Elite Traveler January-February 2017

elite traveler JAN/FEB 2017 67

C O U N T R Y F O C U S M E X I C O Second only to Brazil in the size of its economy, Mexico is starting to be seen as something of a powerhouse, thanks in part to an emerging middle-class, plus growth in service and manufacturing. But forget the statistics, many vacationers come just for the stunning beaches of Cancún and San José del Cabo, while culture vultures and shopaholics descend upon the capital, Mexico City. Here you’ll naturally find all the big international designers at El Palacio de los Palacios, but for local treasures seek out hip neighborhood, Roma Norte, for handmade shoes, up-and-coming domestic designers, leather goods, jewelry and more. While you’re there, check out the Museo del Objeto del Objeto, for a look at modern objects, or if art is more your thing, there’s Museo Soumaya, the project of a local billionaire that contains works by Dalí and Picasso. For the less cerebral, the Mucho Mundo Chocolate Museum delivers exactly what you would hope. For true foodies though, there’s really only one place to eat – and drink – in Mexico, and that’s Oaxaca, the country’s culinary capital. From fine restaurants, such as Pitiona, serving imaginative and modern dishes, and Casa Oaxaca, where local legend Alejandro Ruiz pioneers a farm-to-table concept, to countless mezcal bars and tortilla stands, one thing’s for sure, you won’t go home hungry.

Left: Belmond Casa de Sierra Nevada, Guanajuato