The Pacific Coast, long and well-developed, is Mexico's national and international playground, with famous resorts like Puerto Vallarta. The beaches, snorkeling, fishing and weather are excellent. Courtesy of Mexican Tourism Board
Mexico has many faces, each offering visitors a unique insight into this fascinating country and its people. Start with blue seas teeming with fish and coral, crystal-white beaches, lofty mountains and volcanoes, jungles full of exotic wildlife, collectible indigenous arts and the breathtaking remains of ancient cultures. Add cosmopolitan cities and charming colonial towns, championship golf courses, world class hotels and resorts and flavorful cuisines. Whatever your interests, travel in Mexico will go beyond your expectations.
Mexico is among the richest Latin American countries in traditions, formed by the fusion of the Spanish culture—present in everything from architecture to language, from Talavera tile-making to the Catholic religion—layered on to the already complex, sophisticated and luxurious map of indigenous Mesoamerica. The world “discovered” in the early 16th century by Hernan Cortes was in many ways even more educated and complex than that of its conquerors.
Some pre-Hispanic societies were sophisticated, erecting great cities and building elaborated crypts for generations of kings. Others maintained a less structured, nomadic lifestyle. Thousands of miles of seacoast, rich alluvial plains and extensive mountain ranges, covered in forests and rich in mineral wealth, provided a bounty of food and natural resources. Mesoamerican scholars and priests had excelled at advanced mathematics, astronomy and architecture since the dawn of the Christian era. The Mayans and Zapotecs employed several highly accurate calendars for rituals and recordkeeping, and were among the first people anywhere in the world to develop a place-value system of counting.
Besides the archeological sites representing these mysterious ancient cultures, there are colonial churches, haciendas, town squares and graceful avenues to remind you of the Spanish heritage and a synergy of two cultures. One of the jewels of this marriage between the Old and New Worlds is Mexico City. The city rose from the ruins of the Aztec Empire in the early 1500’s. Over the next 300 years it became an impressive city of plazas, parks and monumental structures. Its landscape is full of beautiful examples of the baroque, neoclassical and colonial architecture, but the city also boasts an amazing array of contemporary buildings.
Culture and nature are part of almost every visit to Mexico; whether for business or pleasure. Its long coasts offer many different choices for a time of sun and relaxation, each one with its own local culture and character. With the sixth highest level of biodiversity in the world, Mexico offers plenty of opportunities for adventure in stunning natural environments. Thanks to its year-round mild climate, almost all activities can be enjoyed every season.
Mexico offers a variety of cultural sites in diverse settings and terrains. Modern architecture reflects the vitality of the Mexican spirit, and visual arts, music and dance enliven museums, city squares, and performance halls. Living traditions, carried on by indigenous peoples throughout the country bind together past and present with a unique Mexican flavor. You can experience these cultures through handcrafts, dress, cuisine and distinctive regional festivals.
A Mosaic of Marvelous Regions
Mexico’s vast territory is part of the secret for its great diversity of climates, landscapes and cultures. More than a monolithic structure, Mexico is the sum of different wills and traditions, all of them united in their pride for their ancestral roots. Each region of the country has its own identity and charm.
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