Travelling to Mexico

by Katrina Greene

Mexico is steeped in history and culture, blending ancient ruins with ultramodern city life. There`s so much to see and do in Mexico that you may find yourself coming back and having a different experience each time.

For culture, Mexico City can`t be beaten. Mexico`s greatest museums are in Chapultepec Park, alongside the city zoo. The Museo Nacional de Antropolog�a is one of the world`s finest anthropological museums, exploring Mexican cultures and societies spanning 20,000 years. The Museo de Arte Moderno and the Museo Rufino Tamayo hold impressive collections of art, the former specialising in modern Mexican artists and the latter on the Mexican muralists and European masters such as Picasso and Miro. The Museo del Ni�o – Papalote is one of the most technologically sophisticated touch-and-do museums in the world, with over 200 interactive exhibits on arts, sciences and technology.

For a break from museums, visit the Plaza di Garibaldi, where Mariachi ply their trade for tips and can play any song you request. The Ballet Folklorico de Mexico performs twice a week at the Palacio de Bellas Artes – book tickets ahead of your visit, as this is extremely popular and often sold out weeks in advance. Pick up the weekend editions of local newspapers to find out what`s happening in the Salsa and Cuban clubs over the coming week, too.

The Valle de Bravo is a gorgeous ex-colonial town on a hilltop 90 minutes from Mexico City. As well as picturesque, it has excellent sailing, fishing, water skiing and boating facilities on the lake and the surrounding hills and forest are fantastic for hiking and cycling.

Teotihuac�n is an hour from Mexico City and this massive archaeological site holds the remains of a city over 2,000 years old, which once housed 200,000 people. One of Mexico`s most important historical sites, Teotihuac�n takes a day to appreciate fully.

Queretaro is an old colonial city two and a half hours north of Mexico City by car. Steeped in arts, culture, music and stunning architecture, it`s worth spending a night or two here. With live concerts in the evenings, clean open spaces to take a break and an aqueduct almost for 300 years old, Queretaro is as peaceful or as energetic as you want it to be.

Sports enthusiasts will find Mexico unrivalled in its opportunities, from caving in some of the world`s deepest caves, to world-class rapids in Veracruz. Cabo San Lucas, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta hold golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Tom Weiskopf and other golf luminaries. And, of course, who would want to miss the Lucha Libre, colourfully-dressed wrestlers putting on one of the world`s best shows?

If you just want to get away from it all and relax, Mexico has a wealth of beaches and resorts to help you do just that. The glorious beaches of Cancun, Acapulco and Los Cabos are world-renowned and developed tourist destinations in their own . To escape the crowds, though, why not head to Xcalak on the Costa Maya? In the centre of the Great Maya Reef, there are plenty of opportunities for snorkelling, diving and deep sea fishing.

If your flight has a layover in Dublin, why not take the opportunity to explore this glorious, welcoming city as part of your wider holiday experience? It needn`t cost the earth and cheap car hire at Dublin airport will ensure you get to the heart of the city and back to catch your flight to Mexico in plenty of time!

Katrina writes regularly for a range of travel sites and blogs, covering destinations across the world.