The Museum of Folk Art in the historical center of CDMX promotes and preserves part of the Mexican handcrafts and folk art. The old fire house building is filled to the brim with textiles, pottery, glass, piñatas, alebrijes (brightly colored sculptures of fantastical creatures), furniture and much more. Great for a quick visit, but you could also spend hours here exploring all the minute details of artisanal works.

Havana's vibrant Old Town is where the Cuban capital of today took root in the mid-16th century. UNESCO World Heritage Site status has brought about comprehensive restoration work to many of the city's crumbling architectural treasures, built in styles as wide-ranging as Cuban baroque and art nouveau (Plaza Vieja at the heart of Old Havana is where the eclecticism is most evident and best admired from a sidewalk cafe). The Old Town's two main pedestrian thoroughfares – Obispo and Mercaderes – are lined with government-run shops and attractive paladars.

The National Anthropology Museum consists of permanent and temporary exhibitions of Mexican art, life and culture. Description texts and audio guides are available both in Spanish and in English making it easy for international travellers to learn about pre-Hispanic and contemporary history. Plan at least two hours to explore the thematic halls of this museum. There are enough exhibits to keep you coming back for days, though.