Morelos is the smallest state in Mexico after the capital, a compact but varied region due south of Mexico City in the central highlands. Its capital is Cuernavaca, historically known as the "City of Eternal Spring" for its mild climate — a quality that made it the preferred weekend retreat of Mexico City residents since Aztec times and through the colonial period, when Hernán Cortés built his palace here.
The state is best known for Cuernavaca and for the archaeological site of Xochicalco, a pre-Columbian fortified hilltop city that flourished between the fall of Teotihuacán and the rise of the Toltecs. The village of Tepoztlán, set dramatically below volcanic cliffs, has a famous pyramid on the ridge above the town and a well-preserved Dominican monastery in the centre. The region's warm valleys produce sugar cane, rice, and flowers, and the local cuisine — carnitas, rice dishes, and various mole preparations — is worth seeking out.