The Franciscans arrived in Cuernavaca in the 1520s, just a few years after the Spanish conquest, and the fortress like convent they built here, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin, is now the city's cathedral. Its massive church, with walls thick enough for defence and an open chapel for preaching to crowds of indigenous converts, is one of the earliest sixteenth century monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl listed as a World Heritage Site in 1994. Inside, murals uncovered in the twentieth century show the martyrdom of Christian missionaries in Japan in 1597, a striking reminder of how far the Franciscan world reached; one of the martyrs, Felipe de Jesús, was born in Mexico City.
Cuernavaca, the capital of Morelos, is known as the city of eternal spring for its mild climate, and has long been a weekend escape for people from Mexico City. Hernán Cortés built himself a palace here, now a museum, with murals by Diego Rivera depicting the history of Mexico from the conquest to the revolution. The Jardín Borda, an eighteenth century garden where Emperor Maximilian and Empress Carlota stayed, is a lovely place to rest.
For riders, the road from Mexico City to Cuernavaca is legendary. The old federal road, Route 95, climbs over the mountains south of the capital through pine forest to nearly three thousand metres, then plunges down to Cuernavaca in a long series of curves, including the famous La Pera bend; it is crowded with bikers on weekends. The toll highway alongside is faster. Beyond Cuernavaca, Tepoztlán, a town below dramatic cliffs with a pyramid on the summit, is a short ride east.
Cuernavaca has fuel stations everywhere and a lively restaurant scene. The city's traffic is heavy, and topes, speed bumps, appear everywhere without warning. Security varies, so ride in daylight and keep to main routes. Try the local cecina, thin salted beef, and the many kinds of tamales.