Candy-colored buildings, cobbled lanes that lead to ancient rock-hewn churches, and the smell of takeout tacos filling the air: to the odd culture buff out there, there’s nothing quite like a weekend getaway in a colonial town in Mexico.
Gorgeous as these gems may be, they’re not always the easiest spots to visit.
Whether it’s safety concerns in the surrounding states or simply how hard some of them are to reach, plenty end up staying off travelers’ radars.
After nearly a decade of traveling across Mexico, our team at Travel Off Path felt like it was the right moment to separate fact from fear and help you narrow down those options.
Here are 5 beautiful, and most importantly, safe historic towns south of the border that absolutely deserve a spot on your 2026 bucket list:
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
- 1h15 from Querétaro
- 1h30 from León
A gorgeous colonial-era towns in the heart of central Mexico, San Miguel de Allende is a rare example of a Spanish-built settlement that’s fully retained its historic appeal:
No skyscrapers, visual pollution, or the kind of dispiriting modernist structures that litter most New World cities. Instead, you get cobblestone streets flanked by warm-tone townhouses and stays, picturesque patios bordered by arcaded buildings, and a striking pink-washed, neo-Gothic church.
It is, without question, one of the prettiest pueblos in Mexico, and you’ll be glad to know it also ranks among the least risky to visit. Crime against tourists is generally low, and the walkable Historic Center is well-patrolled and well-lit at night.
There is a visible police presence in and around main landmarks, which helps deter street crime, and though it is not exactly crime-free, your main concern here is bewaring of pickpockets in crowded spaces, and steering clear of less-affluent suburban areas.
Izamal, Yucatán
- 38 min from Mérida (Teya Station) by train
- 2h15 from Cancun Airport by train
Mexico’s ‘Yellow City’, Izamal, is distinguished by the striking jaune hue of its 16th-century structures. We promise you this is not another Instagrammer Lightroom trick: nearly every building in downtown is indeed painted a bold yellow.
Other than getting lost in Izamal’s maze-like streets, must-sees include Convento de San Antonio de Padua, known for its large atrium, said to be the second-largest in the world after the Vatican City’s, and the Kinich Kak Moo Pyramid, a Mayan wonder hosting far fewer tourists than Chichén Itzá.
As a small municipality with around 15,000 people, Izamal is incredibly peaceful, with some of the lowest homicide and violent crime rates in the country.
Pickpocketing and scamming risks are still there, like anywhere else in Mexico, but it’s surprisingly calm, uncrowded (particularly on weekdays), and generally safe for locals and tourists alike.
Bernal, Querétaro
- 40 min drive from Querétaro
- 2h30 drive from Mexico City
About 40 min by road from the city of Querétaro, and a doable 2h30 drive from Mexico City, Bernal is that picture-perfect colonial village you’ve been sleeping on for far too long.
Far away from the hustle and bustle of the big metropolises, it has a charming centro, founded in 1642 and best known for its leafy main square and stunning Parroquia de San Sebastián Mártir, a parish church with an ornate façade.
Serving as the permanent backdrop to this idyllic scene, Peña de Bernal is a 433-meter boulder on the edge of town, with smaller slopes that are dotted with minor pilgrimage chapels.
Needless to say, Mexico City’s long-standing issue with gangs and urban crime doesn’t really overspill here: perhaps the biggest threat for tourists in Bernal is being sold a cheap magnet for a couple of hundred more pesos than its actual market value.
Pátzcuaro, Michoacán
- 45-90 min drive from Morelia International Airport
Founded as the capital of the pre-Columbian Purépecha Empire in the 14th century, Pátzcuaro is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in Mexico, though much of the current town layout is attributed to the Spanish settlers.
Picture cobble-paved streets, Baroque chapels, beautiful balustrades, and lush gardens revolving around European-style fountains: this is colonial Mexico at its peak.
Pátzcuaro’s growing appeal is attributed not only to its Old World feel but also to its lakeside location: on the shores of the namesake lake, it is a peaceful weekend retreat highly sought after by Mexican locals themselves, and gringos are quickly catching up.
The fact that it’s a tight-knit community with low everyday crime is yet another huge draw. Unstable as the wider state of Michoacán may be, Pátzcuaro is a well-known oasis of tranquility, with a community-oriented feel and a lack of serious security issues.
Todos Santos
- 1h drive from Los Cabos
- 1h30 drive from La Paz
A sleepy beach town on the Pacific Coast of Baja California Sur, Todos Santos is a popular artist hub famous for its quirky galleries, American-friendly coffee shops, and palm-lined waterfront.
It’s not as old as some of the other municipalities on this list, having thrived as a fishing village from the 18th century onward, but it’s Instagram-ready nonetheless, with its adobe homes with arched façades and wooden doors, and historic Mission churches.
As a whole, the state of Baja California Sur is low-risk, thanks to its effective policing and low tolerance to crime. Places like Los Cabos and La Paz are widely considered some of Mexico’s safest destinations, and Todos Santos is no exception:
It’s small, calm, and tourism-driven. Violent crime is rare, and whatever small amount of petty theft that does take place is easily avoided with normal precautions.
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