Things to do in Mexico City
The culturally colourful and historically fascinating Mexico City has plenty to see and do for visitors from all walks of life. The city is well worth exploring en route to the resorts, and is a great place for a lively weekend away or even a holiday destination in its own right. Mexico City is also reputed to be the city with the most museums in the world and is sure to appeal to history buffs and art lovers.
With ancient ruins just a stone's throw from the city, tourists will want to visit the Templo Mayor, the principal temple of the Aztecs and part of Tenochtitlán, as well as the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Teotihuacan, which is the site of Mexico's largest ancient city and dates back to around 300 to 600 BC. For a more colonial flavour, travellers should visit the beautiful nearby town of Guanajuato, discovered by the Spanish in 1558 for its silver deposits.
Downtown Mexico City is a great place to soak up the architecture and atmosphere of the stately buildings. The Zócalo is the main gathering point in the city and is surrounded by historic buildings. The Plaza Garibaldi-Mariachi is surrounded by cafés and restaurants and is also a favourite spot for tourists. To see the city at its most picturesque, visitors should stroll along the cobbled streets of San Angel where ancient mansions and colonial houses make for wonderful photo opportunities.
Art lovers will enjoy the Palacio de Bellas Artes, which features the works of Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros, as well as 6,000 other works of art. Another of Mexico City's most popular attractions is undoubtedly the Bosque de Chapultepe. It's the destination's largest park and covers an enormous area containing lakes, a zoo and several museums, including the Museo Nacional de Antropología.
San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende has retained its historical charm with beautiful 17th- and 18-century Baroque buildings. Narrow cobbled lanes are framed by yellow, orange and ochre buildings…
El Zocalo
The enormous paved Plaza de la Constitución, or Zocalo, is the second largest city square in the world. Dominated on one side by the magnificent colonial Presidential Palace, and …
Templo Mayor
Templo Mayor was the principal temple of the Aztecs, believed to mark the centre of the universe. It was part of the sacred complex of the ancient city of Tenochtitlan, and today i…
San Angel
Formerly a separate village, San Angel is one of the more charming of Mexico's suburbs, an exclusive neighbourhood with ancient mansions and colonial houses along cobbled streets. …
Zona Rosa
The Zona Rosa (Pink Zone) is Mexico City's major dining, nightlife and shopping district, crammed with bars, shops, boutiques, restaurants and hotels. The district has subtly shift…
Teotihuacan
Situated 31 miles (50km) from Mexico City, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Teotihuacan is the country's largest ancient city, dating from around 300 to 600 BC. Legend has it the …
Guanajuato
Guanajuato is a colonial gem, founded around the rich silver deposits discovered by the Spanish in 1558. The city has an unusual layout, crammed into a narrow valley with houses an…
Bosque de Chapultepec
Bosque de Chapultepec is a truly immense urban park. Mexico's answer to Central Park spans over 686 hectares (1,695 acres), and on any given day is brimming with people. The park i…
