CANCUNIf there is a place in the world where Mother Nature blessed humankind with a fascinating vision of paradise, that place is Cancun. Numerous beaches: Playa Linda , Langosta , Tortugas , Gaviota , Chaac-Mool and the currently fashionable, Playa Ballenas and Playa Delfines , provide a myriad of alternatives for leisure and recreation.
Cancun is also home to numerous shopping malls where visitors may find curious examples of handicrafts made by local artists, alongside more sophisticated wares such as radio and navigation systems for yachts and cruisers.
Once the sun has disappeared over the horizon, Cancun comes to life: people of all ages and from the four corners of the world meet up in the most fashionable bars, cafés and discos. Cancun is a paradise that never sleeps.
Our hotels in the region:
Gran Meliá Cancún 5* GL
Meliá Turquesa 5*
Cancun -Puerto Morelos
This is still a small fishing village where visitors truly feel that they are in Mexico. The variety of multi-coloured tropical fish, dolphins, tortoises and the occasional whale, together with the beautiful coral formations in the "Arrecifes de Puerto Morelos" Marine Reserve, make it an ideal location for an unforgettable vacation.
Puerto Morelos is very different to its more famous neighbours (Cancun and Playa del Carmen), considered by many as a truly peaceful and bohemian location, in the best sense of the word.
Residents include entrepreneurs, writers, artists, craftsmen, marine biologists, scuba diving instructors, doctors, local fishermen, tradesmen and the retired from all over the world.
Our hotel in the region:
Paradisus Riviera Cancún 5*
COZUMELThe Island of Cozumel measures 48 km. from north to south and 16 km. from east to west. Both sides of the island are bordered by a long coastline of white sands. The western side is bathed by a calm sea and crystal-clear waters. The eastern side is battered by fierce waves. The flora and fauna have some peculiar traits and include some local species such as the dwarf racoon and the Cozumel wren. The greatest wealth in Cozumel, however, is found under the waterline. Cozumel proudly boasts more than 25 different coral reefs, where scuba divers of all ages and abilities can discover a whole new world: endless colonies of coral inhabited by immense shoals of the most colourful fish. There are endless alternatives, both for beginners and for scuba diving experts.
San Miguel de Cozumel, capital of the island, is an old and graceful town, full of the charm of the towns of the Mexican Caribbean. The quality of its cuisine, based on excellent local seafood, is renowned throughout the land and, although it is a provincial town, it is nevertheless modern and amenable.
ATravellers to Cozumel may also visit San Gervasio, the island's largest archaeological site and a place to discover Mayan mysteries and culture.
Our hotels in the region:
Meliá Cozumel 5*
Sol Cabañas del Caribe 4*
IXTAPAOne of the most beautiful beaches is found at El Palmar, a location that gives Ixtapa its tropical paradise image. Open to the sea, with moderate waves and fine, golden sands spreading over a length of 2 kilometres before a fertile plain that is home to the modern and sophisticated tourism resort of Ixtapa, one of the most important in Mexico.
Zihuatanejo
Zihuatanejo is an old fishing village located in a protected, picturesque bay only 2.6 km. wide. Before the arrival of the Spanish, the "Las Gatas", was home to King Tarasco who ordered the building of a breakwater so that the maidens were able to swim. Centuries later, it was to become a refuge for famous pirates. Its original name, "Cihuatlán", means "Place of Women " in the Náhuatl language. When the Spanish colonised the land, they reported that it was not a grand place, adding the diminishing ending of "nejo" to the name "Cihuatlán", and eventually giving rise to the modern name of Zihuatanejo.
This ancient location is also home to the Costa Grande Archaeological museum.
Our hotel in the region:
Meliá Azul Ixtapa All Inclusive 5*
LOS CABOSIn the last decade, Los Cabos has changed from a remote and isolated destination with little to do to one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing destinations in the country, with excellent hotel and leisure facilities that have been built in a way that has managed to conserve the natural environment.
Los Cabos comprises 3 different destinations in one, located along 35 km. of coastline: San José del Cabo for a more leisurely paced tourism, Cabo San Lucas for more fun-packed tourism and great nightlife, and the hotel area and some of the finest beaches that links them both.
With scenery that is completely different to any other beach destination in Mexico, Los Cabos also provides 9 championship golf courses amongst some of the finest in the world (162 holes in all). It is considered the world capital for fishing for marlin, sailfish, and other deep-sea species, and is internationally praised by scuba divers for locations such as the coral reef at Cabo Pulmo.
The 1,600 km that separate Tijuana, on the northern border from Los Cabos also leave lots of space for adventurers to just jump in the car and lose themselves amongst the silence of the mountains and deserts, the dunes, the cactus and endless beaches. An experience that the French philosopher Jean Baudillard, fascinated by the desert, qualifies as "full mental emotion". There is a central highway that runs through the state from north to south, passing through the main port of Ensenada, el principal puerto, por San Quintín, Guerrero negro, Loreto and La Paz, la capital.
Our hotels in the region:
Meliá Cabo Real 5*
Meliá San Lucas 5*
MEXICO CITYThe biggest tourist attractions in the city range from archaeological remains, colonial palaces, Arte Nouveau, and Art Deco, to imaginative and functional examples of modern design.
The centre of the city is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and its public square, the third biggest in the whole world, provides a range of sensations to be enjoyed on foot or from the comfort of one of the double-decker buses that tour the city offering unbeatable views of areas such as Polanco, Zona Rosa, Chapultepec, the bohemian Condesa or the charming Roma. A stroll around Coyoacán and San Angel gives a glimpse of a more traditional way of life and some areas near the centre such as Tlalpan and Xochimilco, are perfect for getting an idea of rural life. Pre-Hispanic remains are also close by, just a few kilometres away at the Sacred City of Teotihuacan.
Chapultepec Park
At the end of the Paseo de la Reforma Avenue is Chapultepec Hill, with its ancient woods and castle. For centuries, Chapultepec has been a meeting point for the inhabitants of this gigantic metropolis, a green oasis where they can spend their free time. There are also cultural areas, the National Anthropology Museum, the fair, the Zoo and the lakes. Chapultepec is also home to some of the city's finest hotels thanks to its excellent location and vicinity to the Reforma business district, Polanco, the Periférico and the nearby Santa Fe. Chapultepec is also set amongst some very interesting residential "barrios": Polanco, Condesa, Roma, San Miguel and Tacubaya.
Tlalpan
The foot of the Ajusco, one of the highest peaks in the valley, was home to one of the first civilisations in the Americas, and has provided visitors with the circular ruins at Cuicuilco. The location gave rise to the settlement at Tlalpan, with its beautiful houses, streets and religious buildings, such as the entrance to the 17th. century San Agustín Temple, dcontrasting with the modern chapel at the Capuchinas Convent designed in the 1950s. As well as the San Agustín fiestas, this region also has other attractions such as its typical bars and cafés and the nearby Azteca football stadium.
Coyoacán
A cobbled street lined with grand mansions welcomes visitors to a "barrio" full of charming squares, art galleries, restaurants and bohemian airs. Its privileged location made it the home of a pre-Hispanic settlement on the banks of the old lake, home to the powerful during the reconstruction de Tenochtitlan and site of beautiful houses after the Franciscan foundation in the 16th. century. "Barrio" life is best seen from in front of San Juan Bautista Church dfull of cafés, bars, restaurants, and bookstores and the place where many popular fiestas are celebrated. It has been home to political figures such as Leon Trotsky whose house, where he was assassinated, is now a museum), and people from the world of art and literature such as Octavio Paz and Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. Their legacy not only remains in what were their houses, but also in the intense cultural agenda on offer at the theatres, schools and galleries. The streets are also home to Museums such as the Anahuacalli, designed by Diego Rivera as a recreation of a pre-Hispanic world, the National Museum of Popular Culture or the Museum of the Interventions, dedicated to changes in the country's borders.
Little-known locations
The Portal de los Evangelistas, in the square of Plaza Santo Domingo, is not exactly little-known, but it is a fascinating place that should not be missed. The porticoed arcades host a large number of public offices and print workshops, frequented by people wanting to print business cards or wedding invitations, and also by local people that are still unable to write and need somebody to write a letter for them, similar to the excellent movie set in Río de Janeiro, Brazil Central Station, but this time in Mexico City.
Our hotel in the region:
Gran Meliá México Reforma 5*
PUERTO VALLARTALocated in the Bay of Banderas (Jalisco), Puerto Vallarta is a purpose-built tourism resort with an average of 2.5 million visitors every year. With crystal-clear, turquoise waters, the resort provides a wide range of different types of hotel for the most discerning travellers.
The town of Puerto Vallarta, set between small hills, is formed by ancient white-washed buildings, narrow cobbled streets, and a warm and romantic air. A stroll along the Malecón coastal promenade is a tradition after sunset as the temperature begins to go down and the nightlife begins to wake up.
A visit to the numerous restaurants at Puerto Vallarta Marina should not be missed, along with a walk around the nearby town of Mismaloya, the setting for many a famous Hollywood blockbuster.
Our hotel in the region:
Meliá Puerto Vallarta 5*
What to see
