Cuernavaca was nicknamed the "City of Eternal Spring" by Alexander Von Humboldt when he visited Mexico in the 19th century.  He praised the city for it's wonderful climate, lush gardens, and abundant flowers. Since precolombian times, Cuernavaca has been a favorite weekend getaway for Mexicans.  It's  built on the southern slope of a mountain range, 64 miles south of Mexico City.  With an elevation of 5000 feet, Cuernavaca has beautiful weather year-round with an average temperature of 75F. Today, the city has about 350,000 permanent residents.

Cuernavaca has long been an appealing destination for international students because of its great historical and cultural heritage.  In Cuernavaca, Mexican history comes alive.  Hernán Cortés, the conqueror of México, built his palace here, where visitors today can see some of Diego Rivera´s most important mural paintings. The Emperor Maximilian had a private retreat in Cuernavaca, which today is an ethno-botanical garden specializing in traditional herbal medicine. The late, great Mexican star, Cantinflas, also had his home in Cuernavaca, and today his former home is one of the city´s finest restaurants. American visitors and residents of Cuernavaca have included Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton, the art collector Robert Brady, and diplomat Dwight Morrow.

The historical downtown area, walled villas, and beautiful old haciendas around Cuernavaca are home to many museums, spas, world class restaurants, hotels, boutiques, and water parks. The city has a wide variety of restaurants with regional and international cuisine, hotels for every budget, excellent shopping, golf, tennis, water sports, and an active night life. Cuernavaca is the capital of the state of Morelos and combines the best of the traditional and the modern.  Because it has been a popular city for American and European expatriats for more than a century, it has an international flair.  The standard of living is higher in Cuernavaca than in many other parts of Mexico, so it offers a level of sophistication that appeals to international visitors.  Cuernavaca has been called the "Beverly Hills of Mexico" because of the beautiful mansions with swimming pools that characterize parts of the city.

Visitors to Cuernavaca can enjoy international films, including the latest Hollywood releases, at various cineplexes around the city. There are also concerts, plays, festivals, street fairs, and art exhibits around town.  For those who like to shop, Cuernavaca offers traditional arts and crafts markets, boutiques, and modern shopping malls.  One of the most popular passtimes is to sit in the zócalo (main square) and people watch while local musicians perform traditional Mexican music.

Click here to see a list of things to do in Cuernavaca.