Valle de Bravo
Country: Mexico.

The town of Valle de Bravo dates from the time of the colony and it has conserved the paved streets, the tile roofs, the walls whitened with its baseboard terracotta and the atmosphere of tranquility of the Mexican countryside. In its origins the inhabitants were devoted to agriculture, since a great quantity of rivers and streams irrigated "El Plan" with waters coming from the thaw of the volcano "Nevado de Toluca". These lands were flooded when a dam was built in the year of 1945 inside the "Hydroelectric System Miguel German" for electric power generation. The change in the life of the inhabitants of the town was unavoidable since their "agricultural lands" became a great lake, but thanks to this it provided the town with roads and of a new landscape that immediately was known between the tourists lovers of the nature and aquatic sports.

Besides the possibility to practice aquatic sports as sailing, water skying, fishing and powerboating. You will find two equestrian centers, two launching points for hangliders and multiple sidewalks in the surrounding forests that are used by walkers, mountain cyclists and horsemen who enjoy nature.

On the cultural activities that can be carried out in Valle de Bravo there are multiple exhibitions young painters that are presented in the Museum Pagaza, the visit to the caves of "la Barranca del Diablo" to admire the cave paintings, the journeys to the hydroelectric facilities of "Colorines" and "Santo Tomás de los Plátanos", the visit to the picturesque town of "Real de Arriba" where one of the biggest orchid nurseries in Mexico exist, the walk by Santa María Pipioltepec to visit a country property that dates from the XVI century and a little further away a trip to Zacazonapan to visit the mines of zinc and manganese.

How to get there?

Valle de Bravo is located two and a half hours in car west of the Mexico City. You should travel to Toluca from where three highways start; the first and more advisable is the one that goes toward Temascaltepec and has a deviation in the Km. 40, the second is the one that goes towards Zitácuaro having to turn at "El Monumento" that is after passing "Villa Victoria" and the third highway is the oldest and longest and goes by the town of Amanalco. For public transportation take it from the "Terminal Poniente" in Mexico City, buses are leaving every hour for $70 pesos.

All this information was provided by "Cabalgatas La Sierra", the best way to know Valle de Bravo is horseback riding: http://www.lasierracavalcades.com/