Postcard pretty, colonial Tepotzotlán has more than enough to tempt you into hanging out here for the whole day. The town seems a lot smaller than its population of 39,000 suggests. Cobbled streets bursting with bright flowers are concentrated around the plaza and Colegio and Iglesia de San Francisco Javier (now the Museo Nacional del Virreinato), whose sumptuous inner sanctum is one of the most spectacular examples of 16th century Jesuit bling in the country.

Tepotzotlán is a popular place to come for leisurely outdoor weekend lunches and for Sunday’s craft market. On the weekends the plaza is packed with Chilangos (Mexico City dwellers) who have been lured onto the restaurant terraces with promises of free beer by wise-cracking waiters. Try Los Virreyes (Plaza Virreinal 32, Tel: 5876 02 35) which has an extensive menu- including lunchtime deals for $9- and great views over the square.

On the western side of the plaza, the Mercado Municipal is full of small stalls with cheap, delicious Mexican food, including the Quesadillas de Huitlacoche (a black fungus that grows on maize) for which the town is renowned. Refresh your palette afterwards with nieve (sorbet), another Tepotzotlán specialty available from carts on the square and in a variety of flavors such as cheese or tequila.

The town is a great place to kick back and relax and soak up the traditional provincial atmosphere, and if you’re lucky you might catch a concert in the church. If the sleepy charm convinces you to stay overnight, the Hotel Posada San José on Plaza Virreinal 13 (Tel: (55) 5876 0520) has small but good-value rooms ($19-$38) overlooking the cathedral. For those who are looking for a bit more luxury and don’t mind views of the motorway, Hotel City Express Tepotzotlán has all the air conditioned, cable TV extravagance you could require from $63 (Tel: (55) 5899 3190, www.cityexpress.com.mx).