Things to do in Mexico City
Mexico City is enormous and offers a wealth of sights and entertainments for the visitor. Although the city has a bad reputation for crime and air pollution, these two unappealing factors are fast improving and with sensible precautions taken, your stay in Mexico City will be memorable for all the right reasons.
Tourists flying in for just a few days will be unable to fully grasp the complexities of life in the world's third largest city, but they can at least make a start. Walking tours through a variety of the city's many fascinating neighbourhoods are a must for the visitor looking to gain something of a decent insight in to what makes Mexico City tick.
The Centro Historico is a great place to start, with its vast array of historic architecture and its many fascinating museums. The area's Zocalo or main square must be seen, especially as on its edge is the Palacio Nacional (presidential palace), which is home to the Catedral Metropolitana and a large number of murals by Diego Rivera. Construction on the Catedral was begun in 1573 and took over two centuries to complete. Stunning inside and out, it is sinking fast due to being built upon the ruins of an Aztec temple.
Nearby is the stunning Templo Mayor. Here are the remains of a once enormous pyramid that functioned as the main temple when the Aztecs inhabited the area. The Aztecs believed that the temple formed the centre of the universe and the site's museum offers visitors the chance to glimpse a wealth of artefacts.
A walk down the Reforma Avenue will provide you with the chance to head in to any one of many top museums. The pick of the bunch is the Museo De Arte Moderno, which houses works by the best Mexican artists of the past 20th century. It is here that you can see Las Dos Fridas, one of Frida Kahlo's most well-known paintings.
A real treat is in store for those who hire a boat and head along the Xochimilco canals. A journey along the canals offers a glimpse in to the city's old, marshy topography and is a wonderful way to escape the chaos of the city for a few hours. Passing canoes offer boaters a wide range of lunch options, including some of the city's best tacos.
The majority of visitors to Mexico City will also look to take in the pyramids at Teotihuacán, which lie some way out of the city. Tour buses head to this enormous and fascinating site in their abundance, especially on Sundays, meaning getting to and getting around the pyramids can be a long process. However, the trip to what is the largest pre-Hispanic site in the country is well worth it.
Finally, football fans should ensure that they take in a game at the incredible 115,000-capacity Azteca stadium, perched high up in the mountains surrounding the city. Find out when the stadium's home team, America, is playing and purchase a ticket on the day, as the ground is only full for big internationals.
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Things to do
