Cuernavaca

A long weekend from the Palacio de Cortés to Xochicalco

Arrive in Cuernavaca by Friday midday, before the motorway jams, and start at the Palacio de Cortés, now the Museo Regional Cuauhnáhuac, whose loggia holds Diego Rivera's murals from around 1930. A few blocks away, the fortress-like 16th-century cathedral hides faded murals of Franciscan missionaries martyred in Japan, rediscovered during restoration.

Across the street, spend the late afternoon in the Jardín Borda. In the evening, eat near the Zócalo and watch the danzón if it is a dance night.

Saturday. Drive or take a tour southwest to Xochicalco, about 38 km away, which flourished between AD 700 and 900 after the fall of Teotihuacan. The Temple of the Feathered Serpent is carved with reliefs showing influences from as far away as the Maya region; the underground observatory opens at midday. Back in town, visit the Robert Brady Museum and the small Tlahuica pyramid of Teopanzolco, then have a drink in one of the old cantinas near the Zócalo.

Sunday. Head 30 minutes northeast to Tepoztlán, a Pueblo Mágico under red cliffs. Climb the steep path to the Tepozteco pyramid on the ridge (start early and allow a couple of hours up and down), then browse the weekend market and sample the town's famous ice creams. Return to Cuernavaca for the bus, leaving before mid-afternoon to beat the traffic north.

Tacos acorazados, Yecapixtla cecina and comida corrida near the Zócalo

Cuernavaca's contribution to Mexican street food is the taco acorazado, the armoured taco: two tortillas stacked with rice and a hearty guisado such as chile relleno, milanesa, fried egg or pork in salsa, topped with plantain or hard-boiled egg. It is a working lunch from stalls and fondas near the centre, and one is usually enough.

From the east of the state comes cecina de Yecapixtla, thin sheets of salted, air-dried beef. Grilled and served with fresh cream, cheese, green salsa and tortillas, it is the dish Morelos families drive out for on Sundays. Quesadillas stuffed with squash blossom, huitlacoche or mushrooms are sold at street griddles. In Tepoztlán, look for nieves, artisan ice creams in flavours that run from mamey to some very unusual mixes.

For a full meal on a budget, look for the comida corrida, the set lunch served across the centre: soup, rice or pasta, a main course and a dessert. Seafood is not the city's strength, though a few marisquerías in Vista Hermosa keep a loyal local following.

In the evening, language students fill the bar-cafés around the Zócalo, while the older cantinas keep the tradition of live norteño and mariachi bands.

Chinelos, summer storms and the rivers of Las Estacas

Cuernavaca's perpetual-spring reputation is fair, but the year has two halves. November to April barely rains, with highs from about 25C in winter to 30C in April and May and nights of 12-17C; June to September brings 250-270 mm a month in dramatic afternoon and evening storms, so plan outdoor visits for the morning.

Microclimates add a twist. The lower southern districts are hotter and more humid than the forested northern edge of the city, where temperatures can be up to 10C lower over a short distance. Bring a jacket for evenings uphill.

The best-known festival in the area is the pre-Lenten carnival, when troupes of chinelos, dancers in bearded masks, plumed hats and long velvet robes, hop through the streets of Tepoztlán, Yautepec and other Morelos towns to brass bands. Holy Week and Mexico City's school holidays bring heavy weekend crowds.

When the heat builds, do what the locals do and head to water. Las Estacas, south of the city, is a natural park on a crystal-clear spring-fed river where you can swim and snorkel with the current. Large water parks such as El Rollo, and the long-running balnearios around Oaxtepec, round out the options. In the rainy season, the Salto de San Antón waterfall, inside the city, runs at full force.