Desierto del Carmen

In the hills between Tenancingo and Malinalco, the Parque Nacional Desierto del Carmen protects a forest that surrounds one of the most unusual religious buildings in the region. The "desert" in the name doesn't mean dry land: Carmelite friars used the word for a place of retreat, far from towns, where they could live in silence and prayer.

The Discalced Carmelites moved here at the end of the 18th century from their earlier retreat at Cuajimalpa, near Mexico City, which had become too busy for their taste. The Spanish crown authorized the move in 1796, the convent was designed under the direction of José Antonio González Velázquez of the Academy of San Carlos, and the church was dedicated in 1801. The result is a sober neoclassical building, unlike the baroque churches common in the area. Inside, look for a life-size carved wooden Christ and the Cámara de los Secretos, a vaulted room with surprising acoustic effects. A small community of friars still lives here.

The area became a national park in 1942. Trails lead through the forest to natural lookouts such as the Balcón del Diablo, with views down over the Tenancingo and Malinalco valleys, and from the plateau around the convent you can see the Nevado de Toluca on clear days.