A journey through Mexico is like a whirlwind tour through time. The ancient Olmecs—famous for their colossal carved heads—were the first to call Mexico home, settling the villages of La Venta, and Tres Zapotes on the Gulf Coast around 1000 BC. Centuries later, a mighty empire rose in the Valley of Mexico at Teotihuacán. Farther south, the Zapotec capital Monte Albán rivaled Teotihuacán from its lofty hillside position overlooking the verdant Oaxaca Valley. To the east, in the lowland jungles of the Yucatán Peninsula, the Maya built grand cities like Palenque, where distinct architecture and lush setting continue to dazzle visitors. In central Mexico, the Tlaxcalans drew breathtaking murals at Cacaxtla, and the Totonacs carved the Pyramid of Niches at El Tajín. After the fall of the Classic civilizations, Post-Classic centers of power—like Tula, the birthplace of the feathered serpent-god Quetzalcóatl—advanced Mesoamerican civilization. The Yucatán is also home to the warring Mayan trio of Chichén Itzá, Mayapán, and Uxmal. The last stand of pre-Hispanic Mexico was the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán (in modern-day Mexico City).
For 50 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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