When you travel to Mexico, you can’t miss its capital city! It is one the most fascinating cities in America, and certainly that with more history to show. This great metropolis offers pre-hispanic heritage, monumental colonial architecture, great museums and fantastic food for any budget.
Our first trip to Mexico started here in Mexico City. We stayed 5 full days (6 nights), but we used one of them to visit Teotihuacan (40 km NE). 4 days in Mexico City is not much, but enough to visit the main sights of the city and its most interesting neighbourhoods.
From Tenochtitlan to Ciudad de México
Two years after the first contact between Spain and Mexico-Tenochtitlan (with changing fate and attitudes), on 13th August 1521, México-Tenochtitlan fell to Hernán Cortés and his local allies (especially totonacs and tlaxcaltecs). It was the last metropolis of Mesoamerica.
From then on, Hernán Cortés and his people worked to build the new city of Mexico on top of Tenochtitlan. This city would be the capital of the Viceroyalty of New Spain and the largest and most important city in the Americas. The name of Mexico was preserved – Moctezuma’s subjects called themselves Mexicas (now incorrectly known as Aztecs).
Tenochtitlan was a great city built in an island in the Texcoco Lake. On the North of this island was Mexico-Tlatelolco, another Mexica city that had been joined to Tenochtitlan, which had one of the largest markets in the world.
Three bridges joined this island to other islands in the lagoon and to its shore. The Aztecs had a complex system of dykes to control the lagoon and to separate fresh from salty water. They built artificial island gardes called chinampas, where they raised their crops with no fear for droughts.
It must have been impressive… As Bernal Díaz del Castillo, who took part in the battle for Tenochtitlan, wrote in The True History of the Conquest of New Spain:
“And we saw the fresh water that comes from Chapultepec which supplies the city, and we saw the bridges on the three causeways which were built at certain distances apart through which the water of the lake flowed in and out from one side to the other…
After having examined and considered all that we had seen we turned to look at the great market place and the crowds of people that were in it, some buying and others selling, so that the murmur and hum of their voices and words that they used could be heard more than a league off. Some of the soldiers among us who had been in many parts of the world, in Constantinople, and all over Italy, and in Rome, said that so large a market place and so full of people, and so well regulated and arranged, they had never beheld before.”
Unfortunately, the Spanish conquistadores didn’t understand Aztec hydraulic works and eventually destroyed them. The city flooded so frequently that from the 17th c. the authorities decided to drain the lake. Therefore, now many neighbourhoods of Mexico City are build on what once was water.
Nowadays, we can imagine how that American Venice looked like by visiting Xochimilco, on the South of Mexico City, where agriculture is still done on chinampas.
How to arrive in Mexico City
Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX) lies 7 km as the crow flies East of the Zócalo, the very centre of the old city.
To arrive in the city centre from the airport, you can take an official airport taxi (around 250 pesos, US$12), or by public transport.
By Metro, you can reach station Terminal Aérea (line 5) walking through Terminal 1 parking. The ticket costs MX$5 (US$0.25), the usual price.
Taking the Metrobús is more comfortable, because Terminal 1 station (line 4) is right in the airport terminal. In this case, there is an extra airport fare and it costs MX$30 (US$1.50).
Moving around Mexico City
Mexico City is huge and the main places of interest are in different neighbourhoods, that sometimes are quite far from each other.
You should know that public transport in Mexico City is safe, very cheap and fast. Now we will explain you the system, as it’s not so easy:
The first thing you should do is buying a rechargeable card of Mexico City’s integrated public transport system. The card costs MX25$ (US$1.20) and you can buy it in any metro station. You can top up the card in all metro stations and many metrobús stations (at least in the city centre).
Mexico City’s metro is made up of 12 lines and 195 stations. As a tourist, it is especially handy to arrive in the historical city centre (lines 1 & 2) and in Chapultepec. Surprisingly, sometimes metro stations are very far from the main places, for instance, Coyoacán metro station (L3) is a 25 min walk from Coyoacán main square.
A metro ride costs MX$5 (US$0.25) that you will pay with your transport card. The main drawback of the metro is that it is reaaaally crowded, so it is we highly recommend avoiding peak hours. In all trains, there is a women-only carriage, great for solo women travellers.
Metrobús is an express bus network, that works similar to modern tramway. Metrobuses have priority in all intersections and often their own lane. They have dedicated stations where you can usually charge your card, and sometimes with entrance and exit gates similar to those in a metro station.
A Metrobús ticket costs MX$6 (US$0.30). In our opinion, Metrobús is more comfortable than the metro and it’s usually much less crowded. It is especially useful to visit all the nice squares and monuments of Paseo de la Reforma (using line 7).
There are also regular buses and minibuses (called micros) that we didn’t use. These are even cheaper than the metro. You won’t use the 2 cable car lines that arrive in poor neighbourhoods on the hills in the city’s outskirts.
We recommend downloading Citymapper, a mobile app that you can trust much more than Google Maps to move around in public transport.
To go to some areas that are not so well connected by public transport or quite far (like Coyoacán or Xochimilco), or to go out at night you may prefer to take a taxi. Taxis can be dangerous, so either tell your hotel to call one for you or use Uber.
Another option to see the main landmarks of Mexico City is the touristic bus TuriBus. A daily hop-on hop-off ticket costs 160 pesos (180 during weekends).
Is Mexico City safe?
Mexico City is a place where you should take care, especially at night and in some areas. But our experience was much better than what you would expect if you read official travel recommendations from European governments. We went around the city in public transport and we didn’t saw anything strange walking in the centre, Reforma or Roma.
However, the streets in the historical centre are surprisingly empty at night and you should avoid the area North of Plaza de Santo Domingo (Tepito, Lagunilla). In Plaza Garibaldi, one of the classic areas for cantinas with live mariachi, violence (or even shootings) are not rare.
There are not many reasons to visit the rest of the dangerous areas in Mexico City, so don’t worry so much.
The neighbourhoods of Roma, Condesa and Zona Rosa are quite lively at night and safe. Coyoacán is also safe and a quarter you should visit both day and night, to enjoy in one of its mariachi cantinas.
We chose Hotel Royal Reforma, in Zona Rosa next to Insurgentes metro and metrobús stations, because it is well connected by public transporte and it is a safe area to go out for dinner or drinks without having to take a taxi.
Seismic alert!
You should know that Mexico City is a high-intensity earthquake zone. The lake bed on which the city is built amplifies seismic waves.
Anyway, don’t worry! The city is well prepared for earthquakes and there is a seismic alert system… We had a first-hand earthquake experience on our last day in Mexico (we returned to the city to take our flight back the next morning) and we can tell you everything was fine.
If you here a siren followed by the message “¡alerta sismica, alerta sísmica!“, get ready to feel the ground shaking in a minute or two.
Stay calm. If you are inside a building, walk outside. If you don’t have time for that, go under a table or a door frame. And if you are already outside, stay as far as possible from buildings, trees and street lamps, but don’t walk during the earthquake.
As we were saying, we lived an earthquake of magnitude 7 (and over 1 minute long) and after it finished we could carry on with our plans. We took some night pictures and went for dinner. Really, an hour later you couldn’t tell there had been an earthquake in the city. And knowing there will be an earthquake is really appreciated.
Every year, there is an earthquake practice on the 19th September. This is the date of the devastating earthquake in 1985… and another one in 2017 that also hit hard. Many people died in the latter because it was a couple of hours after the practice and they thought they were just checking the system again… So always behave as if it were real, just in case.
4 days in Mexico City
Day 1: Old City (Centro Histórico), Alameda Central & Reforma
Old Mexico City (Centro Histórico)
After taking Tenochtitlan in 1521, the Spanish conquistadores started building a new city on top of its ruins. This city would soon be the capital of the new Viceroyalty of New Spain and the most influential city in America.
Actually, some consider Mexico City as the first cosmopolitan metropolis in a new globalised world that was just starting then.
There lived Spaniards and other Europeans, different indigenous peoples, other of mixed descent (mestizos) and whites born in Mexico (criollos), along with Asians and African slaves.
Old Mexico City is one of the best ensembles of colonial architecture in America, where Spanish Renaissance (plateresque) and Baroque were interpreted in a uniquely Mexican way. The ruins of the Main Temple of Tenochtitlan are also there. That’s why it’s a UNESCO World Heritage along with Xochimilco.
What puzzled us the most in the old city is that, while it is very lively during the day, it gets quite empty after sunset.
If you prefer visiting Old Mexico City with a local guide, we recommend you
Si prefieres visitar el centro histórico con un guía local, te recomendamos este Free Tour Colonial Corners of the Historic Center, organised by a local official guide and historian. Click here for more information and reservartions.
Zócalo (Main Square)
Metro: Zócalo (L2), Pino Suárez (L1). Both stations are connected by a tunnel where some archaeological findings of the Main Temple are exhibited, along with a model of how it looked like.
Officially Plaza de la Constitución – but known by everyone as Zócalo – is Mexico City’s main square and one of the largest squares in the world, at 240 by 195 metres. It follows the Spanish plaza mayor model, but it is nearly 4 times the size of Madrid’s plaza mayor!
Some of its buildings have actually been there since the first years after the Spanish conquest. It was here, in the Southern edge of the ceremonial centre of Tenochtitlan where the the new Mexico City was born, making clear that a power shift had just happened.
Zócalo hosts some of the main institutions of the city (and the country). The Old City Hall is on the right of the Southern side. Its construction started right away in 1522, but the current building was totally rebuilt in the beginning of the 18th c. in Baroque style and later renovated under Porfirio Díaz.
On its left, a new building from 1940 imitates the structure and style of the Old City Hall, albeit in a simpler way, for the sake of harmony. This is now the New City Hall.
The arcades of the Old City Hall, decorated with beautiful blue and white tiles, are a popular place for street sellers.
The Western side of Zócalo is known as Viejo Portal de Mercaderes (Old Merchants’ Hall). This area was officially dedicated to trade already since 1521.
Metropolitan Cathedral
Mexico City’s Cathedral sits on Zócalo’s Northern Side. Its construction started in 1571, substituting the first main church that was soon regarded as unworthy of such an important city.
The first project for the new grand cathedral had 7 naves and was inspired in the Cathedral of Seville. But this idea was soon abandoned, when the authorities realised that such a heavy building would have huge structural problems in Mexico City’s swampy ground.
They resorted to Aztec foundation laying techniques, much better suited to this kind of terrain. They built thousands of wooden pillars at great depth to support this new structure.
The project was also downscaled to the 5 naves we can admire today, based of the Cathedral of Jaén, which was just being built at that time.
Don’t just stand there, you must visit the Cathedral’s interior. The entrance is free – although you have to pay to visit some areas, like the choir (MX$40, US$2). The beautiful choir stall was made in 1697. The fence is a great example of globalisation: it was manufactured in Macao in 1722.
But there Cathedral’s masterpiece is the Altar of the Kings (Altar de los Reyes). This work by Jerónimo de Balbás is one of the best pieces of Mexican Baroque. It is 25 metres tall and 7,5 deep, and made of gilded wood from ayacahuite pine and white cedar.
Entrance of the sacristy costs MX$100. There you can see some huge Mexican Baroque paintings.
The Cathedral’s Tabernacle (Sagrario) is attached to the Cathedral’s right side. It is another church, originally built in the mid-18th c. to keep the sacred and liturgical objects and the archbishopric archives. Its façade is pure Mexican churrigueresque Baroque. Entrance is free, but there is nothing special inside.
The Eastern side of the Tabernacle faces another square, from where you can enter the Main Temple Museum.
In this square, there are some Aztecs dressed with feathers crowns and other traditional clothes, offering their ancient spells to replenish your energy, cast away your problems and other stuff to both locals and visitors, in exchange for a voluntary contribution.
You will really see quite some Mexicans queuing for their blessings.
National Palace
On the East side of Zócalo is the National Palace, currently the official residence of the President of Mexico.
The origins of this palace are also tied to the first years of the new colonial city. It was originally built as Hernán Cortés’ private residence on top of part of the Moctezuma Xocoyotzin’s palace.
In the 17th c. it was purchased by the Spanish Crown and was used as the official residence of the Viceroys of New Spain. A fire in 1692 caused it heavy damage and then it was completely rebuilt. Its characteristic dark red colour is that of tezontle, the local stone of volcanic origin.
Each 15th September, at 11 pm, the Mexican president gives a speech from its balcony, in memory of the Grito deDolores (Cry of Dolores), the arousing speech of priest Manuel Hidalgo, that triggered the Independence War in 1810.
Tenochtitlan Main Temple
A few steps from the Zócalo you will find the archaelogical zone and museum of Tenochtitlan’s Main Temple (Huey Teocalli, or in Spanish, Templo Mayor).
So on our first day we visited our first archaeological zone in Mexico… Unfortunately, a roof had collapsed due to heavy rain and you could only see it from the sides.
The museum (Museo del Templo Mayor) was open, though, and an exhibition on the battle for Tenochtitlan was on display, as the 500th anniversary had just been.
Visiting the archaeological zone costs MX$70 and the Museum costs MX$80 (US$7.50 combined).
Tenochtitlan’s Main Temple was the most impressive building in its ceremonial precinct, which was in the city centre and had 78 buildings.
As usual in Mesoamerica, the pyramid that supported this temple was built in several stages – each time they decided to enlarge the temple, they built a new pyramid on top of the existing one, resulting in a solid structure like an onion.
Usually each ruler (huey tlatoani) enlarged the main temple at least once during their reign. In 1521, it was between 40 and 45 metres tall.
Unfortunately, there is not much left today of this breathtaking building, and virtually nothing of its last stage. But you can still see part of the façade dating from the 6th stage (around 1500), with 3 serpent heads. There are more structures from the 2nd stage (before 1428), including a Chac-mool sculpture.
Templo Mayor is in a much worse preservation state than many other archaeological zones in Mexico – including Teotihuacan, just 40 km away – so it is not as interesting.
However, we highly recommend visiting its Museum. Its 8 halls exhibit several findings from Tenochtitlan, now Mexico City centre, like ceramics, jewelry, offerings and carved stones that used to decorate the building’s façades.
Tenochtitlan was founded in 1325 by the Mexicas (Aztecs), a people that arrived in the Mexico Basin from the North, after migrating for 2 centuries.
According to their origin myth, the city was established where an eagle perched on a nopal (a kind of cactus). This was the sign they were expecting from thier god Huitzilopochtli. And this scene is now on the Mexican flag!
The most important pieces in the museum are its two huge monoliths (one-piece stones): Tlaltecuhtli and Coyolxauhqui stones.
Tlaltecuhtli Stone represents this Earth god/goddess in its feminine version, in natural childbirth position.
It is the largest known Aztec monolith (4.17 by 3.62 metres). It was discovered in 2006 and it has preserved part of its original painting.
Coyolxauhqui Stone is a circular monolith that represents Coyolxauhqui, the moon goddess, daughter of the mother of gods Coatlicue (skirt of snakes).
According to the Aztec myth, when Coyolxauhqui learned that Coatlicue was pregnant from a stranger, she took the Centzon Huitznahuac (400 stars) – her brothers – to Mount Coatepec, where her mother was, in order to kill her.
But in that precise moment, Huitzilopochtli was born (Sun god, the most important for the Aztecs). He took his legendary weapon Xiuhcóatl (fire serpent) and killed Coyolxauhqui and the Centzon Huitznahuac. Huitzilopochtli threw Coyolxauhqui’s head to the sky, turning her into the moon.
Coyolxauhqui Stone was at the base of the staircase of the temple of Huitzilopochtli. This fight between the Sun and the Moon was the origin of most of the human sacrificies of Tenochtitlan, that feeded Huitzilopochtli so he had enough energy to vanquish Coyolxauhqui every day to continue illuminating the sky.
Plaza de Santo Domingo
800 metres North of the Main Temple, on a side of República de Brasil street, is Plaza de Santo Domingo, one of the most emblematic squares of colonial Mexico City.
This square was built over what had been the palace of Cuauhtemoc, the last tlatoani of Tenochtitlan. Now it is named after the monastery of Santo Domingo, which was, at its peak, one of the most important in New Spain. The church on the North side of the square, and a small chapel on its left are all that remains from the monastery.
The porticoed Western side is known as the Evangelists’ Portal (Portal de los Evangelistas). These evangelists are writers that, since the 19th century, write letters of any kind for anyone who needs this service.
On the opposite corner you will see what was the Headquarters of the Inquisition from 1571 until its dissolution in 1815. Now it is the National School of Medicine.
Between Zócalo and Alameda Central
Walking South from Plaza de Santo Domingo, you will arrive to the Western side of Zócalo. These streets form a huge commercial area – usually shops are grouped by type (jewelry, electronics equipment, etc.)
It is a fantastic area to walk around, with good street tacos and great restaurantes, like El Cardenal, where we tried a delicious chile en nogada.
Calle Francisco I. Madero is the main pedestrian street that runs West of Zócalo. It is full of streets and shop galleries (with mostly jewelry shops).
By the end of the street you will find Palacio de Iturbide, a stately 18th c. residence decorated with many stone carvings. Agustín de Iturbide, head of the Army of the Three Guarantees, lived here after entering Mexico City with his army, securing independence, until he became the first Mexican Emperor in 1822.
A few metres away is the Church of San Francisco, from the early 18th c. Its Baroque façade is one of the most beautiful in Mexico City.
Just across the street from this church stands Casa de los Azulejos (House of Tiles), omne of the most iconic colonial buildings in Mexico City’s historical centre.
This palace from 1596 was decorated with Talavera tiles in the 18th c. – this is a style from Talavera de la Reina, Spain, that became very popular in central Mexico, where it is still produced.
Now, Casa de los Azulejos is home to a Sanborns, the most important department stores in Mexico. Its café is in a beautiful palace courtyard.
Calle Madero ends by Torre Latinoamericana, the first skyscraper in the world built in a high-intensity seismic area in 1956.
And it was well designed, because it was survived the devastating earthquakes in 1985 and 2017.
It’s 182 metres tall. You can enjoy a beautiful view over Mexico City from its terrace – if the sky is clear, which is not so common in Mexico City.
Actually, the historical centre of Mexico City has many interesting streets and corners, but you need more time to explore it better.
Calle Moneda has some beautiful colonial architecture. Another interesting street is Tacuba. Here you will find Café Tacuba, a historical canteen with live mariachi everyday and delicious antojitos (Mexican tapas).
Close to Alameda Central is Plaza Tolsá, home to the beautiful statue of King Charles IV of Spain on horseback (the original Caballito that was originally in Paseo de la Reforma, the Champs Elysées of Mexico City).
Palacio de Bellas Artes
Palacio de Bellas Artes lies between Madero, 5 de Mayo and Tacuba streets and Alameda Central. It is one of the most important operas in America.
Palacio de Bellas Artes is one of the most emblematic buildings in Mexico City. This monumental art nouveau theatre was built between 1901 and 1904 by Italian architect Adamo Boari of Carrara marble.
Since then, Palacio de Bellas Artes has sunk 4 cm, and unevenly (although it’s well disguised), something quite common in Mexico City.
Its art déco interior, also inspired in Mesoamerican art is wonderful, but we didn’t have the opportunity to visit it.
Palacio de Bellas Artes also hosts a museum of Mexican painting from the 19th and 20th centuries, with works of the great Mexican muralists Diego Rivera and David Siqueros.
Alameda Central
The viceroy of New Spain created Alameda Central (Central Poplar Avenue) in 1529 as a garden for the high society only, where once an Aztec tianguis (market). Later, it opened to the general public and it was even staged Inquisition public punishments (auto-da-fés).
Nowadays, it is a very popular area for locals, with fountains and monuments, that joins Mexico City historical centre with Paseo de la Reforma, the main avenue in the city.
At the end of Alameda Central is Museo Mural Diego Rivera, a museum that exhibits one of the most famous murals of Frida’s husband Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central.
Paseo de la Reforma
If you still have time and energy, you can continue visiting Paseo de la Reforma. Otherwise, we recommend you to visit it in the morning of the day you visit Xochimilco (day 4 in our itinerary), or before visiting Chapultepec.
Paseo de la Reforma is one of the main avenues of Mexico City. It was planned under Maximilian of Habsburg (the second and last Mexican Emperor) following the model of Champs Elysées in Paris, joining the old city to his residence in Chapultepec.
It was not finished until the 20th c. and it was continued evolving. Today, it’s a bustling area with several skyscrapers, squares with monumental fountains, administrative offices, financial institutions.
We will visit the main part of Paseo de la Reforma, which is around 3.5 km long. If you don’t want to walk much or you don’t have much time, Metrobús line 7 allows you to visit all its squares fast and easily.
El Caballito
Metrobús: El Caballito (L7), also Expo Reforma and Glorieta de Colón (L4)
Metro: Hidalgo (L3)
Where Paseo de la Reforma crosses Avenida Juárez stands Torre Caballito, a 135 m skyscraper from the late 80s. It hosts offices of the Mexican tax agency.
In fron of this skyscraper is one of the most famous modern sculptures in the city: El Caballito by Enrique Carbajal, installed in 1992 on the place where the original Caballito once stood (horseback statue of Charles IV that is now in plaza Manuel Tolsá).
Glorieta de Colón
Metrobús: Glorieta de Colón (lines 4 and 7)
The next square in Paseo de la Reforma going South was dedicated to Columbus (Glorieta de Colón). We visited it in an interim so there was not much to see…
A few weeks before, the statue of Columbus from 1877 had been removed. A new monument to indigenous women will take its place. But this will take a while to make, so we could only see the stand.
The decision of the Mexican authorities to remove Columbus has been controversial. We invite you to tell us what you think about removing monuments of people related to the conquest and colonisation of America in the comments section.
Monument to the Revolution
Metrobús: Plaza de la República (lines 1 and 4), also Glorieta de Colón (lines 4 and 7)
Metro: Revolución (L2)
We leave Paseo de la Reforma for moment to visit the Monumento to the Mexican Revolution (1910-1917). It is located in the middle of Plaza de la República, 250 metres from Glorieta de Colón.
It has an interesting history: when construction started in 1897, under the authoritarian president Porfirio Díaz, it was meant to be the parliament building. But the works were delayed – even more when the Mexican Revolution sparked in 1910 against Porfirio’s rule. This evolved in several conflicts, with famous leaders like Emiliano Zapata or Pancho Villa.
Later, in 1938, it was decided to finish just the dome and its structure… and turn it into a museum of the Revolution and a mausoleum for its heroes, like Pancho Villa or presidents Francisco Madero and Plutarco Elías Calles.
A lift takes you to its dome, which offers a panoramic view that we didn’t have time to enjoy.
Cuauhtémoc
Metrobús: Reforma (lines 1 & 7)
Back in Paseo de la Reforma, when this boulevard crosses Avenida Insurgentes (which crosses Mexico City North to South, and is its longest avenue), is the Monument to Cuauhtémoc, last Aztec tlatoani (emperor) of Tenochtitlan.
It is just 500 metres South of Plaza de Colón, the next square in Paseo de la Reforma. The statue was built by Mexican Miguel Noreña, and was placed in Reforma only 6 years after Columbus.
The stand of the monument bears the names of other Aztec rulers that headed the resistance against the Spanish conquerors and their allies (Cuitláhuac, Cacama, Tetlepanquetzal and Coanacoch).
Its friezes are based on the architecture of Tula, Mitla, Palenque y Uxmal – interesting 2 Mayan cities and 1 from Oaxaca, quite far from Tenochtitlan.
The next square is La Palma, the only in Reforma that doesn’t have any monument, but a huge palm tree in its centre.
It is surrounded by many modern tall buildings, including the Mexican Stock Exchange.
It is probably the least interesting square in Reforma, so you can skip if you don’t have time and go directly to El Ángel.
El Ángel
Metrobús: El Ángel (L7)
The Monument to Mexican Independence, usually known as The Angel (El Ángel de la Independencia) is the most iconic monument in Paseo de la Reforma and one of the most famous landmarks of Mexico City.
The monument is nearly 50 metres tall and was unveiled in 1910, 100 years after the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence (which lasted until 1821).
The statue represents a winged victory, but is commonly known as the angel. It is made of gilded bronze and holds a laurel crown for the heroes of independence and a 3 links of a broken chain that represent 3 centuries of Spanish rule.
Below the angel, on the stand, is Miguel Hidalgo (Father of the Nation), who holds a Meixcan flag. At each side, there are figures representing History and the Motherland. At a lower level, there are other important characters related to Mexican independence.
Nowadays, this square is one of the main venues for big celebrations and demonstrations in Mexico City. It is a typical scene for wedding photos and football celebrations.
Sometimes, the monument is vandalised by demonstrators, and that’s how we saw it when we arrived in Mexico. Fortunately, we could be able to see it clean and without scaffolding.
La Diana
Metrobús: La Diana (L7)
Fuente de la Diana Cazadora (Huntress Diana Fountain) is the last monument in the central section of Paseo de la Reforma. Cast by Mexicano Juan Olaguíbel, the statue represents Artemisa or Diana, (Greek or Roman) goddess of hunting, in a style mixture of art déco and socialist realism.
When it was unveiled in 1942, Diana stood by the entrance to Chapultepec. Then, the ultra-conservative League for Decency organised protests against Diana’s nudity and they forced the artist to weld some bronze pants.
These were removed before the Mexico’68 Olympic Games. There was not much controversy then, as Mexican society had changed over 2 decades. But the statue suffered some damage, so a replica was cast to substitute it in Reforma. The original is the artist’s hometown, in the state of Hidalgo.
At night, it usually has colourful lighting.
Diana is just 500 metres from Chapultepec, the next place we will visit in Mexico City. But we left it for the next day.
Further from this central section, Paseo de la Reforma continues North (Paseo de la Reforma Norte) up to Plaza de las Tres Cultura, and South, beyond Chapultepec. It is 16 km long in total.
Plaza de las Tres Culturas is an interesting place: it is home to the ruins of the ceremonial precinct of Tlatelolco, “twin city” of Tenochtitlan on the North of the island, famous for its huge market.
This was also the place where the student demostration just before the 1968 Olympic Games took place. The memory of the notorious represion of demonstrators by Mexican authorities is still there… But we didn’t have time to visit it.
Day 2: Chapultepec and the National Museum of Anthropology
Chapultepec Forest (Bosque de Chapultepec) is the largest park in Mexico City. It is at the Southern end of the main section of Paseo de la Reforma.
You need one full day to visit Chapultepec, because it has some interesting museums, especially the National Anthropology Museum, one of the places you shouldn’t miss in Mexico City.
Chapultepec
Metrobús: Chapultepec (line 7), on the main gate, in Paseo de la Reforma
Metro: Chapultepec (line 1), in Avenida Chapultepec.
Chapultepec means “grasshopper hill” in nahuatl. During the Aztec period, Chapultepec was the main source of freshwater in Mexico-Tenochtitlan, to which it was supplied by aqueducts.
Furthermore, Moctezuma Ilhuicamina (the first Moctezuma) developed here a kind of aquí una especie of botanical garden, where several species of plants from all over the domains and suzerains of Tenochtitlan were planted.
The current Bosque de Chapultepec was shaped by Maximilian of Habsburg, last Mexican emperor, based on the Bois de Boulogne in Paris. It is especially bustling on weekends.
When you enter Chapultepec through its main gate (Paseo de la Reforma), you will see Altar a la Patria (Altar to the Motherland), in memory of those fallen in the war against the United States in 1846-1847.
Right of the Altar is the Modern Art Museum (MAM). It opens Tue-Sun 10:15 am – 5:30 pm. Tickets cost MX$70 (US$3.50) and entrance is free on Sundays. However, during our visit, it was still closed for renovation.
The museum displays some works by Frida Kahlo (like Las Dos Fridas), Diego Rivera, Siqueiros, Orozco and other modern Mexican painters.
Behind Altar a la Patria is the Castle of Chapultepec, on top of the Chapultepec hill. This neoclassical palace was built at the end of the 18th c. as the summer residence of the viceroy of New Spain. It was then turned into a military academy and repelled the US attacks in 1847.
Maximilian of Habsburg, the emperor chosen by the French after invading Mexico in 1863 arguing they had debts to be paid off, made of this castle his imperial residence. He embellished it with an Italian garden.
The castle is usually open Tue-Sun from 9 am to 5 pm (but, beware, due to COVID-19 restrictions it closes now on Sundays). The castle hosts the National History Museum, dedicated to the period between the Spanish conquest and 1917, when the current Mexican Constitution was passed.
Before going up the hill to visit the castle, you can visit Museo del Caracol (History Gallery). In the castle, you can visit the halls where the emperor Maximilian and his wife Charlotte of Belgium lived, as well as a chariot hall.
A bit further is the Chapultepec Lake, where you can rent a boat, take a photo with the CDMX letters or just enjoy the sun (or the clouds) by its shore.
Another museum you can visit in Chapultepec is Museo Rufino Tamayo (a private collection of modern art later donated to the state).
Casa Estudio Luis Barragán is also very interesting and UNESCO World Heritage. It was designed by Luis Barragán, a Mexican architect, for his personal use as a studio. It is just outside the park, in Condesa neighbourhood.
It opens Mon-Fri 11 am -5 pm, Sat-Sun 11 am – 2 pm. At MX$400 pesos (US$20) it is the most expensive museum in Mexico City. Anyway, we wanted to visit it but it was closed because of COVID-19.
Anyway, you would need at least half a day to visit all of these museums… and what you really shouldn’t miss is the best one of all: the National Anthropology Museum. We went there right away! Our recommendation is that you visit this museum first and then go to other museums in Chapultepec if time allows.
National Anthropology Museum
Metrobús: Antropología (line 7).
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 9 am to 7 pm. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, it closes at 5 pm and entrance is limited to 1000 daily visitors. We recommend you to visit the museum on a weekday, and especially to avoid Sundays, when entrance is free for Mexican residents.
Price: MX$80 pesos (US$4), a bargain.
The National Museum of Anthropology is regarded as one of the best archaeological museums in the world. Seriously, even if you are not an archaeology or Aztec or Maya geek, you will enjoy it a lot.
The museum exhibits a huge display of archaeological findings (ceramics, steles, stones, etc.) as well as reproductions of buildings, paintings, sculptures… and great explanations (unlike archaeological zones).
Many people outside of Mexico think all Mesoamerican civilisations were all more or less the same… after visiting this museum, you will be able to understand the differences (and similarities) in the arts and cultures of Mexicas (Aztecs), Mayas, Zapotecs, etc.
The National Museum of Anthropology is on the Northern part of Bosque de Chapultepec, across Paseo de la Reforma. Its modern architecture is based on the Nunnery Quadrangle of Uxmal (one of the most impressive works of the Yucatan Mayas).
The Museum is made up of two floors of 11 rooms each. The ground floor is dedicated to archaeology and the top floor to ethnography (how the various indigenous peoples of Mexico live today).
The ground floor is incredibly interesting: we spent over 4 hours (until closure) and we didn’t even time to go up the top floor! We also wanted to try their restaurant Sala Gastronómica, whose menu travels around all regions of prehispanic Mexico but they close at 4 pm, before the museum.
You can skip them or walk fast through the first two halls – Introduction to Anthropology and Settling America – because they explain things that are more or less known and don’t have much of a collection… Then comes the best!
Each of the remaining halls is dedicated to a culture or region of Mexico: 3 – Preclassic in the Mexican Plateau, 4 – Teotihuacan, 5 – Toltecs, 6 – Mexicas aka Aztecs (a lot of Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco), 7 – Oaxaca (zapotecs and mixtecs), 8 – Gulf Coast (olmecs, totonacs and huastecs), 9 – Mayas.
The last two halls (10 – West and 11 – North) are less spectacular, because the peoples from those regions didn’t achieve such a high degree of sophistication as the other civilisations of Mexico.
The floors on the top floor follow approximately the same scheme as the ground floor – for instance, from hall 9 about Maya archaeology you can go up the stairs and visit halls 19 and 20 about the Mayas today (rainforest and mountain Mayas, respectively).
This Museum is so interesting and has so much to see that we have decided to write a post only to talk about it… Coming soon!
Day 3: Coyoacán, San Ángel y la Ciudad Universitaria
On our third day in Mexico City we explored some interesting neighbourhoods on the South of the city. Coyoacán lies 10 km away from the old city (it used to be a separate town) and the University campus (Ciudad Univesitaria) is even further.
This was the only day we moved around the city by taxi. Surprisingly, Coyoacán metro station is 25 minutes away from the quarter’s main square. There are buses that take you there, but generally public transport connections are not good in this area.
If you prefer to discover these neighbourhoods in a guided tour, we recommend you this free tour Magical Coyoacán and San Ángel or this guided tour only in San Ángel if you want to know this neighbourhood better.
Coyoacán
- Jardín Centenario y Fuente de los Coyotes
- Iglesia de San Juan Bautista
- Mercado de Artesanías de Coyoacán
- Delegación de Coyoacán
- Plaza de la Conchita
- Museo Frida Kahlo
Metro: Coyoacán (L3), General Anaya (L2). Both are 25 min walking from the main square of Coyoacán. There are micros (buses) that take you to Coyoacán centre from both metro stations.
A taxi Mexico City centre costs around 150 pesos (around US$7.50), a bit less from Colonia Roma or Condesa.
Coyoacán once was a town on Texcoco Lake, to which one of the three bridges from Tenochtitlan arrived.
After the conquest of Tenochtitlan, Hernán Cortés lived with his indigenous ally and lover doña Marina (Malinche) in Coyoacán while the new City of Mexico was being built.
Coyoacán continued being a separate town for a long time, even after the lake was drained. And even today, totally integrated in Mexico City, it has a completely different look and atmosphere. Visiting Coyoacán is really like visiting another city.
You will certainly love its cobbled streets and colonial architecture – less monumental than that of the historical centre of Mexico City – as many intelectuals and artists have loved it. Coyoacán is the bohemian quarter par excellence of Mexico City and it has been the stage of some interesting episodes in its history.
You should visit Coyoacán both day and night: to go for a walk, eat some delicious food, visit its monuments, markets and museums… and when the sun sets, its classic mezcalerías and cantinas. So that’s what we did!
You can start visiting Coyoacán walking through the arch of the old monastery of St. John the Baptist (convento de San Juan Bautista), that now looks like the gate to enter Jardín Centenario (Centenary Garden, for the centenary of Mexican independence).
In the centre of this garden will you see the Coyote Fountain. Coyotes are the symbol of the neighbourhood, because Coyohuacan means “place of coyote owners” in nahuatl.
On both sides of Jardín Centenario there are great restaurants and mezcalerías: we had lunch in Los Danzantes (branch of a classic restaurant in Oaxaca) and we really recommend it. Another great option is Corazón de Maguey. You can taste great chapulines (small grashoppers) in both of them, as well as other delicious (and more “normal”) Mexican dishes.
The Church of St. John the Baptist stands on one side of the square, in front of the Coyote Fountain. This church is part of a 16th c. monastery (partly rebuilt in the 18th c.) and it has a beautiful tower. Fine colonial Baroque.
Nearby, you can take the Coyoacán tram (tranvía), which is actually a touristic “train” that takes you around the neighbourhood telling you some stories and legends of the neighbourhood. It’s a lot of fun for kids, and also for adults, especially at night.
Diagonally from Jardín Centenario is the main square of Coyoacán, called Plaza Hidalgo. On its Northern side stands the Coyoacán Delegation, which is said to be the second town hall of Hew Spain and Hernán Cortés’ residence (although there is no real historical evidence of this). You can also take here a picture with the Coyoacán letters.
It’s cool to walk in Coyoacán Handicrafts Market. It has two floors and it opens every day.
Then, walk down calle Higuera, where you should go back at night, because it’s home to many classic cantinas like La Coyoacana.
If you go to La Coyoacana on a weekend you will probably have to wait for a while. Once you get your name on the waiting list, you can go somewhere else for a drink, but keep checking, in case you miss your chance to enter and you have to start again!
Calle Higuera ends in Plaza de la Conchita. This is a less crowded square but has one of the gems of Coyoacán: Capilla de la Conchita (officially Iglesia de la Concepción), with a beautiful plateresque portal.
It is one of the oldest churches in Mexico, ordered by Hernán Cortés himself, and built on top of a toltec altar.
Museo Frida Kahlo
Many people visit Coyoacán just because of Frida Kahlo, although it would be very unfair to say she is what Coyoacán is all about. Frida was born in Coyoacán and lived here in the famous blue house with Diego Rivera. Now it is a museum.
To our despair, we couldn’t visit because there were no more tickets left. During COVID-19, there is a strict maximum of visitors per day and you should buy the tickets in advance, especially on weekends.
The house is distributed around a central courtyard and still preserves its original decor. There are some fine works of Frida on display (like her last painting Viva la Vida) as well as paintings by Diego Rivera and other renowned artists who befriended the couple.
Tickets to the museum cost MX$250 (US$12.30) on weekdays and MX$270 on weekends. The museum opens Tue-Sun 10 am – 6 pm (on Wednesdays it opens at 11 am). Mondays closed.
Not far from Frida’s house lived one of her friends, Leon Trotsky. The house where he lived is now a museum dedicated to political asylum.
Fearing for his life after opposing Stalin, Trotsky fled to Mexico and stayed in Coyoacán. He actually lived for a while with Frida and Diego. But Ramón Mercader, a Spanish stalinist that worked for the NKVD (Soviet secret services) murdered him brutally with an ice axe in his own home.
Mercader had befriended Trostky previously, claiming to be the son of a Belgian diplomat. Actually, he was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment with this fake identity and the Mexican authorities didn’t discover who he really was until he had already served his sentence.
The museum is not so interesting if you don’t have much time in the city… but this story is worth telling when visiting Coyoacán. The novel The Man Who Loved Dogs (El hombre que amaba a los perros) by Cuban writer Leonardo Padura revolves around the story of Trosky in Mexico.
You can also visit the Anahuacalli Museum (for free with the ticket for Frida Kahlo Museum). This museum is in a e building designed by Diego Rivera and made in volcanic stone. It display a collection of prehispanic art that Diego donated to the state.
San Ángel
Metrobús: Bombilla (L1).
The public tranposrt connection from Coyoacán is not good, but you can arrive with bus 116-A. A taxi costs around MX$60.
San Ángel is another neighbourhood that preserves its colonial architecture and laid back style, and it’s definitely worth visiting, even if not as charming as Coyoacán… especially on a Saturday: it’s the only day of the week when Bazaar El Sábado opens (located in Plaza de San Jacinto, the main square of San Ángel).
This market is inside a 17th-century courtyard house. Several artists sell a wide range of products in this bazaar: sculptures, leather masks, kitchenware, incredible lamps… You can also enjoy a local microbrewery beer in the patio. Prices are a bit high here… but it’s cool even if you don’t buy anything!
Then, walk around the streets close to Plaza de San Jacinto, where you will see colonial houses, especially in calle Amargura.
Museo del Carmen, inside a former 17th-century monastery with beautiful colourful domes exhibits a colection of colonial painting and a crypt with mummies from the 19th c. It is in Av. Revolución, quite close to Plaza San Jacinto.
If you are a fan of Diego Rivera, you can visit his studio in San Ángel (Calle Diego Rivera, 2). It was designed by Juan O’Gorman.
Ciudad Universitaria
Metrobús: Ciudad Universitaria (L1). 20 minutos walking from the interesting area. During University opening hours, you can use the PumaBús service, a university bus network that connects the whole campus.
Metro: Copilco (L3), also 20 min walking from the interesting area of the campus
Following Av. Insurgentes Sur South of San Ángel is Ciudad Universitaria, usually shortened as C.U. This is the university campus of UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México), the most prestigious university in Mexico, public and free, and heir to the first university of America, established here in 1551.
C.U. has a unique architecture from the 1950s and 60s, based on Mexican heritage with a look into the future. This is why it was declared UNESCO World Heritage in 2007.
The main area of the campus, its temples of knowledge are arranged around a central courtyard, as in ancient Mexican cities.
The Central Library (Biblioteca Central) is its most iconic building. Its four sides are decorated with incredibly detailed mosaics by Juan O’Gorman, created between 1950 and 1956, that represent the history of Mexico and the University.
The Northern wall represents Mexico’s prehispanic past, while the Southern wall represents the country’s colonial past, including two large medallions that represent the rival worldviews of Ptolomy and Copernicus.
The shorter Eastern and Western walls represent the present: the modern world and Mexico and the University, including a reference to sports and the olympic movement.
Across the Central Library, the Administration building (Torre de la Rectoría) is a magnificent combination of architecture, painting and sculpture.
The two sculpture-paintings and the mural are works of David Siqueiros:
Dates in Mexican History, pointed by a hand holding a pencil: the arrive of the Spaniards (1520), beginning of the War of Independence (1810), first liberal Constitution (1857), Mexican Revolution (1910)… and finally a 19?? in red, waiting for a event to come.
On the other side of the building, the mural The people for the University, the University for the people, is another sculpture-painting made of glass, steel and cement. It depicts students running up the stairs with books that represent different sciences.
And on the tower, the mural New University Emblem represents an eagle (symbol of Mexico) and a condor (symbol of Latin Aamerican unity).
On the other side of Av. Insurgentes Sur is the Olympic Stadium (Estadio Olímpico Universitario), which hosted the Mexico’68 Olympic Games.
The stadium has a mural by Diego Rivera representing the history of Mexican sports and it is still the second with the largest capacity in Mexico (72000).
Of course, this stadium is the home of Club Universidad Nacional, better known as Pumas UNAM, one of the most followed and successful Mexican football clubs.
Day 4
The main thing you should visit now is Xochimilco. We recommend going there in the afternoon to enjoy a beautiful sunset. You can visit any places you have missed until then in the morning in the city centre, Reforma or Chapultepec… or, as we propose you, go to Colonia Roma.
The most important thing is that you arrive in Xochimilco around 3 pm.
Morning: Colonia Roma
Metrobús: line 1, stations Insurgentes to Chilpancingo.
Metro: Insurgentes and Cuauhtémoc (L1); Niños Héroes and Hospital General (L3).
Colonia Roma was developed in the early 20th c. as a high-class neighbourhood, with wide boulevards and beautiful buildings in the styles that were trendy at that time: mostly eclecticism, but also some art nouveau, art déco and neo-colonial.
Then, these rich families moved to other areas in the city and Roma became more of a middle and working class area. It was one of the areas most devastated by the 1985 earthquake, which destroyed a lot of heritage. Nowadays, one could call Roma a bohemian quarter and it’s definitely a nice area to eat, have great coffee and some drinks at night.
But what made this neighbourhood famous worldwide was, of course, the beautiful film Roma, by Alfonso Cuarón (2018). The director was raised in Roma. The film is roughy autobiographical and revolves around the life of a middle-class family living in a detached house in this area.
As we loved the film, we wanted to visit the house of the family in the Roma film (it was on sale, by the way!). It’s in calle Tepeji, 22. In this street and others nearby there are some nice typical detached houses of Roma.
You can reach the Roma film house by Metrobús: Chilpancingo (L1).
Another emblematic place of Colonia Roma that will definitely ring a bell if you have visites Madrid (or you are a supporter of mighty Real Madrid) is Plaza de Cibeles (officially Plaza de la Villa de Madrid).
You can arrive easily by Metrobús (Durango, L1) or by metro (Insurgentes, L1).
We are taking about a replica of the famous Cibeles fountain in Madrid. As it’s built with the local stone it is darker than the original. A plaque explains that it was made as a symbol of sisterhood between Madrid and Mexico City and with the permission of the city council of the Spanish capital.
The square and the surrounding area are nice to have a walk. We recommend you La Ventanita for breakfast – they serve great coffee and their eggs baked in a wood-fired oven are delicious.
Afternoon: Xochimilco
How to arrive in Xochimilco
Xochimilco is approximately 20 km South of Mexico City centre. A taxi costs around MX$300 (around US$15). This is the best option because with no traffic it takes 30 minutes by car. We were lucky that our Mexican friend @desviajados wanted to share an afternoon in Xochimilco with us and he drove us there.
In public transport it will take at least 1h30′ from the city centre. There are basically two options: you can take the Xochimilco Light Railway (Tren Ligero de Xochimilco), until its last stop (Xochimilco). You can take this train in Metro Tasqueña (L2).
You can also arrive taking Metrobús line 5 until its last stop, Preparatoria 1.
Whether you go by light railway or metrobús, you will have to walk at least 20 minutes or take a bus to reach any of the docks.
What is Xochimilco?
Xochimilco was a town on the Southern shore of Lake Texcoco. In this area, known as Lake Xochimilco, the water is fresh (as was in Tenochtitlan). It was separated from the salty part of the lagoon by a system of dams.
Before the Spanish conquest of Mexico, Xochimilco was known as the city with the largest area of chinampas in the lake. These are floating gardens that are still in use today to grow crops. Chinampas are irrigated directly by the lake, so they are very resistant to droughts!
With this ingenious system, the Aztecs could grow vegetables and fruits to feed a large population. The main island in the lake, where Tenochtitlan stood, was also surrounded by chinampas, but nothing is left from that.
This is why Xochimilco is now the only place that lets us imagine how the “metropolitan area” of ancient Tenochtitlan looked like (the city in the lake, the Venice of America). This is why Xochimilco is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, together with the historical centre of Mexico City.
Xochimilco is also a very popular place for locals to drink some beers with friends, have a family picnic, celebrate a birthday or any other event. Even if their canals provice a romantic setting, this kind of trip is not so usual.
A magical afternoon in "trajinera"
To explore Xochimilco’s canals you must hire a trajinera and its rower. A trajinera is a long wooden boat, with colourful painting and often with women’s names, that is driven with a wooden pole through the canals.
A trajinera costs MX$500 pesos (US$25) per hour (minimum 2 hours). This is the maximum price by regulation: sellers can offer you a discount but not ask you for more.
As it’s quite expensive, you can save money by sharing a trajinera with other visitors. You can take your own food and drinks, but there are also many people selling food in canoes and small motorboats in the canals.
We hired a boat for the full tour (4 hours), that takes you to Isla de las Muñecas (Dolls Island). You will see namy chinampas on the way, some huts and the ajolotario, an axolotl farm. Axolotl is a strange amphibious creature unique to Texcoco Lake that is now under conservation threat.
When you go to Isla de las Muñecas, you will navigate through less crowded canals, with many lillies (beautiful but tiresome for the rower). Actually, there is a fake Dolls Island for people who don’t take the full tour, but it has nothing to do with the original.
The history of Isla de las Muñecas is that of a peasant from Xochimilco, Julián Santana, who one day saw a little girl drowning in the lake when he was fishing by his chinampa. Don Julián tried to save her, but there was nothing he could do.
Afterwards, don Julián started to live unbelievable experiences. He thought they were the making of the girl’s spirit.
So he decided to start collecting dolls that he found in the garbage or in the canals of Xochimilco to put them in his chinampa, thinking that this would calm the girl’s spirit. For 25 years he continued doing so and never left Xochimilco. As these dolls are broken, deformed or even rotten, they look like a scene of a horror film.
To visit the island, you have to pay MX$20 to Don Julián’s family and they will explain you the story.
Extra: Villa de Guadalupe
Metro: La Villa / Basílica (L6)
Metrobús: La Villa (L6), Garrido (L7), De los Misterios (L6 and L7).
Villa de Guadalupe is the largest Roman Catholic sanctuary in Latin America and the second most visited Christian monument in the world after the Vatican.
We don’t think it’s a must in Mexico City, but you can visit it as you come back from Teotihuacan.
All tours to Teotihuacan include Guadalupe (although we don’t recommend them). If you go on your own to Teotihuacan, it is very close to the Autobuses del Norte bus terminal, where buses from Teotihuacan arrive.
Devotion to the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico has its origins in 1531, a few years after the Spanish conquest. The legend goes that the Virgin appeared to an indigenous man called Juan Diego on Tepeyac hill. She requested him that a sanctuary in her honour be built there.
At first, the archbishop of Mexico City didn’t believe him, so the Virgin had to appear again and tell Juan Diego to go pick some flowers on the hill. When he picked them, a Virgin with dark skin appeared miraculously and thus a first sanctuary was built in 1533.
What a coincidence! This first sanctuary to the Virgin of Guadalupe is exactly on the same hill where there was a temple to goddess Tonantzin, a pilgrimage place for Aztecs.
Anyway, now the Virgin of Guadalupe has a meaning beyond religion. During the colonial era, she developed as a symbol of Mexican identity, which grew stronger during the decades before Mexican independence.
According to most versions, Hidalgo’s Cry of Dolores probably included something like: “¡Long live America, long live religion, long live the Virgin of Guadalupe, death to bad government and death to the gachupines!”.
Gachupines was a despective name for European Spaniards who lived in Mexico and who hadn’t assimilated Mexican (white) culture. They had their own Virgen de los Remedios.
Going back to Villa de Guadalupe, the sanctuary is comprised by some Baroque buildings from the 17th-18th centuries and a great modern basilica.
The Old Basilica, made of tezontle in Baroque style, is on a side of the main square. It has sunk and forms a sizeable slope – this is common in Mexico City but none like this one!
In the middle of this central square there is a bell tower, with a replica of the Sun Stone of Tenochtitlan… a pagan symbol in a Christian sanctuary!
The New Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is in line with this bell tower. It was built in the 1970s of steel, wood and concrete and designed by Mexican architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez.
Even if modern religious architecture is not your thing, the new basilica is quite impressive for its huge circular shape and conical dome. The organisation of piligrimage inside is also surprising, all done to host many people and fast!
And here ends our visit to Mexico City! The next day we went to Oaxaca by bus, before the last stage of our trip in the Yucatán peninsula. Soon we will talk about these incredible places in new posts. For now, you can check out our latest post and discover the archaeological site of Teotihuacan!
We will also talk about our fantastic foody experience in Mexican City in another article… There is really so much to discover!
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