Cuernavaca, the capital of Morelos state, sits just south of Mexico City at about 1,500 metres, low enough that its climate is noticeably warmer and more pleasant than the capital. It has been called "The City of Eternal Spring" for good reason — the weather is mild year-round, and Mexico City residents have been escaping here since the Aztec emperors did the same.
The Palacio de Cortés, built on the ruins of an Aztec pyramid by Hernán Cortés in the 1520s, dominates the central Zócalo and houses a regional museum with murals by Diego Rivera. The cathedral, one of the oldest in the Americas, is another remnant of the early colonial period. Emperor Maximilian later built a summer retreat here, and the terraced gardens of the Jardín Borda remain one of the most pleasant spots in town. The Museo Robert Brady — a private collection of extraordinary range assembled by an American artist over three decades — is the city's most surprising attraction.
Cuernavaca is also one of the most popular places in Mexico to study Spanish. Dozens of immersion schools operate here, typically combining half-day classes with homestay accommodation. The city makes a good base for day trips to Taxco, the silver-working town in the hills to the south, and to the archaeological sites of Xochicalco and Tepoztlán. Closer to the centre, the pre-Aztec double-pyramid of Teopanzolco sits in a quiet neighbourhood park barely a kilometre from the zócalo.
From Mexico City, comfortable buses run frequently from the Terminal del Sur and take about an hour.