HI World Destination of the Month: Mexico!

Colors, sounds, flavors and nature… Discover this and much more in Mexico!

Mexico is a country full of highlights that will captivate you and make your visit a unique experience, so let’s start the journey!

First stop - Mexico City - The capital and largest city in Mexico, which is served by Mexico City International Airport – Latin America’s busiest and largest airport with daily flights worldwide. The city it is today, with a wealth of places of interest and things to see and do, is thanks to the Aztec culture of the 14th century, which built a city full of temples and palaces. A place you must visit is the Plaza Mayor, better known as the Zócalo, which is the main plaza in the heart of the historic center of Mexico City. Close by you will find the archeological site of Templo Mayor, one of the main temples of the Aztecs and a few blocks from there you will find the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, the largest and oldest cathedral in the Americas. If you want to experience exciting night life make sure you visit La Condesa or Polanco for great restaurants, bars and sidewalk cafés.

For a taste of tradition do not forget to visit Xochimilco, better known for its extended series of canals where all inhabitants travel in colourful trajineras (Xochimilco boats).

The HI network has two great hostels in Mexico City, which are ideal bases for discovering all that this fascinating city offers.

Next stop – the Colonial Cities. Travel through Mexico and be seduced by the colorful buildings and extraordinary streets of the colonial cities of Mexico. The colonial cities of Mexico, beginning in the heart of the country and looping steadily southward toward the border, dot the country like a string of pearls. Each city is unique in its character, but bound to the rest by a shared architectural beauty, turbulent history, and cultural richness. Cities not to be missed are Puebla, Guadaljar and Zacatecas.

Explore Puebla; famous for its ceramic of Talavera and scores of churches, which vary in size and style. Most impressive is the main cathedral, which took over a hundred years to complete and is said to be the country’s tallest. The Museo de Amparo, a short distance away, has a remarkable collection of pre-Hispanic and colonial-era art and artifacts. Puebla also makes a good base for trips elsewhere in the region, especially to Mexico City, which is just two hours away. Be sure to try Puebla’s most famous dish: chile en nogada, a pepper stuffed with meat and topped by a white walnut cream sauce and pomegranate seeds. HI offers accommodation at Puebla hostel - Hostel Santo Domingo.

Guadalajara is the birth place of Mariachi and tequila, those essential Mexican traditions! Go to their sources at Plaza de los Mariachis or on a distillery tour in the nearby town of Tequila to sample. For accommodation during your stay check out Guadalajara hostels.

Zacatecas, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the prettiest colonial towns in Mexico, with winding cobblestone roads, wide plazas with historical markets, colonial-style buildings made with pink sandstone, and a cathedral that’s one of the best examples of baroque architecture in the country is not to be missed. After a day of sightseeing relax at Zacatecas hostel - Hostel Villa Colonial.

Also not to be missed - Mexico’s Southern Tourist Paradise. An indescribable place made up of mangroves, cenotes, ancient cultures and fabulous cuisine.

Be sure to visit the walled city of Tulum, one of the most visited of all original Mayan sites, which are located in the State of Quintana Roo, along the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. Located in the northern center of the Yucatán Peninsula visit Chichen Itza, an archaeological site listed as World Heritage by UNESCO.

The HI network of hostels in Mexico represents 15 hostels; all of them are located in the major cities for tourism in Mexico and are all bookable online at hihostels.com.

Hostelling International Destination of the Month Archive

Destination of the Month April 2010 - Norway
Destination of the Month March 2010 - Portugal
Destination of the Month February 2010 - Israel
Destination of the Month January 2010 - Vancouver
Destination of the Month Dezember 2009 - Switzerland
Destination of the Month November 2009 - Argentina
Destination of the Month October 2009 - Alsace

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