San Cristóbal de las Casas

A pretty highland town in a valley where pine forests are interspersed with vegetable fields, San Cristóbal straddles two worlds. Here indigenous women with babies tied tightly in colorful shawls share the main square with teenagers on cell phones. Graceful colonial-era buildings house shops selling DVD players. From the looks of this thoroughly modern city, you'd never know that Chiapas is one of Mexico's poorest regions, or that it was the locus of the 1994 Zapatista rebellion.

In fact, as the city transforms from a quiet mountain village to a requisite stop on the tourist trail, repeat visitors have seen it lose some of its rural charm. But there is no denying the uniqueness of the indigenous villages outside of San Cristóbal, such as San Juan Chamula, that seem utterly disconnected from the rest of Mexico.

San Cristóbal is the perfect hub for exploring the region's villages and towns, lakes and rivers, and archaeological sites; a smart choice would be to base yourself here for a week or longer. In addition to admiring the town's colorful facades, budget some time to visit the market, peek into a few churches, and enjoy a cup of locally grown coffee in a shady courtyard. No itinerary is complete without a trip to the indigenous villages outside of San Cristóbal.

The town's cool climate is a refreshing change from the sweltering heat of the lowlands. On chilly evenings wood smoke scents the air, curling lazily over the red-tile roofs of small, brightly painted stucco houses. The sense of the mystical here is intensified by the fog and low clouds.

San Cristóbal is laid out in a grid pattern centered on the zócalo. When walking around, remember that street names change on either side of this square: Calle Francisco Madero to the east of the square, for example, becomes Calle Diego de Mazariegos to the west. The town was originally divided into barrios (neighborhoods), but they now blend together into a city center that's easy to negotiate.

In colonial times Indian allies of the Spaniards were moved onto lands on the outskirts of the nascent city. Each barrio was dedicated to an occupation. There were Tlaxcala fireworks manufacturers in one part of the town and pig butchers from Cuxtitali in another. Although specific divisions no longer exist, some of the local customs have been kept alive. For example, each Saturday certain houses downtown will put out red lamps to indicate that homemade tamales are for sale.