MEXICO

WHY IT’S HOT: SOAK UP THE CULTURED HIGHLANDS OF GUANAJUATO STATE.

We say: It was silver that first bankrolled San Miguel de Allende. During Mexico’s early colonial period, the city was a waypoint for the metal torn from the Central Highlands. Now the money comes from visitors, drawn by the Spanish-style cobbles and grand San Miguel Arcangel Parish Church. However, as 2019’s American Capital of Culture, it’s only likely to get busier. So, once you’ve explored the baroque centre and Juarez Park, you’ll do well to escape to Guanajuato’s underrated fringes.

Here, natural hot springs break up the cacti-prickled hills, while horse-riding treks provide a good way to visit the state’s colonial relics. The semi-abandoned town of Mineral de Pozos, where you can explore the remains of around 500 mines in the surrounding hills (bring a torch), and the pre-hispanic ruins of Cañada de la Virgen only add to the sense of a bygone Mexico frozen in time.

Don’t miss: Check out the Unesco-listed Sanctuary of Atotonilco, dubbed ‘Mexico’s Sistine Chapel’ for its vivid baroque frescoes.