquia, the whimsical neo-Gothic parish church.

  Built in 1580 and now a refined hotel, Casa de Sierra Nevada consists of seven adjoining colonial-era manor homes two blocks from El Jardín. Of the town’s many romantic bed-and-breakfasts, the Casa Schuck is a stylish choice, housed in a Colonial home with beamed ceilings and fireplaces, and a small but beautiful swimming pool.

  Many a Spaniard made a fortune by extracting silver from these hills, and Guanajuato, 60 miles west of San Miguel, is another historic city full of centuries-old architecture paid for by these mines. Its narrow, hilly cobblestone lanes resonate with the music of strolling estudiantinas (university students), who dress as 16th-century troubadours to perform for passersby. In October, the city holds the world-renowned Cervantes Arts Festival, celebrating music, dance, theater, and the visual arts. One of its many venues is the opulent turn-of-the-century Teatro Juárez, which Caruso deemed one of the finest performance spaces in the Americas. It overlooks the Jardín de la Unión, the former mining capital’s main square and a gathering place for mariachis. Museo Casa de Diego Rivera, the restored home where the artist was born in 1886, houses a good collection of his early works.

  Guanajuato’s greatest claim to fame is its pivotal role in Mexican history. A funicular climbs a steep hill to the foot of the gargantuan statue honoring “El Pípila,” the miner who set fire to the Spanish-controlled granary in 1810. His action allowed the insurgents to attack the Spanish soldiers barricaded inside and was the first major military victory for the independent forces.

  Villa María Cristina, in a handsomely restored 19th-century building, is the most sophisticated of the city’s hotels. It has just 13 spacious suites with a sunken pool that is perfect for a swim after a day of sightseeing.

  Built during colonial times, La Parroquia church got a Gothic makeover in 1880.

  WHERE: San Miguel de Allende is 180 miles/290 km northwest of Mexico City. CASA DE SIERRA NEVADA: Tel 52/415-152-7040; in the U.S., 800-701-1561; www.casadesierranevada.com. Cost: from $250. CASA SCHUCK: Tel 52/415-152-0657; in the U.S., 937-684-4092; www.casaschuck.com. Cost: from $195. VILLA MARÍA CRISTINA: Tel 473-731-2182; in U.S., 866-424-6868; www.villamariacristina.net. Cost:
from $290. BEST TIMES: In San Miguel: Semana Santa (week before Easter) for processions and festivities; Sep 15–16 for Independence Day; Sep 29 for Fiesta de San Miguel. In Guanajuato: Oct for Cervantes Festival.

  Where Hollywood Came to Play

  ACAPULCO

  Guerrero, Mexico

  Much of Acapulco’s onetime sultry reputation as Hollywood’s south-of-the-border beach club has been eclipsed by that of Mexico’s other resorts, but the heart-stopping beauty of its horseshoe-shaped bay is eternal. Add in the legendary Pacific sunsets, a flashy, all-night party scene, and those thrilling La Quebrada cliff divers who jump from dizzying heights into a terrifyingly small inlet, and it’s no wonder this city has staying power.

  A recent renaissance has introduced several new hotels, including the 1950s stylish Hotel Boca Chica, which, thanks to a recent renovation, recalls the glamorous days when John Wayne, Rita Hayworth, and Elvis Presley stayed here (the latter while filming Fun in Acapulco). Thirty retro-modern rooms have views of lush Isla La Roqueta, a popular island for snorkeling and sunbathing.

  Las Brisas is the hilltop doyenne in this consummate resort town. Secluded bougainvillea-draped casitas, each with a private pool filled with floating hibiscus flowers, sprawl across a hillside commanding eye-popping bay views. The hotel’s hallmark pink jeeps transport guests through expansive gardens.

  For something removed from Acapulco’s bustle, head to the serene Banyan Tree Cabo Marques, a sophisticated newcomer featuring Asian-inspired villas with private pools and dramatic panoramas. Or try the sleepy fishing village of Pie de la Cuesta, where a stroll along the powdery beach will take you back to a time before Acapulco was a glimmer in Hollywood’s eye.

  WHERE: 240 miles/386 km south of Mexico City. BOCA CHICA: Tel 52/744-482-2879; in the U.S., 800-337-4685; www.hotel-bocachica.com. Cost: from $120. LAS BRISAS: Tel 52/744-469-6900; in the U.S., 866-427-2779; www.brisashotelonline.com. Cost: from $225. BANYAN TREE: Tel 52/744-434-0100; in the U.S., 800-591-0439; www.banyantree.com. Cost: from $600. BEST TIMES: Nov–May for ideal weather; Dec 12 for Virgin of Guadalupe feast day and diving at La Quebrada.

  A Best-Kept Secret No Longer

  ZIHUATANEJO

  Guerrero, Mexico

  It’s not easy to pronounce Zihuatanejo, let alone find it on a map, but veteran travelers discovered long ago that the colorful old fishing village is one of Mexico’s treasures. Low-key “Zihua,” backed by the foothills of the Sierra Madre, lies on a horseshoe-shaped bay ringed by sparkling beaches. No wonder it’s a destination some would rather not share.

  The palm-fringed Playa la Ropa and Playa las Gatas feature calm, clear waters that are perfect for swimming and snorkeling, along with simple, thatch-roofed seafood restaurants.

  A pair of hotels here are counted among Mexico’s top beach resorts: The Tides Zihuatanejo, on Playa la Ropa, offers an attention to detail, design, and décor that is more typical of a private home than a hotel; it has long been showered with accolades as an ideal romantic hideaway. Palm-shrouded villas are done up in warm colors, and king-size beds come swathed in sheer mosquito netting. La Casa Que Canta (The House That Sings) perches on a rocky hillside nearby. Made from molded adobe to resemble a traditional pueblo, the mood is both romantic and relaxed, beginning with the infinity pool, whose blues of sky, horizon, and bay blend into one magnificent seascape. Many of the sea-view suites have open-air living rooms, small private pools, and thatch-roofed terraces.

  For a sublime end to the day, arrive in time for sunset at the dining terrace overlooking the bay at Kau-Kan, where Parisian-trained chef-owner Ricardo Rodriguez serves up delicious fresh-caught seafood—his signature dish is potato stuffed with lobster and shrimp—under a canopy of starry skies. Rodriguez also oversees the boutique Casa Kau-Kan, a small hotel facing miles of pristine beach outside town.

  WHERE: 357 miles/576 km southwest of Mexico City. THE TIDES: Tel 52/755-555-5500; in the U.S., 866-905-9560; www.tideszihuatanejo.com. Cost: from $355 (off-peak), from $500 (peak). LA CASA QUE CANTA: Tel 52/755-555-5050; in the U.S., 888-523-5050; www.lacasaquecanta.com. Cost: from $490. KAU-KAN: Tel 52/755-554-8446; www.casakaukan.com/kaukan. cost: dinner $50. CASA KAU-KAN: Tel 52/755-554-6226; www.casakaukan.com. Cost: $120. BEST TIME: Nov–Apr for nicest weather.

  “In Mexico City, there is a god under every stone, and when the stones speak, they are the memory of our people.”—ELENA PONIATOWSKA

  MEXICO CITY

  Mexico

  More than 1,000 years ago, the Aztecs built their capitol of Tenochtitlán on an island in a vast lake here; it was the largest metropolis in the world when the Spanish arrived in 1519. Mexico City, or often D.F. for Distrito Federal, built on top of the ancient city, is again one of the most populous on the planet, where all the disparate strains of Mexican culture come together in a fusion of ancient civilizations and contemporary urbanity. Immense and bustling, sophisticated, and human-scaled, ringed by snow-peaked volcanoes now visible through newly clear air, this much-maligned but gracious Latin American city is fast gaining recognition as one of the world’s increasingly stylish capitals of culture.

  TOP ATTRACTIONS

  THE ZÓCALO—Mexico City’s massive zócalo, also known as Plaza Mayor, is second in size only to Moscow’s Red Square. This was the heart of the Aztec empire, razed by the conquistador Hernán Cortés who recycled its grand temples to build the monuments that now stand atop it. These buildings include the largest and most impressive cathedral in Latin America, Catedral Metropolitana, and beside it the Museo Templo Mayor, which occupies the first floor of a sacred Aztec temple that was accidentally discovered in 1978 and is now a brilliant showcase of the capital’s preconquest past. The 17th-century Palacio Nacional, Mexico’s seat of government, houses Diego Rivera’s epic murals that depict the sweep of Mexican history. The best views of the plaza are from the Holiday Inn’s rooftop terrace, which occupies the site where Moctezuma’s palace once stood. MUSEO TEMPLO MAYOR: Tel 52/55-5542-4943; www.templomayor.inah.gob.mx. HOLIDAY INN: Tel 52/55-5130-5130; www.holidayinn.com. Cost: from $120.

  The Zócalo has been a public gathering site since Aztec times.

  PALACIO DE BELLAS ARTES—Situated on the rim of D.F.’s colonial core, the opulent Palacio de Bellas Artes is both the venue for the Ballet Folklorico and the country’s oldest and most important art museum: The murals by Diego Rivera that grace the interior walls are second only to his work in the Palacio Nacional, and the early-20th-century murals by Mexican artists Tamayo, Orozco, and Siqueiros are unequaled. Together with the magnificent 1907 Palacio Postal across the street, the Palacio faces the 10-acre Alameda, a leafy park that’s popular with lovers and families. INFO: Tel 52/55-5325-9000; www.bellasartes.gob.mx.

  The Palacio de Bellas Artes’s Art Nouveau exterior reflects what visitors will find inside.

  PLAZA GARIBALDI AND TLATELOLCO—On weekends, you’ll find swaying crowds of singers and vendors offering tequila shots in the Plaza Garibaldi—an open-air mariachi market filled with impeccably suited bands playing their hearts out to land a wedding gig or quinceañera (“sweet fifteen” party). Ten blocks away, the ruins of Tlatelolco, an ancient Aztec market center, testify to the natives’ last stand against Cortés under 16th-century Aztec ruler Cuauhtémoc, nephew of Moctezuma. The site also has modern significance: In 1968, government troops squelched a spate of student protests by firing on a rally in the plaza, killing hundreds. Many Mexicans trace the opposition to the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) to “Tlatelolco.”

  PASEO DE LA REFORMA AND THE MUSEO NACIONAL DE ANTROPOLOGÍA—One of the few accomplishments of Austrian-born Maximilian I, short-lived emperor of mid-19th-century Mexico, was to build an answer to Paris’s Champs Élysées. Paseo de la Reforma is one of the most elegant boulevards in the Americas. A stroll west from the center of town lets you take in major embassies as well as the Monument of Independence, and the Zona Rosa neighborhood’s banyan-canopied streets. The Chapultepec Park, a mammoth plot of forest, has
two mandatory stops: The hilltop Castillo de Chapultepec, where the city’s last defenders surrendered to U.S. troops in 1847, looms over the park’s central lake; and on the other side of the park stands Mexico’s largest museum, the Museo Nacional de Antropología. One of the world’s finest, it is the repository of the country’s pre-Hispanic past, counting pyramids and a 12-foot-wide, 25-ton Aztec sun stone among its thousands of artifacts. The building itself is stunning, an inspiring example of mid-20th-century Modernism, with an open courtyard and a fountain designed by Mexican sculptor Chavez Morado. MUSEO NACIONAL DE ANTROPOLOGÍA: Tel 52/55-5553-6381; www.mna.inah.gob.mx.

  COYOACÁN—Cortés once kept his native mistress (the national antiheroine La Malinche) in this Aztec market town turned genteel suburb. This slow-paced colonial enclave, famed for decades as an intellectual hub, is home to Casa Azul, the “Blue House,” where painter Frida Kahlo was born in 1907. It is now a museum dedicated to her art and life—including her marriage to master muralist Diego Rivera, whose work and personal items also appear throughout. A few blocks away is the fortresslike Casa León Trotsky, where the Russian revolutionary took refuge from Stalin’s purges and was assassinated in 1940. A stroll around Coyoacán’s central market and three cheerful public squares is best fueled with a stop at El Jarocho, an outdoor café famous for serving some of the best—and surely the strongest—coffee in the city. CASA AZUL: Tel 52/55-5444-5999; www.museofridakahlo.org.mx. MUSEO CASA DE LEÓN TROTSKY: Tel 52/55-5554-0687; http://museocasadeleontrotsky.blogspot.com. EL JAROCHO: Tel 52/55-56-58-50-29; www.cafeeljarocho.com.mx.

  UNAM—Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is the oldest university in North America and, with an enrollment of 270,000, one of the largest in the world. Its sprawling campus offers a rare chance for city residents to bask in wide-open green space, and to admire the enormous murals by David Alfaro Siqueiros and Diego Rivera. Juan O’Gorman’s 43,000-square-foot mural wrapping the 12-story Central Library (Biblioteca Central) illustrates 400 years of Mexico’s history. EDIFICIO DE LA BIBLIOTECA CENTRAL: Tel 52/55-5622-1603; www.unam.mx.