A LUXURY HOLIDAY TO MEXICO’S CENTRAL HIGHLANDS
Flanked by volcanoes and steeped in centuries of tradition, the Central Highlands offer a rich, offbeat alternative to the frenetic pace of Mexico City.
This is the Mexico of baroque façades and revolutionary murals, of papier-mâché saints and folkloric rituals that have scarcely changed in centuries. From Puebla and Tepoztlán to San Miguel de Allende and Michoacán, the highlands’ colonial cities and villages are deeply storied – yet occasionally unexpectedly contemporary.
Expect excellent food, boutiques piled high with hand-thrown ceramics and textiles, and plazas alive with local musicians, shoe shiners and balloon sellers. It’s a place that rewards the unhurried and the curious: just the kind of travel we like best.
WHAT TO SEE & DO IN MEXICO’S CENTRAL HIGHLANDS
Puebla is a colonial showpiece laid out by Spanish rulers in the 16th century, its skyline studded with baroque spires and Talavera-tiled mansions.
The birthplace of mole, this is a city that takes its food seriously. Nearby Cholula is home to the largest pyramid by volume on the planet – though you’d never know it. The Spanish, ever pragmatic, built a church on top and let nature disguise the rest.
Further north, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of San Miguel de Allende has evolved from silver-route outpost to cosmopolitan hideaway. Cobbled streets lead past pretty pink-stone churches and some of the country’s most exciting restaurants, galleries and ateliers. For all its polish, it remains charmingly unhurried.
Morelia is a city of arcades, plazas and leafy boulevards, known for its 21 rose-pink churches, and refreshingly free of mass tourism. An hour away sits Pátzcuaro, on the edge of a highland lake – come for Dia de Muertos to see it at its most soulful, when hundreds of candlelit boats cross the water. And from November to March, millions of monarch butterflies descend in the forests of eastern Michoacán and cloak its trees in orange.
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How many days should I allow to explore the Central Highlands?
To do it properly, we like to allow two or three days in each spot: enough time to get lost in the city streets, poke your head into workshops and boutiques, detour to a nearby village or vineyard, and enjoy a long lunch or two. We can shape the pace around how you like to travel, and how long you’ve got.
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How do I travel there from Mexico City?
All of these places sit within easy reach of Mexico City. Puebla and Tepoztlán are just a two-hour drive away, close enough for a short escape. San Miguel de Allende and Morelia are a little further – four hours or so – best visited as part a slow, looping journey through the highlands.
The best way to travel is by private car, with time to stop whenever something catches your eye. We can arrange a driver if you’d rather sit back and watch the country unfold, or you can take the wheel yourself and see where the road leads.
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When is the best time to visit?
The sweet spot is between November and April, when the skies are clear, the days are dry, and the highland air crisp. November ushers in festival season, and Día de Muertos is particularly special in places like Morelia and Pátzcuaro.
From May to September, the rainy season brings less predictable conditions, and September and October are best avoided due to the risk of hurricanes.
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What other destinations pair well with time in the highlands?
Most journeys into the Highlands begin in Mexico City. From there, it’s culture or food you’re after, Oaxaca is an essential next stop. For the coast, head west and you’ll hit Costalegre, with its cliff-backed beaches. Or go further to the jungle ruins of Chiapas, or the cenotes of the Yucatán.
We’ve travelled it all, and know exactly where to steer you depending on your pace, your appetite, and how far off the grid you want to go.
Beyond The Colonial Highlands
Most trips to Mexico will begin in the capital, but where next?
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Conde Nast Traveler Specialists every year since 2017
