Cuernavaca, Mexico

CUERNAVACA has always provided a place of escape from the city – the Aztecs called it Cuauhnahuac ("place by the woods"), and it became a favourite resort and hunting ground for their rulers. or the casual visitor, the modern city is in many ways a disappointment. Its spring-like climate remains, but as capital of the state of Morelos, Cuernavaca is rapidly becoming industrialized and the streets in the centre are permanently clogged with traffic and fumes. The gardens and villas that shelter the rich are almost all hidden or in districts so far out that you won't see them. It seems an ill-planned and widely spread city, certainly not easy to get about, though fortunately much of what you'll want to see is close to the centre and accessible on foot.