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Visiting Mexico

General information

Mexico is one of the richest archaeological zones in the world. While interesting and breathtaking sites may be found in the northern half of the country, the huge majority of the larger and more important sites are located south of the Tropic of Cancer. There are literally thousands of sites in this area: some of these are grand capitals, but many more are villages and small towns. Most of the latter are found on private property, have not been excavated, and are not open to visitors. Even so, it would take many years to visit the hundreds of sites that have been excavated to some extent and are open to tourists. Those with only a few weeks at their disposal should concentrate on the most accessible and well-known sites; often these have engaging museums attached and good accommodations nearby. For those willing to leave the beaten track and put up with less-than-luxurious lodging, there are ruins across the country that are no less spectacular and a good deal less crowded.

Mexico is a land of extreme physical contrasts: the experience of lush tropical regions abutting snow-covered peaks is one that shapes the travel experience, as it has shaped much of the country’s history. All but the simplest itinerary will bring the traveler from the cool nights of Mexico City and environs to the hot, humid tropical lowlands of Veracruz and Tabasco. You will need a sweater for the higher elevations and loose-fitting, comfortable clothing for the lowlands. Sturdy, comfortable shoes are a must in both areas.

When deciding on a season for your trip, remember that Mexico has two: a winter dry season and a summer rainy season. Traditional wisdom often holds that the best time to visit the area is during the dry season, when visits are not interrupted by tropical downpours. That said, these rains are often predictable, occurring in the afternoon or early evening, just as the heat reaches a maximum. In many areas the rains revivify a landscape that has become brown and rather drab over the course of the dry season. In either season the sun can be strong, even dangerous, during the middle of the day. Keep a hat and other sun protection handy at all times, as well as a canteen of purified water.

Medical advice can be found in any good travel guide to Mexico and Central America. The most common complaint afflicting not only tyros but also seasoned archaeologists, is the ubiquitous turista – travelers’ diarrhea – which can make an otherwise enjoyable trip a misery. Prevention is imperative here. Under no circumstances should one drink any water other than that from sealed bottles or which has been boiled for at least 20 minutes; ice is equally treacherous. And one should avoid salads, uncooked vegetables and garnishes, and the skins of unpeeled fruits. The good news is that most cases of turista clear themselves up in a few days.

Mexico offers a tremendous range of transportation, from the adequate airline systems to remarkable first-class bus services. Reaching truly out of the way ruins may prove more challenging, however, and for those visitors with ample funds, car rental gives a great deal of freedom and the ability to cover many more sites than would be possible by public transportation. A few sites, such as Cantona, Puebla, can only be reached by private car, but the great majority can be accessed by public transportation of some sort.

Should one hire a guide? One of the advantages of an organized tour is that one’s group is almost always accompanied by a professional archaeologist or art historian, well versed in ancient Mexican culture history. Locally hired guides may or may not have been adequately trained, and it is best that they come recommended by a specialist. The true aficionado of ancient Mexico would do well to read as much as possible beforehand, beginning with some of the key works cited in the bibliography of this book.

Good site maps for the major ancient Mexican sites are available in various publications. It is always a good idea to have photocopies of these in hand, as well as a pocket compass to aid in orientation, when exploring a particular ruin.

The “must-see” sites

These are the cities that stand above the rest in historical importance and spectacular architecture and art. While specialists and travel buffs differ on their favorite lesser-known sites, several appear on everyone’s list: Teotihuacan, Tula, Tenochtitlan (Templo Mayor), Xochicalco, Monte Albán; Mitla in the highlands, and El Tajín and the La Venta monument park in the lowlands. These sites encompass the great majority of ancient Mexican history, from the earliest cities to the Aztec capital. No one who has failed to see these can really be said to know ancient Mexico. Most of the above sites require more than one day to know well, and the giant Teotihuacan warrants a good deal more time. Add to this the spectacular National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, with objects from around ancient Mexico and a portion of the Maya area, which also requires at least two days to acquaint oneself with adequately.

There are, of course, many dozen “lesser” sites, some of which rival or surpass most of the above in size, but these are so little excavated or so hard to get to that only the more dedicated enthusiasts would find it worth the difficulties which must be overcome to visit them. Other secondary centers reward the visitor without being too difficult of access: among the most notable of these are Xochitecatl and Cacaxtla, Cuicuilco, Malinalco, Yagul, La Quemada and Zempoala. Casas Grandes (Paquimé) in the far north, about three hours from El Paso, Texas, is the closest important ruin to the United States and well worth a visit.

Around Mexico City are Teotihuacan, Tula, Templo Mayor, and the National Museum of Anthropology. Teotihuacan is a one-hour drive or bus ride from Mexico City, making it an easy day trip from the capital. The site is an overwhelming experience if attempted in a day, however, and accommodations nearby are often a good idea if you are exploring over two days or more. There are several layers to any visit to Teotihuacan: the sheer scale of the Avenue of the Dead and its twin pyramids, the smaller but profusely decorated Temple of the Feathered Serpent and its stadium-sized court, and the intimate murals decorating the apartment compounds that cluster around the monumental center. Add to this two recently created museums of very high quality at the site, and it is easy to understand how one could spend at least three days at this site alone.

Also just north of Mexico City is the Toltec capital of Tula. While lauded in Aztec accounts as the fount of all artistry, the city was stripped by these same Aztecs of much of its finery, with some of the booty taken back to Tenochtitlan and used in the decoration of Aztec structures. While Tula is now a shadow of its former self, the reliefs of Pyramid B still enthrall, as does a trip to the top of that temple where the monumental warrior figures survey the Tula valley.

The remains of the most sacred Aztec pyramid may now be visited in the center of Mexico City, only steps from the Cathedral. Here one is struck by the complex layering of Latin American civilization, as each pyramid is covered by the next, grander pyramid only to be buried in turn by Spanish princely houses and the great Cathedral. The dramatic presentations in the accompanying museum, most culled from the deposits placed in the pyramid itself, are also well worth a visit.

No trip to Mexico is complete without time spent at the National Museum of Anthropology, located in Chapultepec Park near the center of Mexico City. While exhibits on the Maya area are artificially cropped at the nation’s boundaries, the entire extent of ancient Mexican culture is on display here, from Casas Grandes (Paquimé) in the north to Oaxaca and Veracruz in the south. The large culture areas are each given their own rooms, with an introductory hall and an early cultures room just to the right of the entrance. Don’t try to do the entire museum in one day: like other great world museums, this one rewards multiple visits and long stays near captivating displays. The Aztec room is particularly noteworthy, for unlike other sites or cultures that have major museums elsewhere, the National Museum itself is the central repository for the most important Aztec sculpture.

Xochicalco and environs

The state of Morelos is home to some of the most beautifully sited ruins in all of ancient Mexico. The easiest way to reach Xochicalco is via Cuernavaca, the starting point for many of the buses that pass by the ruins. The hilltop siting is magnificent, and the recently constructed museum houses many of the major finds of the last forty years of archaeology at the site. The heart of any trip to Xochicalco is a visit to the Pyramid of the Plumed Serpent, with its monumental, deeply cut reliefs. The Aztec site of Malinalco, with its temple cut into the living rock overlooking the colonial town of the same name, is further along the same road. Chalcatzingo, a major Preclassic ruin also beautifully situated, is reachable from Cuernavaca.

Monte Albán and Mitla

The Valley of Oaxaca is a destination all its own, with a fascinating and important melange of Colonial and indigenous, surrounded by arid but stunning mountains. On the outskirts of Oaxaca City and easily reached from there is Monte Albán, the Classic capital of the Zapotec people and home to early writing and imagery as well as important Classic-period buildings and sculpture. The hilltop siting with its view down the arms of the valley is breathtaking, as it must have been for the lords of the place at its apogee. A much more intimate courtly society may be seen at the later Mitla, at the eastern end of the Valley of Oaxaca and easily reachable from Oaxaca City. The valley sites of Yagul and Dainzú are also well worth a visit if time permits, although this would require at least two days and preferably a rental car.

The Veracruz Coast: El Tajín and the La Venta Monument Park

El Tajín may be accessed from Poza Rica or Papantla in northern Veracruz; the latter has a strong indigenous (Totonac) presence and a much more pleasant town center. Unlike the highland sites, the heat here is intense and it is best to start your tour as early as possible. But the beautifully proportioned architecture and the wealth of striking relief sculpture and mural painting here make any hardships bearable. Don’t miss Structure I, in the area called Tajín Chico that overlooks the rest of the site. Inside this building are striking, well-preserved murals. Much farther down the coast is Villahermosa, the capital of Tabasco state. Many of the sculptures of the great Olmec site, La Venta, were moved here and given a park setting after the site itself became an oil field. Although the city itself lacks charm, the presence of such important early sculptures within easy reach of the traveler makes this a must-see, especially if one is then heading into Maya country. If Villahermosa is not a convenient destination, then the regional museum at Xalapa, Veracruz, between El Tajín and Villahermosa, is more than adequate as a substitute, with many of the great Olmec pieces housed in a superb building. In addition to the Olmecs, here one finds the major collections of Classic Veracruz culture, including a recent reconstruction of important murals, as well as the life-size ceramic sculptures found to the south. All of this lies in an extremely pleasant Colonial town center with a lively cafe and night life, due largely to the University of Veracruz. Xalapa is a major bus hub which may be reached easily from the coast or from Mexico City.

Recommended reading

Coe, Andrew. Archaeological Mexico: A Traveler’s Guide to Ancient Cities and Sacred Sites. Chico, California, 2nd edn. 2001.

Kelly, Joyce. An Archaeological Guide to Central and Southern Mexico. Norman, Oklahoma 2001.