Around Mexico City

Puebla, a well-preserved colonial town that is the capital of the state of the same name, is a beautiful city and a destination in its own right. You can cover the city in a day trip, but you really should try to stay overnight. You could be drawn onward by nearby Cholula, with its dozens of churches, or Tlaxcala, with a pair of shady plazas perfect for spending a lazy afternoon in. Farther north in Puebla state you'll find the mountain town of Cuetzalan, with its wonderful Sunday market. If you've opted to head this way instead of hitting Teotihuacán and Tula, you can get a ruins fix at Cacaxtla.

Valle de Bravo & Environs

Heading west from Mexico City into the state of México, you'll find a string of good day-trip sights, such as the long-extinct volcano Nevado de Toluca. For a longer excursion, push along through the pine forests to Valle de Bravo, a lovely lakeside colonial town with cobblestone streets. Mexico's wealthy political and business elite keep weekend homes here, and barely a weekend goes by without a sailing regatta. It's also popular with fans of ecotourism and extreme sports.

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