Northwest of Mexico City are crumpled ranges of gnarled, humpy but starkly beautiful hills. Here, and in the bountiful valleys of the Bajío, Spanish colonists built fortunes from the mining of precious metals, especially silver, and a necklace of prosperous towns sprung up which share a heritage of baroque churches, leafy squares and pastel-washed houses.

Each has its own character: the stately university town of Guanajuato, built in a narrow gorge, is a centre for music, theatre and dance. The impossibly picturesque cobbled streets of San Miguel de Allende overflow with character as well as galleries, boutiques and cafés. Querétaro is renowned for its impressive colonial aqueduct. Meanwhile, to the south-west of Mexico City is Taxco; the whole city is a national monument. These cities rarely feature on a first trip to Mexico, making our holiday ideal if it is your second visit and are keen to scratch a little deeper beneath the surface of this captivating country.

Begin with a couple days in Mexico City before our road trip takes you on the rugged highland colonial-cities loop. Then it's on by air to the tropical Pacific coast for beach time at Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, established resorts with wonderful beaches and a lower profile than those along the Riviera Maya.