Mexico

At Chichén Itzá, the pyramid of El Castillo rises into the blue sky above the green jungle, and on the Caribbean coast Tulum stands on a cliff above the turquoise sea. They are two sides of the Maya world: a sacred centre inland and a port city by the sea.

In the Yucatán, cenotes are natural sinkholes of crystal-clear fresh water, where light enters through openings in the cave roof, and the Maya considered them sacred. In Mérida, the colonial architecture has yellow and ochre façades and bougainvillea on the streets.

At the table: tacos with salsas, lime and chilli, cochinita pibil, the slow-roasted pork of the Yucatán with achiote, guacamole and corn tortillas, in markets hung with brightly coloured textiles. Maya culture is alive: many people in the Yucatán still speak Maya.