BIENVENENIDO A MÉXICO! Welcome to Mexico! In its capital city, which will now become your temporary home for four days.

On arrival at Benito Juárez Airport (Mexico's first president), you must first go through immigration, where you will be given a tourist visa. 

It takes almost no time at all, but if the number of days they give you a visa for is less than the number of days until your departure, contact the Mexican embassy, who will be happy to advise you. A tourist visa in Mexico is given for a maximum of 180 days.

Mexico City is a city of contradictions, vast, chaotic and exciting. Together with the conurbation, it is one of the ten largest cities in the world, so there is no point in rushing around and wanting to see everything here. At the same time, there is no need to be afraid of Mexico City. Like anywhere in Mexico, it's better to enjoy the local atmosphere, stroll the streets, sit down with a good coffee, mezcal or tequila, have tacos or tamales (or anything else from the comida callejera) and just live. 

Yet there are a few places that would certainly be a shame to miss while enjoying the atmosphere. For the itinerary, I've picked out some of my favourite parts of the city that are within walking distance of your hotel. It's up to you to explore them all, or skip some and prefer others.

Today you'll take a trip to Teotihuacán, one of the most magical places I've ever visited. And I bet you'll find it just as magical.The bus ride to Teotihuacán takes less than an hour. I recommend starting in the morning after 9am, while the sun isn't burning so much. Bring a water bottle, headgear and put on sunscreen with SPF 50. I've witnessed Mexicans coming back from Teotihuacán sunburned. 

Today you will visit another archaeological site, this time in the city of Tula in the state of Hidalgo. 

You will travel to Tula by bus, a journey of about an hour and a half. Again, I recommend starting in the morning (but watch out for the rush hour at MDH until 9:00am). As with Teotihuacán, wear sturdy shoes, bring plenty of water and headgear. 

Today you will travel from Mexico City to Puebla, the capital of the Mexican state of the same name. Puebla has a magnificent historic centre, one of the great examples of Spanish colonial baroque. The picturesque streets here remind me of a kind of stereotyped Mexico. Today you will have the opportunity to explore the city, sample some of the local specialties, and possibly buy some souvenirs or gifts at the local market. 

No visit to Puebla without a visit to Cholula. If you type "Puebla" into Google, the search engine will find at least a few images of a yellow church on a "hill" (actually a pyramid) with a smoking Popocatépetl looming in the background. This yellow church is exactly the famous church in San Andrés Cholula, the historic district of Cholula, where you will look today. From Cholula, you'll take a bus to the capital of Mexico's smallest state, Tlaxcala.

From Puebla, you will return to Mexico City today, from where you will head to the next city, Cuernavaca, tomorrow. Unfortunately, there is no direct connection between Puebla and Cuernavaca, so you must return to the capital. In Mexico City, you can check out the places on your itinerary that you missed on the first day or others that catch your eye and recharge your batteries for tomorrow's journey.

Today you will see the city of Cuernavaca, the "City of Eternal Spring" and Tepoztlán, which is located, like Cuernavaca, in the State of Morelos. The road to Cuernavaca is basically up a valley, well below the level of the capital.

Today, you can trade Cuernavaca's relatively quiet surroundings and greenery for the busier Toluca, the capital of the Estado de México. You can get to Toluca by bus from the Central de Autobuses bus station, from the ETN Turistar. 

Today, you'll travel by bus from Toluca to Mexico City. If you leave in the morning, you will still have plenty of time to see Mexico City if you feel like it. 

All good things come to an end, and unfortunately today you are flying home. If you're like me, you probably don't want to go and are already thinking about going back to Mexico. If you do, Mexico will give you a warm welcome.