Mexico City and surrounding

Centro Histórico

The historic heart of Mexico City is the Zócalo. The wide plaza is surrounded by the Catedral Metropolitano (Metropolitan Cathedral), one of the most important architectural structures in the Western Hemisphere, the Palacio Nacional (National Palace), with its spectacular Diego Rivera murals that chronicle Mexico?s history and the Templo Major, the main temple of the Aztec Tenochtitlán. The Zócalo and its surrounding are known as the Centro Histórico (Historic Centre).

Palacio Nacional

Built on top of the houses of Aztec Emperor Moctezuma, this building is home of the offices of the Mexican president. Inside the National Palace, you can marvel at the spectacular murals of renowned artist Diego Rivera. The murals, painted between 1929 and 1935, chronicle the indigenous life before the Spanish Conquest.

Catedral Metropolitana

Located next to the Palacio Nacional in the Zocalo, the Metropolitan Cathedral is Latin America´s largest religious structure. The construction began in 1573 under the architect Claudio de Arciniega and remained a work in progress during the entire colonial period. It brings together the artistic grandeur of a Viceregal construction with the religious fervour of Catholicism. Because of its placement atop the former Aztec temple complex, the massive building has been sinking since its construction, resulting in fissures and cracks in the structure.

Templo Major

This is a small archaeological zone where you can see the remains of the Aztecs' Grand Temple, the most important building of Tenochtitlan (the old Aztec capital now known as Mexico City). The site has a museum that houses objects found during excavation and restoration. The Aztecs built the temple in honour of their gods Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli.

Palacio de Bellas Artes

The Palace of Fine Arts is located next to the Alameda Central Park on the corners of Avenida Juarez and Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas. This structure is an eclectic blend of art nouveau and art deco styles and it is ornamented with impressive sculptures. The building has one of the most beautiful concert halls in the world. Immense murals of Rufino Tamayo, Diego Rivera, Siqueiros and Orozco dominate the upper floors of the art centre.

Bosque de Chapultepec und Museo Nacional de Antropologia

The Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Park) is Mexico City´s largest park and families can do various activities there. It has lakes, a zoo and several excellent museums. One of it is the National Museum of Anthropology, that is considered one of the best anthropology museums worldwide. It has showrooms specializing in archaeology, where you?ll see important exhibits of pre-Hispanic culture and objects, as well as ethnology rooms, where you get to take a closer look at ancient indigenous artwork. The museum also has temporary exhibits, a library, audiovisual services, a restaurant and guided tours.

Coyoacán

Coyoacán is a beautiful suburb about 10 km south of downtown. Once home to Leon Trotsky and Frida Kahlo, whose houses are now fascination museums, Coyoacán retains its own identity, with narrov colonial-era streets, plazas, cafes and lively atmosphere. Especially on weekends it's full of people for the big craft and musicians market at the plaza.

San Ángel

Just a little over 60 years ago San Angel was a little village separated from Mexico City. Today it's one of the most charming suburbs, with cobblestoned streets lined by both old colonial and modern houses. Every Saturday the Bazar Sabádo brings crowds of people to San Angel?s Plaza San Jacinto. About 800 m northwest of the plaza is the Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Studio Museum. It was home of the famous artistic couple form 1934 to 1940, with a separate house for each of them. Though the museum has only a few examples of Rivera's art and none of her's, it does hold a lot of memorable.

Ciudad Universitaria

Located in the southwest of Mexico City, the campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) is considered one of the best examples of functionalism in Latin America and it responds to the need to create a national style with its own identity. Many of the buildings have murals by such renowned Mexican artists as Diego Rivera (on the university stadium), David Alfaro Siqueiros (on the dean's building) and Juan O'Gorman (on the main library).

Xochimilco

Owing to its cultural and historical significance, Xochimilco was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987. Xochimilco Ecological Park is often called the Venice of Mexico due to its beautiful canals. Flower-painted boats offer tours of the canals and floating gardens. Local vendors and musicians accompany the boats serving food and drinks and playing typical Mexican Mariachi music.

Villa de Guadalupe

One of the most visited catholic sanctuaries in the world, la Villa de Guadalupe, receives approximately 20 million people a year who come to Mexico City from all parts of the world.

This massive phenomenon becomes all the more noticeable as the date to celebrate the Virgin of Guadalupe, every 12th of December, comes closer. During that time the number of visitors can climb to 3 million, counting all the devotes and the dancers who offer their spectacular dances of prehispanic origin to the "Patrona de Tepeyac" ?and of course all the vendors with anything to sell from religious items to edibles.

The Villa is an architectural complex whose main construction is the basilica of Guadalupe, consecrated in 1976 and with the capacity to shelter 10,000 people. The image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, supposedly a source of various miracles, is to be found in the basilica.  Other historical monuments to be found over there include the Old Basilica which was built in 1709 and which nowadays works as a the museum of vice regal art; the baroque-style chapels of Pocito and Cerrito, the latter one being the first sanctuary ever built in this place and the pantheon of Tepeyac which also gives shelter to a museum behind its beautiful façade.

Teotihuacán

The holy city of Teothiuacán ("the place where the gods very created") is a must-see attraction 50 km northwest of Mexico City in a mountain-ringed offshoot of the Valle de México. Built between the 1st and 7th centuries A.D. it is characterized by the vast size of its monuments - in particular; the Temple of Quetzalcoatl and the pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, laid out on geometric and symbolic principles. Teotihuacán was Mexico's biggest ancient city and the capital of what was probably Mexico's largest pre-Hispanic empire. Social, environmental and economic factors hastened its decline and eventual collapse in the 8th century AD.

Tula

Tula's archaeological site lies 80 kilometres north of Mexico City and used to be the capital city of the Toltecs. One of their main contributions was the development of the "interior space" concept, inherited to other cultures. The Toltecs achieved the building of magnificent rooms, which roofs were sustained by columns, an element unknown in Mesoamerica at the time.

Cuernavaca

During your stay in Cuernavaca, in the state of Morelos, it will seem as though you are visiting a city that lives in an eternal spring. Here you can enjoy the pleasurable sensation of experiencing life in the midst of gardens with such beautiful flowers as orchids, bougainvilleas and jacarandas. At this place, you'll see historical monuments, churches and squares, where you can enjoy various cultural events and festivities. In Cuernavaca's bohemian bars and restaurants, which lye in the city's streets, you can have a refreshing beer while enjoying friendly conversation. You can also visit the museums and explore the surrounding areas, such as the green archaeological zones, where you'll get a fascinating panoramic view of the city.

Taxco

The charm and magic of Taxco allows you to discover the romanticism that you can only find in Mexico's so-called Magical Towns. As you walk along the narrow cobblestone streets, you can admire the architecture of the Cathedral, which stands out as one of the city's most beautiful religious structures. You can also visit the various stores and markets, where they sell precious silver items at affordable prices. The restaurants in Taxco serve everything from exotic armadillo dishes to Italian cuisine. To thoroughly enjoy this city, check out the cultural events held in the squares and theaters. As the day winds down, drop in on one of the bars near the main plaza, where you can relax and admire the sunset.

Puebla

The city of Puebla, founded in 1531, is one of Mexico's most culturally significant cities and home to several important historical events. Capital of Puebla State, the city is home to beautiful buildings in colonial, art deco and other styles made of gray stone, red brick and tiles. The city is known for its intricate hand-painted ceramics, known as Talavera, as well as for its renowned cuisine.

If you're looking for a city with a strong tradition of history, excellent tourist services and fun for the whole family, Puebla is the best option. Throughout the entire year, this city hosts fairs, festivals and other festivities. If you enjoy seeing Mexico's architectural treasures, a stroll through the Historic Center allows you to see the detailed works on houses and other buildings. Another good reason to visit Puebla is the exquisite and variation of food. Don't miss the opportunity to try such regional favorites as mole and pipian. You should also visit the stores and crafts markets, where you can find fine ceramics, Talavera pottery and wood and papier-mâché objects.