San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Set on a steep hillside overlooking the Río Laja and dominated by red rooftops and domed churches, at first sight SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE seems little different from any other small colonial town. Its distinct character, though, is soon apparent: it's home to a very high-profile colony of artists and writers, fleshed out with less ambitious retirees from the US and by flocks of students drawn to the town's several language and arts schools. Like such a community anywhere, it's inward-looking, often pretentious and gossip-ridden, but it's also extremely hospitable and much given to taking newcomers under its wing. The town's increase in popularity in recent years, and in many ways the cause of the influx of expats and tourists, can be, in part, attributed to Tony Cohan's popular book On Mexican Time, which tells the story of a writer and his artist wife who abandon smog-ridden Los Angeles for a quieter life in San Miguel, where they restore an old house, learn the local lifestyle and are slowly seduced by the colonial city's unique charm. Now something like ten percent of the population are foreigners, some 10,000 of whom live in the vicinity more or less permanently, boosted by another 5000 or so who fly down to weekend here. The colonial centre remains relatively unchanged by the foreign presence, but the outskirts are now sprouting gated communities and even shopping malls.