The town of Taxco de Alarcón is truly stunning to behold. Draped over a series of craggy and dizzying ridges right in the centre of southern Mexico’s mountain country, its whitewashed frontispieces and sun-kissed terracotta roofs make it every inch a Spanish boomtown of the 16^th century. The looming towers and domes of the iconic Santa Prisca Church at Taxco’s heart never fail to impress first-time visitors with their exquisite baroque adornments and shimmering interior filigrees.

True to its roots as a hub of silver mining, first for the Aztecs and then for the Spanish, the town still plays host to countless jewellers and silver merchants. Any travellers looking to indulge in a spot of Guerrero’s most famous export should ask their Taxco de Alarcón tour guide about the most renowned sellers that cluster around the bustling Plaza Borda.

While there, enjoy a sharp long tequila drink at one of its many laid-back cafés, before heading off to explore the so-called Humboldt House with its Viceregal art collections, or the excellent exhibitions of the Museo William Spratling, which showcases the creative merit of pre-colonial Mesoamerica.