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Traveling With Children / Kids / Lists / Mexico Travel / → All Tags

Lonely Planet Counts Down Top Ten Kid-Friendly Cities Of The World

After what has no doubt been a lengthy summer of Travel Chanel specials on tropical escapes and kid-friendly vacations, Lonely Planet has released their own top ten list: Top 10 Cities to visit with children.

The list flaunts the qualities of some usual suspects, like Rome and London, but it actually surprises by extolling the charms of some cities we wouldn't have considered for a family vacation. For instance, number 8 above Rome and Sydney is Singapore. Everyone knows that it's a very clean place, but that comes with gum chewing being against the law.

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Movie Set Travel / Oaxaca / → All Tags

Movie Set Travel: Nacho Libre

The chubby jokester is back. Jack Black hits theatres wearing too much spandex today in Nacho Libre. He'll be contorting his face and raising eyebrows as a young man who was raised in a Mexican monastery in Oaxaca and now works there as the cook. In the movie, he takes it upon himself to rescue the holy place from financial ruin by joining a local Lucha Libre (Mexican wrestling) tournament.

The whole of the film was shot in Mexico--most of it in Oaxaca, surprisingly. Filming on location must be a tad cheaper down there. In that spirit, we offer you some cool things to do in Oaxaca, other than trying to pronounce it properly.

Where To Stay:
Camino Real Oaxaca
This former convent gets our vote, and it dates back to the 16th century. Corridors are bathed in faded frescoes and rooms have been updated to reflect 21st century standards. The best part? The garden. With 87 different types of flowers and plants, you'll never tire of a long stroll around the grounds.

Where To Eat:
El Naranjo
Serving contemporary Oaxacan food, El Naranjo boasts seven famous moles and tons of different kinds of stuffed chiles. Dig into chicken breasts stuffed with huauzontles in a chile guajillo sauce, and be sure to ask for extra ice water.

What to See:
Basilica de Nuestra Senora de la Soledad
This Baroque basilica houses the statue of the city's patron saint-the Virgin of Solitude. She is believed to be quite the miracle worker/healer by the locals. Be sure to look up at the chandeliers, which are held aloft by angels. A-dor-a-ble.