8 Best Sights in Mexico

This church has dominated the town's Plaza Borda since the 18th century, and throughout the Spanish colonial era, it was Mexico's tallest structure. Usually just called Santa Prisca, it was built by French silver magnate José de la Borda after he literally stumbled upon a rich silver vein, although the expense nearly bankrupted him. According to legend, first-century Christian martyr St. Prisca appeared to workers during a storm and prevented a wall of the church from tumbling. Soon after, the church was named in her honor. The style of the church—a sort of Spanish baroque known as churrigueresque—and its pale pink exterior have made it Taxco's most important landmark. Its facade, naves, and bovedas (vaulted ceilings), as well as important paintings by Mexican Juan Cabrera, are slowly being restored. A soft light illuminates the church each night until midnight. Around Plaza Borda are several neverías where you can treat yourself to ice cream in such unique flavors as tequila, corn, avocado, and burnt-milk. Currently the church is undergoing renovations, and its twin spires and much of the exterior are cloaked in scaffolding; it'll likely be the end of 2024 or sometime in 2025 when you'll again be able to take clear photos of the spectacular facade.

The magnificent church of St. Dominic is famous for its overwhelming Capilla del Rosario (Chapel of the Rosary), where almost every inch of the walls and ceilings is covered with gilded carvings. Dominican friars arrived here in 1534, barely a dozen years after the Spanish conquered this region. The Capilla de la Tercera Orden (Chapel of the Third Order) was originally called the "Chapel of the Dark-Skinned Ones," named for the mixed-race population born a short time later.

Construction on Puebla's immense and impressive cathedral began between 1536 and 1539. Work was completed by the city's most famous son, Bishop Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, who donated his personal fortune to build its famous tower, the second largest in the country. The altar was constructed between 1797 and 1818. Manuel Tolsá, Mexico's most illustrious colonial architect, adorned it with onyx, marble, and gold. The meticulously preserved interior is among the most impressive of Mexico's churches.

The largest and most dramatic of a few different historic churches in town, this imposing, ornately designed church and former Augustine monastery sits in the very center of town, overlooking Malinalco's small but bustling main plaza. Exceptionally detailed murals created by indigenous artists when the building was constructed in the mid-16th century line the walls and arched ceilings of the central atrium, and there's a remarkable crucifix carved of stone on the expansive tree-shaded grounds out front. The building is also known as the Parroquia del Divino Salvador, or Parish of the Divine Savoir. 

This impressive, huge, former convent includes a trio of churches. The most unusual is the Moorish-style Capilla Real, with 49 domes. Construction began in the 1540s, and the building was originally open on one side to facilitate the conversion of huge masses of people. A handful of Franciscan monks still live in one part of the premises, so be respectful of their privacy. La Biblioteca Franciscana is a fascinating on-premises library of over 24,000 volumes from the 16th through 19th centuries, with occasional exhibitions.

Rising high above Tepoztlán's low skyline is this buttressed former convent. It dates from the mid-16th century and has a facade adorned with icons dating from before the introduction of Christianity. Many of the walls, especially on the ground floor, have fragments of old paintings in earthen tones on the walls and decorating the arches. It is worth a visit just to see the building, which also houses temporary exhibits and a bookstore with a good selection of literature and music.

Manuel Toussaint, an expert in colonial art, likened this church to "a temple of porcelain, worthy of being kept beneath a crystal dome." Construction began in 1590, with the elaborate Spanish baroque decorations added between 1650 and 1750. Multicolor Talavera tiles cover the exceptionally ornate facade. The interior blazes with polychrome plasterwork and gilding; a sun radiates overhead. Unlike that of the nearby Santa María Tonantzintla, the ornamentation hews to the standard representations of the Incarnation, the Evangelists, and the Holy Trinity. Look for St. Francis, to whom the church is dedicated, between the altarpiece's spiraling columns.

This former convent, constructed from 1727 to 1752 and attributed to the Queretano Don Ignacio Mariano de las Casas, is noteworthy for its whimsical arches and the Arab influence of its facade. Inside, the church is one of the joys of the Mexican baroque, famous for its five fantastically carved, gold-leaf altarpieces as well as its rich paintings and statues.