The World’s 100 Best Archaeological Sites & Ruins · 2026

The Best Archaeological Sites & Ruins in Mexico

12 of the 100 sites in The World’s 100 Best Archaeological Sites & Ruins 2026 are in Mexico. The highest placed is Calakmul in Calakmul, at number 1 in the world. Uxmal in Santa Elena (number 9) and Palenque in Palenque (number 13) follow.

Yucatán and Campeche

Calakmul lies about 60 km off the highway inside a biosphere reserve. Edzná is near the city of Campeche. Uxmal, Ek Balam and Chichén Itzá are in the state of Yucatán, Tulum on the Caribbean coast.

Chiapas

Palenque stands at the edge of the forest. Yaxchilán is reached by boat on the Usumacinta river.

Central Mexico, Veracruz and Oaxaca

Teotihuacan has the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon along the Avenue of the Dead. Cantona is in the east of Puebla, El Tajín near Papantla, Monte Albán on a levelled hilltop above Oaxaca.