Mexican colonial cities self-drive

A necklace of delightful colonial towns sweeps south of the capital, offering an enticing route for self-drive exploration.

You could stop at the once prosperous silver mining towns of Taxco and Cuernavaca before taking a couple of days to relax in the utterly enchanting city of Guanajuato, where brightly coloured buildings crowd the floor of an arid canyon. There is a unique underground road network following the routes of the old mine galleries, while above ground the cobbled lanes and flower-decked plazas call out for idle wandering in the golden afternoon light.

Your next stop is Morelia, an elegant city of narrow streets and picturesque courtyards, before you continue the southward journey to the Pacific coast. Zihuatanejo is a former fishing village turned barefoot beach hideaway, an idyllic spot in which to end your road trip.

With the freedom of your own hire car you can turn this journey into your own adventure, discovering secluded beauty spots and stopping at tiny villages far from the tourist trail.