Audley Travel

An immensely diverse country, Mexico has a rich cultural heritage and a fascinating history.

Physically, the land includes scorching deserts, lush rainforests, rocky mountains, deep canyons, stunning beaches and sparkling, turquoise seas, where the pre-Colombian age saw mighty empires rise: amongst them Aztec, Maya and Toltec. Each has left a legacy of ancient ruins, and though some have been cleared, many are still disguised by dangling lianas and the roots of tall trees that have over time engulfed them. Traces of these civilisations live on in quaint highland villages, where indigenous people still wear customary dress as they browse market stalls and transform Christian churches with their own ancient gods. Every city shows signs of the 500 years of Spanish occupation, with Castillian architecture, cobbled streets and baroque cathedrals all setting the tone in the colonial towns.

All this is enhanced by delicious Mexican food and by the constant background cadences of traditional music. With a population of over 106 million and 52 different spoken languages Mexico is also a land of contrasts; modern versus ancient, manic versus serene and rich versus poor; a country that caters for all tastes but is not without its challenges.

Selected Highlights

Our specialists have travelled the length and breadth of the country to research the best places to stay and things to do. Here they list a few of their favourite “unmissables”. Click here for more highlights

Discover Mexico's ancient civilisations

Few countries in the world are lucky enough to have as wide a range of ancient civilisations displaying the history of their nation as Mexico. It is an...  [more]

Experience the Day of the Dead in Mexico's colonial cities

On the 1st of November Mexico celebrates its ''Day of the Dead'', a colourful syncretism of ancient cultures and Catholicism involving decorated skulls,...  [more]

Experience the splendour of Mayan ruins

There are hundreds of Mayan sites across the southeast and the Yucatan Peninsula, some barely excavated and relatively untouched, others famous and much...  [more]