DETAILS

Taxco, Mexico

GETTING THERE: We flew to Mexico City from BWI on Mexicana Airlines, which currently has the cheapest nonstop flights from the Washington area, for $340. American Airlines charges $10 more, also from BWI. Leaving from Dulles costs about $440, on United; connecting service starts at $300 on Northwest.

Comfortable, direct-to-Taxco buses leave from Mexico City's South Bus Station several times a day on the Estrella de Oro line (011-52-55-5549-8520, http://www.estrelladeoro.com.mx/home.asp , in Spanish). To go from the airport, you'll need to catch a taxi or bus from there first. Alternatively, Pullman de Morelos (011-52-55-57-86-9358, http://www.pullman.com.mx/ , in Spanish) operates buses from Mexico City's airport to Cuernavaca, and you can change there for a bus to Taxco. Either way, the one-way cost is about $8.50 to Taxco or $18 via Cuernavaca. Or, for $120 and up, arrange for a driver to meet you at the airport. Two choices are Ciro Gomez (011-52-762-621-1056) or Posada San Javier (011-52-762-622-3177). It's a three-hour drive by car or bus.

WHERE TO STAY: Among the nicer hotels are the Hotel Montetaxco (Avenue Lomas de Taxco, 011-52-762-622-1300, http://www.montetaxco.com.mx/ ; double rooms are about $125, with breakfast), at the edge of town, accessible by steep road or gondola, with three pools, a nine-hole golf course and tennis courts; the Colonial-style Agua Escondido (4 Plaza Borda, 011-52-762-622-1166; $65), on the Zocalo, with a nice outdoor swimming pool tucked away in a courtyard; and Los Arcos (4 Juan Ruíz de Alarcón, 011-52-762-622-1813, http://www.hotellosarcos.net/ ; from $40), just off the Zocalo.

For a luxurious but not exorbitant home stay, check out Casa de las Palmas (13 Calle Guadalupe, 011-52-762-622-0212, http://www.bearport.org/Villa ), with a master bedroom featuring two double beds, a sunroom with a bed, a spacious living room with two pull-out beds. a kitchen, full bath, deck, rooftop patio and courtyard. The cost of $99 per night ($85 for the studio) includes breakfast served on the patio every morning and maid service.

WHERE TO EAT: Angelos , on Juan Ruíz de Alarcón, offers excellent Mexican and international fare with rooftop seating just off the Zocalo. Sotavento , on Benito Juárez, also offers excellent dishes with courtyard seating. Most entrees at even these "high-end" restaurants are less than $10. The Hotel Montetaxco (see above) offers generous and moderately priced buffet breakfasts, lunches and dinners with great views ($10 to $20), and the ride up on the Swiss-made gondola is a blast.

WHAT TO DO: Every other doorway is a silver shop, but for especially well-crafted (and somewhat pricey but bargainable) pieces, check out Los Castillo and Joyeria Elena Ballesteros, both on Calle Celso Muñoz (Nos. 6 and 4, respectively) on the north side of Santa Prisca. You can tour Santa Prisca anytime of the day. For museums: Museo William Spratling (1 Calle Porfirio A. Delgado, 011-52-762- 622-1660; admission $2.20), for pre-Columbian pieces from the collection of an American expat who took Taxco's silvermaking to new heights; and Casa Humboldt (12 Calle Juan Ruíz de Alarcón, 011-52-762-622-5501; $2), for 18th-century Catholic artifacts.

INFO: Mexico Tourism Board, 800-446-3942, http://www.visitmexico.com/ .

-- Rick Weiss