Morelos packs a remarkable range of history into a small area. The Palace of Cortés in Cuernavaca is one of the best-preserved colonial buildings in Mexico, with Diego Rivera murals inside and an Aztec pyramid beneath its foundations. Just outside the city, the Aztec ruins of Teopanzolco sit on a hill within the urban sprawl — easy to reach and often uncrowded.
The pre-Columbian site of Xochicalco, roughly 40 km south of Cuernavaca, is the state's most impressive archaeological site. Its hilltop position and the intricate carved reliefs on the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent set it apart from the better-known ruins farther north. From the village of Tepoztlán, a steep trail leads up through forest to the small pyramid of El Tepozteco perched on a cliff — the climb is rewarded with wide views over the valley.