Situated on the outskirts of Guadalajara, this was an important trading center. Apparently its society was very hierarchical, since artisans and the common people lived in small surrounding neighborhoods, separate from the residences of the elite. The principal temple is worth a visit.

Together with Pátzcuaro and Tzintzuntzan, Ihuatzio was once a seat of the mighty Purépecha state. This extensive site has only been partially explored. The huatziri or elevated walkways and the Plaza de Armas, with two semi-circular pyramids called yacatas, are particularly impressive.

Its strategic position on the Pacific coast was of great importance for communicating the Altiplano (high plateau) with the south of Veracruz and the area of the Isthmus. Its monolithic architecture of blocks of stone—some weighing almost two tons—is surprising, as well as its altars, stelae and beautifully carved sculptures.

The rocky shelters of the Chihuahua sierra house dozens of human settlements separated by great distances. The houses are three and four stories high, inside the caves and built of moulded clay. Their “T” shaped doors are a characteristic of Paquimé.

The earliest archeological site in Hidalgo, with remains of cave paintings and a dramatic backdrop formed by sheer rock faces.

Inhabited by Tlapanec groups who maintained trading relations with the Mixtecs, the place was subjugated by Nezahualcoyotl and became a bastion of the Triple Alliance, as can be seen from its architecture and associated offerings, illustrating the warlike ideology of the peoples of central Mexico.

One of the main urban centers of the Mixtec culture, outstanding for its monumental architecture and sculpture, carvings with calendar signs and a ballcourt related to a ritual which often culminated in human sacrifice.

The elaborate Maya decoration causes a sense of wonder with features such as the facade of the Main Palace, where the entrance is an enormous mask of open jaws and fangs at either side, in the shape of a monstrous mouth.

A ninety-minute drive from Guadalajara, in the region surrounding the Tequila Volcano, this was one of the most important sites in the west of Mesoamerica. Notable for its urban layout, original architecture with conical structures, broad staircases and circular elevated platforms.

Its size is a clue to its important role on the Huastec trading routes. There are around a hundred limestone plinths upon which we can assume houses were built with palm roofs and walls made from branches covered with mud.