Tourism

Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the world, a buzzing fusion of contemporary and traditional Mexican culture. You will find incredible food, countless museums, bars, clubs, luxury and market shopping. For those visiting for the first time we recommend the following areas:

Polanco

Polanco (where hotel is located) is Mexico City’s swankiest district, with the top designer shops, corporate offices, and high-end apartment buildings. Parque Lincoln is home to upscale restaurants and bars.

A 15 minute walk from the hotel, nestled between Polanco and Chapultepec Park, the Museo de Antropologia (@mnantropologia) is a must, one of the best museums in the world. Go early to avoid crowds. Check out contemporary and modern art at Museo Tamayo (@eneltamayo) and Museo de Arte Moderno (@museoartemernomx) next door.

Centro Historico

(Colonial center and museums, archeological dig)

Visit the Zocalo and see the city’s main square, the Cathedral, and within the Palacio Nacional check out the Diego Rivera murals. Visit Templo Mayor (old Aztec city) and see the San Ildefonso Museum, the cradle of Mexican muralism. Walk over to Santo Domingo church and square. Then walk to Palacio Iturbe, Sanborns (Azulejos), and end at the Bellas Artes Museum. For the best view of Bellas Artes, head to the Sears tower in front of Bellas Artes, go to the eigth floor and ask for Café Don Porfirio. A three-hour walking tour.

Chapultepec

Spanning 1,695 acres, Mexico City’s Chapultepec Park is the oldest and largest urban park in Latin America, and one of the oldest urban parks in the world. A sprawling park that packs more experiences within its bounds than just about any anywhere in the world. This is no mere green space, but also home to some of the city’s most important museums (see under Polanco), and it offers a range of additional activities: gardens, a zoo, restaurants, and even a castle.

The park is huge, but very walkable, with mostly flat paths all over the place. A favorite way to explore it is via bike, which you can acquire by downloading the city’s EcoBici app.

A visit to Chapultepec Castle (@museodehistoria) is a tourist favorite which gives you a good sense of Mexico’s modern history, and a glimpse into the doomed lives of Emperor Maximilian and Empress Carlotta, who lived there. On nearby Reforma, the Botanical Garden- Av. Paseo de la Reforma 126, Bosque de Chapultepec- is home to more than 300 varieties of exotic, native and introduced plants.

San Angel and Bazar Sabado*

Peaceful and picturesque, the cobblestoned neighborhood of San Angel, southwest of Mexico City, houses several art galleries, beautiful churches and artisan markets.

It is easy to spend a whole Saturday at El Bazaar Sábado, the lively and upmarket San Ángel bazaar at which the best handicrafts from all over Mexico are available. From fine jewelry and textiles to woodwork and ceramics, this bazaar showcases the skills and styles of the best Mexican artisans.

Before or after browsing the market, stop at the San Angel Inn for breakfast or an early lunch. Located in an old Carmelite Monastery, this restaurant is famous for its international cuisine, variety of dishes, Mexican-colonial architecture and interior decorations, and spacious gardens and fountains. (Reservation required- preferably in the garden)

If you have time, head over to Frida Kahlo’s home in the nearby neighborhood of Coyoacan.

*Note – please allow yourself plenty of time to make it back to your hotel and get ready for wedding! Travel times and traffic can be tricky so consult hotel or travel agency.

Roma and Condesa Neighborhoods

Many claim this is ground zero of Mexico’s culinary scene, and a place where sometimes it seems English can be heard as much as, if not more than Spanish. Roughly speaking, Avenida Insurgentes separates Roma and Condesa, with Roma to the East. Roma itself is divided into different barrios, but you will end up mostly in Roma Norte. We recommend exploring the various parks and squares in the barrios: Parque Mexico and Parque España in Condesa.

If you have more time…

Teotihuacan

(Pyramids)

The Teotihuacan Pyramids are THE most popular day trip from Mexico City, for good reason. The Teotihuacan pyramids are some of the largest in the world and the entire complex is incredibly well preserved. Because of its historical significance, Teotihuacan was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Discover the awe-inspiring Aztec pyramids at Teotihuacan, located 30 miles outside of Mexico City. Teotihuacán has two famous pyramids known as the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon. Add to that a wonderful but hidden collection of murals. Teotihuacan is filled with history from more than 2000 years ago. Once home to an unknown tribe and the seat of ultimate power in Mesoamerica, the ruins of Teotihuacan have numerous stories to tell.

Xochimilco

In southern Mexico City, a gritty working-class neighborhood gives way to the famous canals of Xochimilco, the last remnants of a vast water transport system built by the Aztecs. Located one hour away from the city center, this beautiful area contains the last remnants of the canals that once surrounded the ancient city of Tenochtitlan. Colorful gondola-like boats take visitors on cruises while food vendors, artisans, and mariachi bands float past. The atmosphere is festive, especially on weekends.

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