Cuernavaca, Mexico, is unjustly
overlooked by many international tourists and students. This is a terrible
shame, for its rich cultural and historical legacies are second to none,
and the beauty of the natural surroundings are truly spectacular. In
fact, Cuernavaca is so appealing that the Habsburg Emperor Maximilian
choose the city as the location for one of his famed summer residences.
This, of course, speaks volumes: A man with the entire world literally
at his disposal, and unlimited monetary funds, chose to spend his summers
in this little city in Central Mexico. As the old saying goes, If
it's good enough for him...
Of course, it makes perfect
sense that people would be drawn to Cuernavaca: The average annual temperature
is 68 degrees Fahrenheit, leading locals to boast of their city's
so-called eternal spring. And "its parks and gardens resplendent with
tropical plants and flowers, [and] its charming center with colonial
architecture still attract Mexicans and foreign tourists from all over
the world. [And] because of its geographical position, Cuernavaca is
also an ideal starting point for interesting trips in Central Mexico"
(www.cuernavaca.ch).
Academic Study Abroad Programs in Cuernavaca
The Central Mexico region,
of course, is famous for its history and beauty. "In this region,
you can visit Mexico City, the nation's capital. There you can appreciate
the fascinating architecture of the aging buildings in the city's
Historic Center...In the Mexican heartland, you can also visit picturesque
towns known for their fairs, convents and haciendas, such as Tlaxcala
and Huamantla. Or you can experience the rush of the running of the
bulls in Aguascalientes, where you can also see cockfights and visit
the San Marcos Fair. Or you can visit colonial city Guanajuato, which
hosts the famous Cervantino Festival. And then there's Puebla, the
city of angels, with more than 200 churches. Finally, be sure to check
out Queretaro's monumental aqueduct and Morelia's baroque cathedral,
both declared UNESCO World Heritage sites" (www.visitmexico.com).
And though it is surrounded
by many fascinating and beautiful towns, Cuernavaca itself is full of
the kind of attraction tourists from all over the world flock to. "Among
the important historical and architectural attractions are the 16th
century Cathedral, the Hernán Cortés Palace with famous murals of
Diego Rivera, the Borda gardens and the richly adorned Aztec temple
Teopanzolco...[T]he city center, the Zócalo, mixes native and foreign
visitors with street cafés, numerous restaurants[,] and coffeehouses
allowing you to spend tranquil moments in the busy center" (www.cuernavaca.ch).
Cuernavaca is especially appealing
to students: It is, beyond all else, a university town, and as such
it bursts with the energy and excitement that all those students bring
to the city and its cultural life. Because of the prevalence of students
and academic institutions, many intellectuals and artists have made
their home in Cuernavaca, and the result has been a city whose relatively
small population (about half a million) still manages to be one of the
most vibrant in Mexico, outside the capital of Mexico City. "[M]any
cultural events have increasingly taken place in recent years, poetry
readings, concerts, ballet and theatre performances and art exhibitions.
You can also enjoy the discotheques and music bars until the early hours
of the morning" (www.cuernavaca.ch).
Many American universities
have programs in Cuernavaca. Language study is one of the most popular
reasons students choose to spend a semester or a year in this city,
though there are a number of other ones they may choose to pursue, including
anthropology, archaeology, and cultural studies, as well as the more
typical college courses of economics, the sciences, and the arts.
In all, Cuernavaca is an exciting,
intellectually stimulating, and beautiful place to study. Its unique
combination of college-town excitement and intellectualism and its deeply
rooted cultural history make it an excellent choice for study abroad.
Or, if you happen to be the emperor of a very large swath of land extending
over much of Europe, Cuernavaca isn't too bad a place to spend your
summers, either.
