There's nothing in particular to see on either side of the border, though the contrast between the orderly streets of the American town and the jumbled white-washed houses clinging to the slopes in Mexico hits you as soon as you come in sight. Nogales, Arizona - the birthplace of iconoclastic jazz great Charles Mingus - is a dreary little community, while Nogales, Mexico, is basically a lively, large-scale street market.

Crossing the border is straightforward, as Mexican visas are only required by travelers heading more than 21km south of the border. US citizens should, however, ideally carry their passports or birth certificates - drivers' licenses are not always sufficient - while foreign visitors should check that their visa status entitles them to re-enter the US; if you're on or eligible for the Visa Waiver Scheme, you're fine. If driving, leave your car on the US side; you'll see lots of cheap lots as you approach the border, and it'll save you the hassle of finding parking and waiting on long car lines to return. There's no need to change money; US dollars are freely accepted by stores and businesses across the border.

None of the Arizona-side motels stands within a mile of the border; the closest is the Best Western Siesta Motel , 673 N Grand Ave (tel 520/287-4671 or 1-888/215-4783; $35-50). Most visitors prefer to eat in Mexico, where abundant cafA©s and diners line the busy central streets. Classier dining is offered by the unusual La Roca , hollowed into the rocky hillside just east of the railroad, a couple of blocks from the border at c/Elias 91, where a full seafood meal costs under $20.