10-Nights Mayan Trail - Classic from $1,349

Located on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula in the fascinating Mundo Maya Region,
Merida provides a looking glass that reveals both colonial influence and the
mystique of an ancient civilization. In fact, the city is built on the exact
site of an indigenous ceremonial center.

Easily one of the best way to see Merida is by climbing into a calesa - a
high-wheeled, horse-drawn carriage. The city is also easily explored by foot.
As you amble past whitewashed houses, through lively marketplaces and around
the flower-filled Plaza Mayor, you'll begin to feel as if you've stepped back
in time. You can also visit one of Mexico's oldest cathedrals, built from the
stones of a Mayan temple, explore Paseo Montejo, a Parisian-style boulevard
lined with Victorian mansions, and visit the treasure-filled museums.

Wind down with the friendly locals in the welcoming bars and restaurants of
the old colonial district. If you want to travel even further back in time,
you'll find Merida is surrounded by one of the richest collections of Mayan
ruins in Mexico. Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Dzibilchaltun, and more are just a short
trip away.

Founded in 1543, Santiago de Guatemala (now known as La Antigua Guatemala, or simply Antigua) was the capital of Spain's Central American confederacy and the fourth most important city in the Americas (after Mexico City, Lima and Zacatecas) in the 1500s.

Antigua was devastated by an earthquake in 1773, which, combined with damage from earlier earthquakes, persuaded the government to relocate the capital to the site of present-day Guatemala City. That seeming misfortune turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Isolation and longtime neglect served Antigua well. More than two centuries of underdevelopment left the town with a treasure trove of dilapidated but historical structures, many of which have been rehabilitated into chic restaurants, shops and hotels.

Antigua can be seen on a day's excursion from Guatemala City, which is 28 mi/45 km to the east, but it deserves more time. Some visitors prefer to use this colonial gem as their base for touring the country (instead of the capital). It has a large English-speaking community, a wide range of accommodations, upscale and medium-priced restaurants, espresso bars, delicious baked goods, literally dozens of language schools, plenty of galleries, and for nightlife, jazz clubs and discos.

Antigua is also one of the best places to go in Guatemala if you want to learn to speak Spanish. About 75 schools in town offer intensive classes. But be sure to check ahead of time to know exactly what you'll get, as not all of these schools are on the up-and-up. Some courses include lodging with Guatemalan families.

Visitors also can study various arts and crafts (backstrap weaving, drawing, painting, ceramics, photography and so forth) at the Art Workshops in La Antigua Guatemala. It's not a fully Guatemalan experience, however, as a group of U.S. for-profit artists operates those workshops, not the Guatemalans themselves.

There are plenty of hotels and restaurants in Panajachel, Guatemala, on the shores of Lake Atitlan, but this village is a tad run down, slightly overpriced and very touristy. (We think some of the pristine beauty of the lake was destroyed when the Hotel Barcelo del Lago built a wooden platform along the beach. It can turn into a noisy playground at times.)

Located 68 mi/109 km west of Guatemala City, Panajachel used to have a reputation as a haven for New Age seekers and pot-smoking global drifters; although that's still true to some extent, the demographic is a bit more varied now, as many wealthy U.S. citizens and Guatemalans have bought homes there. However, the market is a great place to pick up some handicrafts, especially if you can't make it to Chichicastenango for market day.

An especially good time to visit the town is the first week of October, when Panajachel honors its patron saint, St. Francis, with special festivities.

Santiago Atitlan is a great day trip, especially for the boat trip across the lake. The town is the home of the Tuztuil, who maintain their Maya religious practices and are renowned artisans. Just before Easter, they celebrate a god called Maximon, whose effigy is paraded through the streets, doused in rum and given a lit cigar and a fedora for his head. Maximon is said to represent the life force, and he's definitely the life of the party.

Jaibalito also makes a good day trip from Panajachel (it's a 20-minute boat ride). Kick back and spend a night at the beautiful La Casa del Mundo hotel. The restaurant, which is also open to nonguests (as are most hotel restaurants in the country), serves delicious food. The hotel grounds offer an excellent, safe opportunity for lake swimming.

On the outskirts of Palenque, located near the Mexico-Guatemala border approximately 300 mi/485 km southwest of Merida, lie some of the most impressive Mayan ruins in the country. Climb the tall Temple of the Inscriptions and then descend to the site of the impressive, restored crypt of the Mayan king Pakal. The crypt itself is closed off to visitors, but there's a replica at the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. Investigate other ruins to look at carvings and bas-reliefs.

We consider Palenque well worth a visit, but it is extremely hot and humid in the summer. To avoid the worst of it, get an early-morning start.

If you leave the park following the Otulum River down the hill, you will discover several excavated temples and get to many pretty waterfalls cascading into natural bathing pools, a great place to cool off after wandering around the ruins. Some pleasant hotels are found in the village, if you wish to overnight in the area.

If you have time, travel 60 mi/100 km south to the Agua Azul waterfalls. These turquoise cascades are some of Mexico's natural wonders (just try to ignore the tacky food huts dotting the lower end of the falls). You can swim there, but do so with care—several people have drowned.