One and a half hours from Mexico City, Valle De Bravo is one of Mexico’s pueblos mágicos (magic cities). As the Hamptons are to New York City, the area offers refuge to city dwellers with an array of water-based activities, paragliding, arts, shopping, and dining. Meander the winding cobblestone streets of the town underneath red-tiled roofs. Uncover artisan textiles and pottery at Mercado de Artesanías. Sip spicy Micheladas and tasty tacos at a lakeside café after spending the day water skiing or paragliding. Take a forest hike to Vela de Novia Park for expansive views and a towering waterfall crashing into a blue lagoon. Spend your morning at one of the four area golf courses, or grab your wheels and adventure trails for mountain biking, motocross, or simply hiking. Tap into a different sort of magic every November when hundreds of thousands of migrating monarch butterflies settle in a sanctuary and preserve outside the city. Follow the music to the town square, where local musicians ply their craft daily. Or seek out the spiritual. The 17th-century Templo de Santa María of Ahuacatlán is an important pilgrimage site, home to the Black Christ, and the town is also home to the tallest Tibetian temple in the Western Hemisphere.