Mexico
North America · Mexico City · MX
Mexico is a land of staggering contrasts, where sun-scorched deserts give way to emerald jungles and turquoise coastlines. Spanning from the Baja Peninsula's whale-watching shores to the Yucatan's ancient limestone pyramids, the country's geography alone tells a story millions of years in the making. Its cultural fabric weaves together pre-Columbian civilizations with colonial Spanish architecture, creating a living tapestry visible in every painted courtyard and handwoven textile. The culinary tradition here rivals any on earth, from Oaxacan mole with thirty ingredients to the street tacos of Mexico City that draw nightly pilgrimages. Lush highlands in Chiapas meet the copper canyons of the Sierra Madre, while the Riviera Maya stretches along the Caribbean like a jewel. Mexico rewards the curious traveller at every turn, offering depth that most destinations can only dream of matching.
Overview
Mexico is a country in North America. Its capital is Mexico City and the international dialling code is +52. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include Spanish. Local currency is the Mexican Peso (MXN). Our guide covers 4 airports, including Cancún International Airport, Guadalajara International Airport, Mexico City International Airport. We also list 4 cities in Mexico: Mexico City, Cancún and Guadalajara and more.
The Ancient Ruins of the Yucatan Peninsula
The Yucatan Peninsula holds one of the densest concentrations of pre-Columbian archaeological sites on the planet. Chichen Itza, with its iconic stepped pyramid of El Castillo, draws enormous crowds, but the real magic often lies in the lesser-visited sites scattered across the peninsula. Uxmal's ornate Puuc-style architecture features intricate stone mosaics that have survived over a thousand years of tropical weather. At Tulum, crumbling stone temples perch on cliffs above the Caribbean, creating one of the most photographed settings in the Americas. Coba, nestled deep in the jungle, allows visitors to climb its towering Nohoch Mul pyramid — one of the last sites in the region to permit such access. Each of these cities was once home to tens of thousands of inhabitants, and walking their causeways and courtyards gives a visceral sense of the Maya civilization's scale and sophistication.
Oaxaca and the Heart of Mexican Cuisine
Oaxaca is widely regarded as the gastronomic soul of Mexico, a place where culinary traditions stretch back thousands of years. The region produces seven distinct varieties of mole, each a complex sauce built from chillies, chocolate, spices, and patience. Markets like Mercado 20 de Noviembre overflow with tasajo, chapulines, and fresh quesillo, offering visitors a sensory education in local ingredients. Mezcal, distilled from wild agave varieties found only in these highlands, has surged in international popularity, yet the finest expressions remain a local secret. Cooking classes in the valleys surrounding the city teach techniques passed through generations, from nixtamalizing corn by hand to grinding cacao on a stone metate. Every meal in Oaxaca feels like an act of cultural preservation, a direct line to traditions that predate the colonial era.
Mexico City's Neighbourhoods and Creative Energy
Mexico City sprawls across a high-altitude basin that was once the bed of a vast Aztec lake, and its neighbourhoods each carry distinct personalities shaped by centuries of history. Roma and Condesa feature tree-lined boulevards lined with art nouveau mansions converted into galleries and cafes, while Coyoacan preserves the cobblestone charm where Frida Kahlo spent her formative years. In the historic centre, the Zocalo stands as one of the largest public squares in the world, flanked by a colonial cathedral built atop the ruins of an Aztec temple. San Angel hosts a Saturday art market beneath jacaranda trees in full purple bloom each spring. The city's muralist tradition, pioneered by Rivera and Orozco, continues in large-scale works across public buildings and metro stations, making the entire capital an open-air gallery.
Baja California's Desert and Marine Worlds
The Baja California Peninsula is a narrow finger of land separating the Sea of Cortez from the Pacific Ocean, and its stark desert landscapes hide remarkable biodiversity. Each winter, grey whales migrate thousands of miles to breed in the warm lagoons of Magdalena Bay, where small pangas allow visitors to approach the massive creatures at remarkably close range. The Sea of Cortez itself, once called the world's aquarium by Jacques Cousteau, teems with whale sharks, manta rays, and enormous schools of jackfish. On the Pacific side, surfing towns like Todos Santos and San Ignacio offer a laid-back alternative to the busier resort corridors further south. Desert cacti grow to towering heights in the sierra, and oases hidden in limestone canyons support lush groves of date palms that seem impossibly out of place amid the arid terrain.
The Copper Canyon Adventure by Rail
The Copper Canyon system, known locally as Barrancas del Cobre, is a network of six distinct canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental that collectively dwarf the Grand Canyon in depth and volume. The Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacifico railway traverses 370 miles of this rugged terrain, crossing 86 tunnels and 37 bridges as it climbs from the colonial city of Chihuahua to the Pacific port of Los Mochis. The train winds through pine-forested highlands home to Raramuri indigenous communities, who are known for their extraordinary long-distance running ability. Overnight stops in the copper-tinted canyon towns allow travellers to explore suspension bridges strung across dizzying gorges. The sheer scale of the landscape — deep ochre walls plunging thousands of feet to rivers far below — creates a sense of isolation that few railway journeys anywhere can match.
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- Capital
- Mexico City
- Currency
- Mexican Peso (MXN)
- Languages
- Spanish
- Calling code
- +52
- Internet TLD
- mx
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Mexico.
Which nationalities can enter Mexico?
Current visa status for tourism for the origins we cover, with links to the detailed requirements.
Airports (4)
All airports →Cities (4)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Mexico?
For the origins we track, travellers from Australia, Canada, France, Germany and Italy currently enter Mexico visa-free for tourism, and 3 more origins are visa-free too. Entry rules depend on your passport and the purpose of your trip, so check the current requirements for your own nationality with our entry requirements tool.
What is the capital of Mexico?
Mexico City is the capital of Mexico, and the country sits in North America.
What currency is used in Mexico?
You pay with Mexican Peso (MXN) in Mexico. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Mexico?
The languages we list for Mexico are Spanish. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Mexico?
The dialling code for Mexico is +52 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which airports serve Mexico?
We cover 4 airports for Mexico, including Cancún International Airport (CUN), Guadalajara International Airport (GDL), Mexico City International Airport (MEX) — and 1 more.
Which cities in Mexico do you cover?
Our guide lists 4 cities for Mexico: Mexico City (capital), Cancún, Guadalajara and Monterrey.