As customary every year, Travel & Leisure has unveiled the top-ranked destinations at its World’s Best Awards, one of the industry’s most prized: after all, it is voted entirely by the public, and the usual know-it-all expert sitting behind computer screens don’t get to weigh in.
For 2024, over 186,000 of their readers participated, casting votes for their favorite cities, hotels, cruise ships, and even tourist experiences––there are several different categories, but the one we’ve been most eagerly waiting for is…
As it should, it gets its very own ranking, with cities assessed for their cultural value, cuisine, friendliness towards tourists, among others.
Surprisingly enough, neither Cancun’s glitzy Hotel Zone nor Cabo’s pristine sands have swept the awards this year; in fact, they don’t feature at all!
Instead, running themes are centuries-old cities of historical significance, a return to authenticity, and an escape from the dollarized coast.
Let’s have a look at how T&L readers ranked their top 5 Mexican cities:
Guadalajara
Ranking at number five, Guadalajara is the country’s second-largest city and the closest one to rival the capital’s mightiness.
Its historic center is sprinkled with pedestrianized plazas and dominated by a landmark twin-spire cathedral.
Jalisco, the state it’s in, is where two treasures of Mexico originated: tequila and mariachi.
Along Chapultepec, Guadalajara’s bustling central avenue, there’s no shortage of casual bars where smooth drinks are served and live music is played ’til dawn.
Other than the lively social scene and the beautiful architecture, the cuisine is another obvious highlight, with pepito, a marinated fine-cut of steak, agohada, pork sandwich drenched in tomato sauce, and the mayonnaise-coated corn on the cob all being popular orders in local eateries.
Guadalajara is also known for its Lucha Libre performances, typically held at Arena Coliseo de Occidente, and though these can get quite, hem, graphic, it’s an inherent part of the local culture you just can’t turn your gaze away from: plus, it’s a mere $4 to go in on certain dates.
Merida
Capital of the state of Yucatan, Merida results from the intermarriage, however unintentional, of native and colonial cultures: one such example is the landmark 16th-century cathedral, built by the Spanish with stones from disassembled pre-Columbian temples.
Strolling its postcard-ready streets, it’s an archetypical Spanish city you see, with Catholic churches, ornately-sculpted exteriors, and leafy plazas, though the demographic, cuisine, and traditions are far from being Iberian-only: at its core, Merida is indisputably Mayan.
Other than its fascinating duality, the Yucatanese hub prides itself in being relatively safe for tourists, with a lower rate of petty crime and violence compared to other mid-size cities: it’s one of only two officially considered ‘low risk’ by the U.S. State Department.
If you’re looking for a truly unique way to experience Merida, its cultural highlights and flavors, we’d suggest you take the 3-hour Walking Food Tour starting at the heart of the Old Town: it costs $57.66 per person, and insightful live commentary (and delicious tidbits) are included.
Mexico City
Third on the T&L’s popular vote, Mexico City–or CDMX, as it is known by its Spanish acronym–is the beating heart of Mexico.
It stands on par with New York, London, and Istanbul as one of the world’s busiest metropolises, and similarly to its counterparts, it’s a gift that keeps on giving.
No matter how many times you visit CDMX, you will always discover something new or notice gems hidden in plain sight you missed the first time round, be it that one stall at Coyoacan Market serving the best tamales, a backstreet in Roma lined by Art Nouveau buildings, or the Bohemian Zona Rosa.
Then, of course, there is the usual high concentration of museums––according to Travel & Leisure, the highest ratio of any urban destination globally––and world-renowned architectural masterpieces, like the Metropolitan Cathedral and the National Palace.
Keen on going off the beaten track a little? Make sure you pay Xochimilco a visit: rightfully known as the Mexican Venice it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of navigable canals built as far back as Aztec times, and you can even go on a gondola ride for around $33.22 per hour.
Oaxaca
Down from last year’s top spot, Oaxaca is 2024’s runner-up and the dictionary definition of picturesque: with a Historic Center that’s been left largely untouched since being built by Spanish settlers in the 16th century, it’s one of Mexico’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Similarly to other cities on this list, it has a stone-built cathedral looming over a Zocalo (or Central Square), pedestrian-friendly lanes flanked by typically European facades that will have you wondering whether this is still the Americas, after all, and beautiful urban parks.
T&L voters highlighted Oaxaca’s ‘incredible people’ and ‘amazing food’, and indeed, locals can be fairly welcoming compared to far larger cities like Mexico City or Guadalajara.
Oaxaca’s flavorful mole and enfrijoladas are famous all over Mexico.
For amazing food and a great, aesthetic dinner spot, head out to the offbeat Ancestral Cocina Tradicional: between the beautiful garden setting and the innovative presentation of tried-and-true Mexican dishes, this is sure to make your Instagram stories.
San Miguel de Allende
Keeping with the colonial theme, this year’s winner is not a major state capital but a much smaller, quaint town in the state of Guanajuato: San Miguel de Allende, with its Old World appeal, rows upon rows of pastel-colored houses, and charming cobblestone alleys.
Its pink-washed, Neo-Gothic Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel is nothing short of a manmade wonder, the kind only divine inspiration can spawn.
The same could be said of the nearby Templo de San Francisco, with its elaborate churrigueresque front portal.
If you’re a lover of the arts, the local Mercado de Artesanias is the place to go for handicrafts and colorful hand-embroidered shoulder shawls.
For our fellow foodies out there, make sure you stop by Mercado San Juan de Dios for fresh-out-the-oven, generously filled tortillas.
Considering how popular it’s become and the rich immaterial heritage it boasts, is it any surprise that it tops the list in 2024?
If you’re heading to Mexico soon, you can read more about America’s sunny southern neighbor––and start planning your cultural escapade––here.
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