Mexico's ancient sites enhance the country's rich offerings for those in search of adventures beyond the beach.
By: Joe YogerstTeotihuacan
Rising from the plains on the northern outskirts of Mexico City is one of the largest structures built in ancient times — the gargantuan Pyramid of the Sun. And that’s just one of the monuments that comprise a sprawling ancient city called Teotihuacan that flourished around the same time the Romans were building their storied empire on the other side of the Atlantic.
Not much is known about the people who created this city and its elaborate pyramids and palaces, most of them arranged along a cobblestone street called the Avenue of the Dead. By the time the Aztecs came along to the site, the previous occupants were long gone. In the same way that visitors are blown away today, the Aztecs were so impressed by the site they figured that everything on earth plus the sun and moon must have originated in this spot.
Photo Credit: ©CPTM: Foto / Ricardo Espinosa-Reo
Since they are located just 30 miles north of the Mexican capital, the ruins are easy to visit on a day trip. But a growing number of hotels make it possible to overnight at Teotihuacan. By far the best is the aptly named Hotel Villas Arqueologicas, a cozy abode at the southern end of the Avenue of the Dead.
Like something out of a Frida Kahlo painting, the walls are dabbed in primary colors and the gardens are filled with lush tropical vegetation and songbirds. In typical Spanish colonial style, guest rooms are set around a central courtyard with a swimming pool and breezy outdoor café. The resort’s Media Luna restaurant serves a wide variety of Mexican regional cuisines, from familiar dishes like fajitas, chile relleno and chicken molé to more foodie fare like Yucatan-style pork and grilled prickly pear cactus fruit. In addition to a bar with tasty margaritas, there’s also a small library with books on ancient Mexico.
Rise at dawn and peer down the Avenue of the Dead and you can see the Aztec creation myth unfold before your eyes as the first rays of a new day hit the Pyramid of the Sun. Walk around to the entrance gate of the archaeological park and spend a leisurely day exploring the ruins, including a climb to the summit of the renowned pyramid. The hotel can also arrange a hot-air balloon ride over Teotihuacan for a spectacular bird’s-eye-view of the ancient city (room rates start at $55 a night; villasarqueologicas.com.mex).
