Located in the south of Arizona, not far from the Mexican border, Tucson is a city that, from its approach, seems unreal. Its location in the desert of Sonora in fact can be one of the hottest cities (it is frequent that the thermometer goes above 40 degrees) and driest (5% humidity on average) of the United States. But this desert city is worth the detour if only for the stretches of Saguaros that surround it. Tucson, or"El Old Pueblo" as the locals like to call it, is the second largest city in Arizona, behind the capital Phoenix. Founded at the end of the 18th century, Tucson is one of Spain's oldest cities and has retained some of its former charms, which can be discovered today in its historic city centre. The city is surrounded on all sides by mountains, suitable for walks and hikes on foot or horseback (you will find many ranches in the area). Its Spanish name comes from O'odham (a Uto-Aztec language)"cuk son" which means"base of the black hill", in reference to the nearby volcano of Sentinel Pea. The city has an international airport served by major U.S. airlines (with direct flights from Denver, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle) to Saguaro National Park East, east of Tucson City. As for the western part, the scenic drive will take you through part of the park with some views and short hikes in the Sonora desert. This part of the park also has several hiking trails. In the afternoon, head to the Mission of San Xavier. Located south of Tucson, this Spanish style mission was built in 1797 and attracts over 200,000 visitors each year. Finally, go to the centre of Tucson to enjoy some beautiful buildings and lively streets that the city centre has to offer, take a walk around the university and the football stadium, home of the Wildcats. Park close to the convention centre and tourist information centre. From there you can easily walk through the centre of Tucson.