The sweeping landscape of Mexico’s central highlands (also known as the Mexican Altiplano) is home to some of the country’s most picturesque and agreeable colonial towns and cities which offer an abundance of character and culture—and the benefits of mountain living.

The benefits of mountain living in Mexico

Living at elevation —typically, Mexico’s inland colonial towns and cities are situated at elevations of at least 4,000 feet above sea level— offers several benefits:

Ideal climates

Many places situated at elevation in Mexico offer the benefit of year-round temperate, low-humidity, climates created by a combination of the locations’ latitude and an average elevation around 6,000 feet above sea level which make it a pleasure to live and be outdoors, and an ideal location to enjoy active outdoor activities.

Enjoy plenty of daylight all-year

Year-round and especially during the winter, you benefit from at least ten hours of daylight every day of the year, with no shortage of daylight hours in the winter, and you also enjoy extended light into the evenings during the late spring and summer months.  You can learn about climates through the seasons in Mexico here on Mexperience.

Fresh highland air and breathtaking views

Enjoy crisp, fresh, mountain air which complements the magnificent views from local vantage points, and elevations that can aid your good health and general well-being without being too high so as to become uncomfortable.

Access to good local infrastructure and amenities

Many of Mexico’s popular colonial highland towns and cities offer provincial living with plenty of local fresh food and produce markets, (much of it grown locally), independent shops and boutique traders, with accessibility to popular big-brand stores, outlets, and supermarkets as well as specialized stores offering foods and homewares foreign residents often seek out when living here. Most colonial cities also have adequate-to-excellent healthcare facilities locally; in smaller towns, more extensive facilities are available in larger nearby cities.

Well-connected to transport links

You’ll discover that the highland towns are well connected by modern roads, most are serviced by frequent intercity bus services, and some also have airports nearby. High-speed internet access is available in your home, as well as wireless data over advanced mobile networks which form part of Mexico’s extensive communications infrastructure.

Integrate into genuine local communities

Many of the colonial towns and cities offer you the opportunity to participate and integrate in local communities.  Here you can discover authentic neighborhoods and real local community spirit, and if you choose to, you can integrate with local lifestyles and community groups, and forge long-term friendships.

Considerations for mountain living in Mexico

Mountain living isn’t for everyone.  Some people yearn to be near the ocean with year-round warmth, whereas highland towns tend to be cooler—and may even get cold at times during the winter months.  A very small number of people find that they can’t adjust to living at higher elevations, while others find the mountain towns too remote, rural, or provincial for their lifestyle preferences or intentions.

If you’re unsure, visit for an extended stay

An ideal way to determine if mountain life in Mexico will suit you is to invest in a trial period —perhaps six months to a year— and see how you respond to the experience.  When you take the time to explore, you’ll discover thriving communities where, when you’re prepared to integrate, local people will come to know and greet you by name, you’ll cultivate appreciable relationships, you’ll give and receive value as you trade at the local markets through transactions which feel human and personal… and over time, you become the community you seek.

When you look with care you’ll also find the very best of Mexico in these places—people, culture, climate, food, amenities, and real local communities. For some, Mexico’s highland towns and cities become exceptionally special places to live.

Choosing between urban and (semi) rural settings

Other than Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, Mexico’s highland towns and cities are situated in provincial (rural or semi-rural) settings and we recommend your consider whether living in the Mexican countryside would suit you, as well as giving careful thought to your lifestyle needs as a whole as you short-list potential places to live instead of looking at certain aspects in isolation.

As with other places you may consider moving to in Mexico, you’ll need to plan and prepare for your new lifestyle, you might need to acclimatize to the higher elevation, and you’ll need to be prepared to forge your own story here. Hundreds of thousands of foreign residents enjoy a good life in Mexico; with some considered choices and forward planning, you could as well.

Explore highland towns and cities in Mexico

Here are some of the more popular colonial towns and cities foreign residents have settled in, as well as some which are less well-known and gaining attention in recent times.

Mexico’s colonial heartland

Querétaro, Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende for traditional colonial highland cities; Aguascalientes for a more contemporary living lifestyle; and Zacatecas if you’re seeking a mountain city off-the-beaten-track and on the edge of a mountain frontier.

South-central highlands

Cuernavaca, Tepoztlán, and Puebla.  These traditional provincial highland places are situated conveniently close to Mexico City and yet are far enough removed from the congestion of the capital to enjoy a genuine provincial atmosphere and feel.  For a more rustic option off-the-beaten track in this area, consider Taxco.

In the mountains west of Mexico City

The highland lakeside towns of Chapala, and Ajijic are home to the largest community of foreign residents in Mexico; the city of Morelia offers old-world colonial elegance, and the ancient highland town of Pátzcuaro offers an attractive blend of colonial indigenous cultures amidst an intimate colonial setting. If you’re seeking an urban lifestyle at elevation, Guadalajara offers vibrancy, culture, and all the benefits of a large metropolitan city, and is close to Ajijic, Chapala, and Jocotepec—small towns settled along the northern shoreline of Lake Chapala and home to tens of thousands of foreign residents, most from the US and Canada.

Further south, to Oaxaca and Chiapas

Oaxaca City remains one of the most authentic and cultured colonial cities in Mexico; and further south, in the breath-taking state of Chiapas, you’ll find the highland mountain town of San Cristobal de las Casas—somewhat off-the-beaten-track and close to the traditional indigenous mountain communities of San Juan Chamula and Zinacatán.

Discover more places to live in Mexico

Discover interesting and charming locations to live, work or retire in Mexico, and articles with helpful insights about choosing a place to settle here.

Resources for Living & Lifestyle in Mexico

Mexperience offers you a comprehensive online resource of information and local knowledge to help you discover Mexico, explore choices, find opportunities and plan a new life in Mexico.  Our resources include:

• Detailed knowledge about planning a move in Mexico
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Although the fair is not as internationally-renowned as the Guelaguetza in Oaxaca or the Festival Cervantino in Guanajuato, the event attracts several million people and is a major regional attraction.

Over 1,500 events take place at the Feria de San Marcos each year, most of them are free to attend, and include music and theatrical performances, sporting events, culinary competitions, fashion shows, fairground rides, a cornucopia of markets, and a wide assortment of children’s activities.

The fair has also become a venue for contemporary Mexican music. Father-and-son Alejandro and Vicente Fernandez, Jenny Rivera, Alejandra Guzman, Yuri, and Juan Gabriel have all attended in recent years.

A notable feature of the fair is the country’s only walk-in casino, made legal by a special ‘local permit’ which enables the casino to operate for a fixed and limited time each year. This permit enables a gambling hall to be set up exclusively for the fair and offers people aged eighteen years and over a chance to try their luck at the roulette wheel, and on tables offering card games including Black Jack, Poker, and Baccarat.

The fair is also the city’s most important cultural and business event. Factories close and something akin to a major ‘local-national holiday’ takes place in Aguascalientes.

In addition to the cultural and leisure events, the fair also hosts a major business expo, giving local businesses the opportunity to showcase their work and expertise. Aguascalientes is one of Mexico’s true commercial and industrial success stories of recent decades, as the city has transformed itself from a rather sleepy colonial through-town into one of the country’s most productive commercial and industrial centers.

The first fair took place in October and November of 1828, when it was a harvest fair—showcasing the state’s rich produce and livestock. In 1842, the church donated a large plot of land which was transformed into a park, the Jardin de San Marcos, from which the present-day fair takes its name, and the fair’s dates were changed to the spring, to include April 25th, St Mark’s Day in Mexico. Later, in 1896, the San Marcos bull ring (pictured above) was built, and bull-fights began to be included on the list of events. President Adolfo Lopez Mateos advanced the fair’s fortunes by officially elevating it to ‘National’ status in 1958; that set the groundwork for the fair to evolve into its present-day form. The monumental Plaza de San Marcos was added in 1992, a venue with seating capacity for 15,000 guests.

Aguascalientes is well served by an international airport with regular flights to and from Mexico City, Dallas, and Houston.  Domestic air fares to Aguascalientes have tumbled in recent years thanks to competition, and executive-class buses make the 5-6 hour road trip from Mexico City several times a day, seven days week.

During the fair dates, domestic flights and buses to Aguascalientes fill-up, and you’ll need to book your hotel in advance, especially if you want to stay at one of the better places in town.  If you find the hotels are full, you might try searching the shared accommodation marketplaces where you can find and book short-term room rentals in private homes.

For full details about this year’s events, including dates and a program schedule, connect to the fair’s official website.

Approximately 300 miles northwest of Mexico City, in the heart of Mexico’s central region, is the city of Aguascalientes—the capital of the state of the same name. The city’s principal attraction is its famous national fair – La Feria de San Marcos – which lasts three weeks and attracts several million visitors every year. Read the Key Attractions section for more details.

Aguascalientes has experienced some of the most rapid commercial and industrial development of any city in Mexico during the last decade. Many large international companies now have factories here, although the colonial center has been well preserved and is well worth a visit.

Besides the hot spring baths on the outskirts of town, and the fabulous colonial architecture still visible in the colonial center of the city, Aguascalientes also offers visitors a selection of parks, museums, a famous art gallery and modern shopping facilities.

Textiles is one of Aguascalientes’ main industries. As a result, many of the shops here sell an excellent assortment of locally made textile goods, ranging from placemats to curtains.

Although this city is not often billed as a tourist center, Aguascalientes is well worth a visit when you’re traveling in this part of the country. Experience Aguascalientes and you’ll witness the emerging face of Mexico: where an old colonial town atmosphere meets a modern, but comfortable and easy-going city undergoing rapid and positive change.

Key Attractions

Colonial Center

The center of the city has been excellently preserved and has a great colonial feel and atmosphere about it. The Cathedral in the middle of town is a classic piece of colonial architecture, more so because the second bell tower (the one on the right as you face the Cathedral from the front) is actually a complete modern restoration of the original bell tower.

Don’t miss the Plaza de Toros (Bull Ring) – even if you don’t like bullfighting—the architecture is impressive and a good example of how modern colonial architecture can be blended in with the original works dating back hundreds of years.

The Palacio de Gobierno – (Government Palace) is where the local Governor’s office resides and is also an impressive piece of architecture, inside and out. It’s open to the public.

Jardin de San Marcos (St Mark’s Garden) is a popular park with locals and visitors alike—the four arches at each corner of the park welcome visitors to experience its green and relaxing atmosphere.

Museums & Art

The most famous museum is the one dedicated to José Guadalupe Posada, a man who was born and lived in Aguascalientes and who is credited as the “founder of Modern Mexican art.” The museum hosts a whole collection of his work as well as temporary exhibitions featuring other Mexican artists.

Other museums, featuring art and the history in Aguascalientes include: Museo Regional de Historia (History Museum), Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (Contemporary Art Museum), Museo de Aguascalientes (Featuring art from Saturnino Heran) and the Templo de San Antonio (Refugio Reyes’ Architecture).

Feria de San Marcos

Most people who come to visit Aguascalientes will come during the festival period of Feria de San Marcos (St. Mark’s Fair). Exact dates vary each year but usually start around mid-April and end three (or some years, four) weeks later. At this time of year, hotels are packed, parties go on forever and the whole city buzzes with excitement. Local schools close for some of the period, and some local offices and factories also have holidays to celebrate.

The fair attracts around a million visitors a year, making it the largest fair in Mexico. The people come to see commercial and industrial exhibitions, bull-fights, concerts, rodeos, and to gamble at the fair’s temporary casino. Gambling is currently illegal throughout Mexico, but the Feria de San Marcos opens a ‘specially licensed’ casino at the fair, where you can try your luck on the roulette wheel or test your Blackjack skills.

Other cultural events including art, theatre and dance are all prominent. There is also a funfair with mechanical rides; traditional food and drink is available everywhere, and parties go on throughout the night!

Details of the programs scheduled for the fair are available from the local tourist office, see Practical Information, below.

See Blog: Feria de San Marcos, Aguascalientes

Getting There & Around

By Air – You can fly to Aguascalientes from Dallas in the USA and other points in Mexico including Mexico City and Monterrey. The airport is situated about a 45 minute drive from the center of Aguascalientes on the south side of the city. For detailed information about flights and flying, see the Mexperience guide to Air Travel in Mexico.

By Bus – You can travel to Aguascalientes on a luxury bus from Mexico City— the trip takes 6 hours. An overnight bus runs from Mexico City to Aguascalientes, leaving at around midnight, and arriving in Aguascalientes at 6 am, in time to enjoy the day there. For detailed information about bus transportation read the Mexperience guide to Bus Travel in Mexico.

By Car – Driving to Aguascalientes is very fast and efficient using the many high-speed roads that connect this region.  See additional information about Driving in Mexico and Mexico’s Toll Roads on Mexperience.

Car Rental – To explore Mexico’s colonial towns and cities, consider renting a car for your visit. Having your own car will give you more flexibility than using public transport options and, in some cases, offer you access to places which are otherwise difficult to visit without the use of a car. Read our guide to Car Rental in Mexico to learn what you need to know about car rental in Mexico and connect to the Mexperience Travel Center to reserve your Rental Car.

Taxis – Taxis in Aguascalientes now have taxi meters; they are economical and very good value for money. Taxi travel is very affordable in Mexico, in comparison to the USA, Canada and Europe, and so provides a viable means of public transportation in Mexico. Your hotel can arrange taxis for you; some post their rates on a board in the lobby; taxi hotel rates are usually higher than cabs you hail off the street. If you speak Spanish, you will have a distinct advantage in your negotiations with local taxi drivers. For detailed information, read the Mexperience guide to Taxi Travel in Mexico.

Aguascalientes Essentials

Telephone: Connect to the guide about Communications in Mexico on Mexperience for detailed information about keeping in touch and the latest table of national dialing codes.

Exchanging Currency: Banks with ATM machines can be found throughout the downtown area of Aguascalientes. During business hours, they and the local Casas de Cambio will buy traveler’s cheques and cash from you as well. For detailed information about exchanging and managing your money, read the Mexperience guide to Money in Mexico.

Travel Insurance: We recommend that you are adequately covered with travel medical insurance and/or travel assistance insurance when you are visiting Mexico. Read the Mexperience guide to Travel Insurance in Mexico for full details and links to specialist insurance suppliers.

Internet Access: Internet cafes can be easily found in towns and cities across Mexico and WiFi is increasingly commonplace–from cafes, shops, hotels, and some cities even offer free WiFi in some defined public spaces.

The Feria de San Marcos – Mexico’s biggest festival, with over 1 million visitors each year. The festival begins around the 3rd week of April each year and lasts for 22 days: This is Aguascalientes’ busiest time— an important event for the city, the state of Aguascalientes, and Mexico! See Feria de San Marcos in Key Attractions above for more information.

Local Climate

Aguascalientes enjoys year-round, hot & dry weather. The climate is ideal for taking part in a variety of outdoor sports and activities and for taking in the local culture, architecture and scenery. Rain is seldom a feature here; when the rains do come they tend to be during the months of May thru November, but as with most monsoon areas, rains tend to be fierce and brief in the late afternoon, leaving the evenings dry and cooled off.

Weather & Climates in Mexico

Learn more about the weather and climates through the seasons and regions by connecting to the Mexperience guide about Weather and Climates in Mexico