text:
Mexico City/Centro

The old city center or Centro Histórico of Mexico City, around the Plaza de la Constitución, is an area clearly different from the rest of the city. Its colonial and European architecture and narrow cobblestone streets set it apart from the rest of Mexico City. It has an enormous number of stores, street vendors, and especially crowds. Without a doubt, this area is one of the most popular areas in Mexico City.

Understand
The Centro Histórico, the original foundation of Mexico City, was built on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec empire capital established in 1325 and destroyed by the Spanish in 1521. It contains a lot of old buildings that date back to the 16th century. Due to its importance, it was designated as a in 1987. The designated historic area comprises more than 9,000 buildings, almost a quarter of which are historically significant structures. While many of the buildings are from the colonial era, many others were significant during the Mexican War of Independence, the Post-Independence era, or even opulent art deco buildings from the time of the Mexican Revolution.

Organ grinders
The streets of the Centro Historico often resound with the nostalgic sound of organ grinder, cranking away on their historic instruments that have typically been handed down through generations of grinders. The tradition began more than 130 years ago, during the Porfiriato era. According to local lore, Porfirio Diaz wanted Mexico to emulate European traditions, one of which was the sound of street music in Berlin coming from a seemingly endless number of organ grinders. The organ grinders adopted to the khaki uniform style of Diaz's soldiers and the people of Mexico enjoyed the sounds of the small organs as they strolled downtown streets.

Organ grinders are considered part of the city's intangible culture. Although they can be found in cities across Mexico, it's in the capital where most still ply their trade, particularly in Centro Historico. The tradition is slowly dying though. Fewer organ grinders walk the streets than they once did. Youngsters rarely want to follow in their fathers' footsteps and new organs are almost unheard of since most of the instruments were manufactured in Germany, which hasn't exported the organs since World War II. If you hear the quaint sound of a street organ, understand that you are hearing a tradition with more than 130 years behind it. If you appreciate it, throw a few pesos in the hat of the organ grinder. He's working for tips!

Aztec dancers
Traditional Aztec dancers are a fixture in the Centro Historico, especially in the Zocalo between the Catedral Metropolitano and the Templo Mayor. The dancers are called concheros, and while their dances are not necessarily based on oral tradition passed down through the local indigenous community, they take their dancing seriously and try their best to learn as much as they can about instruments, music, costumes, dances, and astronomical and religious events that mattered to the Aztecs, so that what you see and hear is as close to an authentic Aztec cultural experience as most tourists are likely to experience. Watch, appreciate, and tip the performers!

By Metro
This is probably the best way to reach the Centro Histórico, however, all the stations in the area are consistently crowded, so be prepared and alert for pickpockets.

There are various Metro lines that connect the Centro Histórico with the rest of the city.
 * Line 1 (pink):, and  stations.
 * Line 2 (blue): Pino Suarez, (your best choice for direct access),, ,  and  stations.
 * Line 3 (light green): Hidalgo, and  stations.
 * Line 8 (dark green):, Bellas Artes, and Salto del Agua stations.

By Turibus
The hop-in hop-off double-decker bus makes a stop just north of the Zócalo in Monte de Piedad street in the west side of the cathedral. The one-day pass costs M$140 (M$160 for English version of the excursion – do not forget to ask for your headphone!)

By Metrobús
Line 4 (orange) of the Metrobús system has two branches that ride through the Centro Histórico. Both branches run from the (Buenavista train station) to the  (San Lazáro station) adjacent to the East Bus Terminal (TAPO). In both branches there are a few specially-marked buses that continue beyond San Lazáro to Mexico City's airport, serving both terminals. Buses going to or coming from the airport charge M$30 instead of the regular Metrobús fare (M$6), and you must have a travel card which can be purchased in 7-Elevens and in machines if you can find them (the one at the airport are near the exits).

By train
Commuter trains from communities in Estado de Mexico provide fast transport to the heart of the city. The Tren Suburbano routes end at Estacion Buenavista, which is also the terminus of Metro Line B and a major Metrobus stop with buses traveling along Av. Insurgentes.

By trolley bus
The Trolley Bus rides along Eje Central Avenue. Ask the driver to drop you off at Madero street.

By car
This is the least recommended way to get around Centro Histórico since the streets are always jammed with hundreds of cars especially during weekdays. Many downtown streets are closed to vehicles on Sunday when bicycling is encouraged (free loaner bikes on Paseo de la Reforma). Most streets are one-way only and many are permanently closed to car traffic. If you dare to enter the area by car, you can do so from the west through Reforma and turning right at Avenida Juárez, or if you're coming from the south, you can reach the Centro Historico through Calzada de Tlalpan which later becomes Avenida 20 de Noviembre.

There are several parking lots in the area (valet service) that charge M$14 an hour. A non-valet but expensive is available at Bellas Artes.

On foot
The best way to get around the Centro Histórico is definitely by foot. All tourist attractions are within walking distance. Because of traffic and the distance between metro stops, walking is generally the fastest way to explore the area.

By tourist trolley
This trolley (in Spanish Tranvia Turístico) departs from Avenida Juarez 66, between the Alameda and the Palacio de Bellas Artes. The ride lasts 45 minutes around many interesting spots in the area. Operating hours daily 10:00-17:00.

By pedicab
There are a few pedicabs that can carry you within the Centro Histórico.

Museums
Mexico City prides itself in having the largest number of museums in the world, and most of these museums are in Centro Historico. Highly recommended are the Museo Nacional de Arte, Museo del Templo Mayor and Museo Franz Mayer. Remember most museums are closed on Mondays.

Other attractions

 * The main attraction for visitors is the building's collection of large murals on the 2nd and 3rd floors, by David Siqueiros, Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, and Juan O'Gorman. Of these, highlights include Siqueiros' masterpiece Nueva democracia and Rivera's El hombre contralor del Universo, a reproduction of the original commissioned and destroyed by Nelson Rockefeller in New York.
 * Ballet Folklorico de Amalia Hernandez is a renowned dance theatre show that performs regularly in the Palacio de Bellas Artes when the show is not touring internationally. The theatre is a stunning art deco venue with a stained glass curtain created by Dr. Atl. Show times and tickets are available on TicketMaster.
 * Ballet Folklorico de Amalia Hernandez is a renowned dance theatre show that performs regularly in the Palacio de Bellas Artes when the show is not touring internationally. The theatre is a stunning art deco venue with a stained glass curtain created by Dr. Atl. Show times and tickets are available on TicketMaster.

Bicycling
Bicycle your way through the city center on Sunday morning. Paseo de la Reforma is closed to vehicle traffic and so are a lot of other downtown streets. The Mexico City government makes it easy to join in the fun. Go to Glorieta de las Palmas on Paseo Reforma and look for the big tents. There you'll find bikes you can borrow for up to 2 hours --- no charge --- just show your ID and fill out a form. Bikes are available starting at 8am and must be returned by 2pm.

Buy
Until the 1950s the Centro Histórico was the main shopping district of the city. Many of the prestigious department stores of the country such as Liverpool and El Palacio de Hierro opened their first stores here. Today, the area is still one of the busiest shopping areas of the city. The area has several streets dedicated to a particular kind of shopping, something inherited from the Spanish. Shopping in the Centro is a real back-in-time experience as many of the spaces where the stores are located are truly historic.

Shopping malls
There are a few shopping malls in and around the Centro Histórico.

Street food
There are many places of street food in the center.

Drink
The Centro Histórico is the best place to partake in traditional cantina fare, including drinks where light meals and appetizers, called botanas, are served alongside for free. There are cantinas everywhere in the neighborhood, all with interesting historical significance, live music, and interesting business types from the area. They are typically a male hangout, but women are accepted and safe, just be prepared to get some special attention if you show up. For nonalcoholic refreshments, juguerias selling twenty kinds of smoothies from M$25 are found on nearly every block during the day. For a genuine Mexican experience, visit a pulqueria and try a traditional regional drink made from fermented agave --- only in Mexico!

Budget
There are several low-priced decent hotels with hot water and private bathroom for around M$320 (April 2022).

Stay safe
Overall, walking in the Centro Historico is safe, but its an area where you need to keep your eyes open, and be aware of your surroundings. The shopping streets and old department stores are fun, but be aware that shops close down noticeably earlier than in other places, and the streets begin to become quiet by 21:00 most nights. The Centro becomes ritzier going west toward the Zona Rosa, and grittier going east toward the Merced and Sonora markets. A conservative suggestion would be to avoid the areas east of the Zócalo after dark and avoid the Tepito neighborhood at all times (locals go there for cheap bootleg goods, but foreigners are more likely to have their pockets picked than to get a bargain). Plaza Garibaldi has been a sketchy place, but since 2020 the city has stepped up police presence there and has been cleaning up the plaza after several years of declining tourist traffic. There's still plenty of mariachis there and plenty of tequila and tacos, but its another area where you might want to visit during daylight hours, stick to places with lots of people, and avoid excessive drinking.

Connect
Cell phone services in Mexico City are excellent. 5G coverage is the norm as of 2023, particularly with Telcel, and dark spots with no coverage are virtually unheard of in Centro Historico. Free Wifi is available at most hotels, restaurants and other tourist spots. The city government provides free Wifi service to everyone in public parks and plazas, including the Alameda in Centro Historico.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Mexico City/Centro


text:
Mexico City/Chapultepec

Chapultepec is a district of Mexico City. "Chapultepec" means "Grasshopper Hill" (Chapul - Grasshopper, Tepec - Hill) in Nahuatl, the language of the "Aztecs". The hill and surrounding district has much significance in Mexican history. The Bosque de Chapultepec ("Chapultepec Forest") is Mexico City's principal park and, with an area of 4 km² (2.5 sq mi), its largest.

Understand
The Chapultepec district centers on Chapultepec Park (also referred to as Bosque de Chapultepec). It is Mexico City's largest park and includes wooded natural areas, winding pedestrian walkways, and some of the city's top museums and other attractions. The city publishes a Guide to Chapultepec Park which contains far more information than this high-level summary. The park is very large with too many attractions to experience in a single day, and some travelers may find that they want to focus on only one section of the park or on only a few attractions.

The park is organized into four major sections:

 * Section I - This is the most tourist-friendly section and is the best section for a first-time visitor with limited time to explore the city. It is the area closest to Paseo de la Reforma and is close to many of the city's biggest high-rise hotels. Top attractions in Seccion I include:
 * Castillo de Chapultepec - the imposing castle on top of the hill calls to visitors, it is hugely important in the history of Mexico and its capital city and also houses the National Museum of Mexican History. It is one of the city's undisputed "must see" sites.
 * Museum of Anthropology - the country's main museum dedicated to the Indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica, with reconstructed temples, galleries filled with relics from archaeological digs of Mayan, Aztec, Olmec and all the myriad other cultures that existed before the Spanish conquest. Fascinating place for anyone with an interest in history or cultures.
 * Chapultepec Zoo - Mexico City's main zoo is a modern, fascinating zoo with pandas, reptiles, African mammals, and a new museum focused on the axolotl, a peculier amphibian that can live completely in water, or on land, and that can regenerate limbs and even vital organs. An amazing creature!
 * There are also numerous cultural attractions including major art museums, important monuments, historical baths used by Moctezuma, and two lakes.

 * Section II - This is a more natural area with fewer strolling tourists, but it includes some very significant sites that will be of interest to certain kinds of tourists and some museums that are ideally suited to families traveling to Mexico City with children. Most of the museums are in the south end of the section and are most easily reached via Metro to the Constituyentes station. Major sites in Seccion II are:
 * Papalote Childrens Museum - Cutting edge hands-on childrens activities to nurture young minds.
 * Museum of Natural History - Dinosaurs, whales, viruses, bugs, plants, human organs and more. If it's natural, it's here.
 * Technology Museum - Planes, trains and automobiles. Pretty much any other kind of machine too, from steam engines of the industrial age to AI and the robotics of tomorrow. Great place for teens!
 * Los Pinos - Mexico's "White House", which isn't white, but is the official residence of recent presidents, though the current president (AMLO) moved in the capitol downtown and dedicated the residence to historical and cultural attractions

 * Section III - This is a natural area that is used by active fitness fans for running, hiking and biking as well as the odd urban naturalist who needs to escape traffic and the built-up world to hug a few trees. There are no major tourist attractions in this section (which is just the way people who enjoy the outdoors like it).

 * Section IV - The newest section of Chapultepec was formally known as Industrias Militares and was owned by Mexico's Department of Defense (SEDENA) where they operated military maintenance shops and similar facilities. It includes rugged terrain with hills, cliffs, and rough rocky backcountry. The most interesting feature is a former Royal Gunpowder Battery (Ex-Fabrica de Polvora) that was built by the Spanish military at the end of the colonial era; it is now used for cultural exhibits.

Get in
You can easily walk to Chapultepec from popular neighborhoods like Reforma, Polanco, Zona Rosa, Roma and Condesa. Nearby Metro (subway) stations include:
 * Metro de la Ciudad de México (logo) version 2019.svg Line:
 * Metro de la Ciudad de México (logo) version 2019.svg Line:
 * Metro de la Ciudad de México (logo) version 2019.svg Line:
 * Metro de la Ciudad de México (logo) version 2019.svg Line:

By bus
Long-distance buses from cities and states outside the Mexico City metropolitan area arrive and depart from Terminal de Autobuses Poniente, which is on the south side of Chapultepec, 1 km south of Av Constituyentes on Sur 122. Use Metro line 1 to station Observatorio.

By foot
It's a park so the obvious way to get around is to walk and this is the best option if you plan to just visit the biggest attraction which mostly cluster in Section I of the park (which is also the smallest section), or if you plan to just visit the museums of Section II (which cluster close to the park edge along Av Constituyentes).

By bike
Chapultepec is a big park....really big, and if you plan to explore the northern parts of Section II or much of Section III or Section IV, your best option is to rent a bike and get around by pedal power. Most roads, walkways, and trails are paved so the ride is smooth though there are a lot of hills once you get into Section III and Section IV. The city's Ecobici program has several rental kiosks on the major avenues that border the park and there are kiosks in Section I and Section II that may be better options (Ecobici does not have childrens bikes).

There are 4 Ecobici stations on the north side of Section I along Av Reforma between the Museum of Modern Art and the National Auditorium and 3 stations along Av Constituyentes on the south side of Seccion 1.

See

Do
Chapultepec Park has many natural walking paths through the trees. Vendors line the paths in many areas where you can buy souvenirs, juices, tacos, ice cream, toys, and even lucha libre masks.

Eat
There are several restaurants inside Chapultepec Park as well as sidewalk cafes both in the park and on nearby streets. If you are on the northern side of Chapultepec (near the Museum of Anthropology or the Rufino Tamayo Museum, you may find some excellent nearby restaurants in the Polanco neighborhoods. If you are on the south side of the park, the restaurants of nearby Condesa might offer some great dining opportunities.

Drink
Soft drinks and bottled water are sold by sidewalk vendors throughout Section I of the park. Plan to bring your own drinks if you are visiting other, less heavily used sections of the park. Numerous restaurants in the park sell drinks (including alcoholic beverages) and nearby neighborhoods like Polanco and Condesa have numerous restaurants and convenience stores.

Sleep
Much of the area of this district is public park land so travelers will find many more hotels in neighboring districts that border Chapultepec. Parts of the nearby districts are within easy walking distance (no more than 2 Km) from Chapultepec Park. Look for more hotels in Polanco, Zona Rosa/Reforma, and Condesa.

Connect
All of Mexico City has excellent 5G cellular coverage with virtually no dead zones. Broadband internet is ubiquitous and almost all hotels and restaurants offer WiFi service. The city government also provides free WiFi access in public spaces such as local parks. See parent article for Mexico City for more details.

title: Mexico City/Chapultepec


text:
Mexico City/Ciudad Satelite

Ciudad Satelite, or simply "Satelite", is part of the metropolitan area of Mexico City. Although there is a specific borough bearing that name, locals refer to Satelite to a broader area including other boroughs or colonias that are located right after crossing the city limits of the Distrito Federal into the State of Mexico. Those Colonias are mainly in three municipalities of the state: Naucalpan, Tlalnepantla, and Atizapan.

Understand
Ciudad Satelite was established in the late 1950s as a middle to upper class residential neighborhood. As the city continued to grow, the neighborhood and other nearby old towns became part of the greater area of Mexico City.

In the municipalities of Naucalpan and Tlalnepantla there are several industrial parks where many multinationals have factories, therefore if you come for business travel Ciudad Satelite is a good choice for a break to have lunch or hang out.

Get in
There is no Metro reaching Ciudad Satelite therefore the best way to reach is by bus or microbus that depart from Metro stations Chapultepec station (Line 1, pink), Rosario (Lines 6: Red and 7: orange) or Cuatro Caminos (also known as Toreo) (Line 2, blue). An alternative is taking a taxi.

If traveling by car, be patient: the main highway known as "Periferico" is practically jammed around the clock, day and night, with average speeds of no more than 10 km/h. A ride from Polanco to Plaza Satelite can take you up to 2 hours in rush hours. Although there is some relief if you travel against the traffic flow (north to south in the morning and backwards in the evening), there is no guarantee that you can reach your destination in time so take your precautions.

Do
There is not much to do in Ciudad Satelite as it is mainly a residential area. In spite of that, two of the most important shopping malls in the metropolitan area of Mexico can be visited: Plaza Satélite and Mundo E, the last one with a great variety of restaurants, night clubs and entertainment establishments. Different pubs and bars in Satelite are popular amongst the youth and you can be surprised by the low prices of alcohol compared to the establishments in central Mexico city.

Los Remedios is an antique basilic and one of the oldest in all the country, its a nice spot to visit and the little town there is exceptional to bargain if you are in search of local art.

In the municipalities of Naucalpan and Tlalnepantla there are several industrial parks where many multinationals have their factories, therefore if you come on business travel Ciudad Satelite is a good choice for a break to have lunch or hang out.

Eat

 * Chilis
 * La Mansion
 * Chazz Hamburgers
 * Vips
 * Sanborn's
 * La Cantina de Mexico Lindo y Que Rico

Drink
Most of bars and small dance clubs are in the Circuito Comercial, near Plaza Satelite.
 * Irish Pub, in Sentara Mall (Perif. Blvd. Manuel Ávila Camacho 1434, San Andres Atenco, 54040 Tlalnepantla). Lots of stouts, porters, dunkels, ales, and comfort food.

Connect
5G service is available throughout this part of the city.

title: Mexico City/Ciudad Satelite


text:
Mexico City/Condesa and Roma

The Condesa and Roma district of Mexico City is a residential and restaurant area on both sides of Insurgentes avenue (Condesa on the west side, Roma on the east side) between Viaducto Miguel Alemán in the south and Avenida Chapultepec in the north. It's a large area developed in the 1930s-1950s with mostly art deco architecture, large parks, and a relaxed atmosphere. The area is popular with an eclectic artsy crowd who stay in the many small bed and breakfast inns and some of the city's most cutting edge Contemporary art galleries.

Understand
La Condesa, an area consisting of several colonias on the west side of Avenida Insurgentes, was at one time an extremely fashionable part of Mexico City, particularly during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema in the 1940s and 1950s when it was home to many film stars. Mexico City's first Bauhaus-type apartment building, the Edificio Basurto, was built in 1938 and was popular amongst entertainment industry figures. After the 1985 earthquake which hit the area hard, many of its residents moved on to areas like Polanco and Lomas de Chapultepec and many of the art deco and midcentury modern homes and apartments became abandoned. Due to the high availability of housing stock and fascinating architecture, the area was rediscovered and became immensely popular with artists, musicians and other creative people in the mid-1990s, resulting in rising real estate costs and an abundance of hip restaurants, cafes, and bars. Today La Condesa is still worth a visit, although some of the pioneers have moved on to other neighboring areas, such as Roma, on the opposite side of Insurgentes. Roma is less developed, but has a similar flavor. Although Colonia Roma was developed at the same time as Condesa, it traditionally was more middle class in population, with a large number of European immigrants who had fled the Spanish Civil War and the Holocaust, and despite the damage of the 1985 earthquake kept this character into the 2000s.

The area of Condesa closest to Insurgentes is focused around Avenida Amsterdam, a large, oval street that used to be the track of the area's horse racetrack (thus the name for this colonia, Hipódromo Condesa). Av. Amsterdam is long and slightly curving, making it easy to lose your direction while going along it. It's dotted with small roundabouts where other streets cross it, and a large part of the area inside it is taken up by the Parque México, with an open-air amphitheatre on one end, and small lanes amongst large trees and fountains on the other. There are several good restaurants and bars in this area, but it's the most residential, and least urban, of the Condesa.

The other part of Condesa is Col. Condesa, a bit further away from Insurgentes, on the other side of Av. Nuevo León. This is much more heavily developed, and has an impressive assortment of bars, restaurants, and sidewalk cafes.

Colonia Roma has less greenery than Condesa and is more urbanized. It is going through a period of very fast real estate development, as prices and popularity are increasing. There are new bars and restaurants popping up every week, and it's well worth a visit. Roma also has two small malls, one by Insurgentes, the Plaza Insurgentes, and another on the east side of the area, by Avenida Cuauhtémoc, the Plaza Cuauhtémoc. Both have stores and Cinemex movie theaters.

La Condesa has experienced a building boom in the late 1990s and 2000s, resulting in many new modernist buildings, carrying on the tradition of exceptional architecture that includes fine examples of art deco and streamline moderne.

By metro
Condesa and Roma don't have Metro stations directly inside the area, but there are a few stations at its periphery that will get you within a short walk of your destination. For Condesa, Metro stations Insurgentes, Sevilla, Chapultepec and Juanacatlan on Line 1 border along the north and west side of the area, and stations Patriotismo and Chilpancingo on Line 9 border the south. For Roma, stations Insurgentes and Cuahtemoc on Line 1 border the north, and stations Ninos Heroes, Hospital General and Centro Medico on Line 3 border the east.

By metrobus
The Metrobús, which runs up and down Avenida Insurgentes, is a very convenient way of getting to Condesa and Roma.

Get around
The neighborhoods of Condesa and Roma are very walkable, though some streets in Roma are poorly lit and a conservative traveler might avoid walking smaller streets at night. Taxis are available everywhere and the white taxis with magenta roofs are generally safe, but for added security, have hotel or restaurant staff call a radio taxi for you. Uber and other rideshare applications work extremely well in Mexico City and rates are unvelievably cheap so there's no reason not to call for an Uber when you want to get around, even if it's just a mile or so into adjacent colonias.

The best public transit option is Metrobús. Line 1 travels along Av. Insurgentes (the division between Condesa and Roma). Stops serving this area are Insurgentes, Alvaro Obregon, Sonora, and Campeche.

By bike
Bicycling is increasingly popular in Mexico City where the city government establishes bike lanes in several downtown areas. The CDMX city government sponsors a bike rental program called Ecobici, which includes more than 400 stations around the city where you can rent a bike, or return one that you picked up elsewhere. There are several Ecobici stations in Condesa and in both Roma Norte and Roma Sur. Many Mexico City thoroughfares are too crowded to safely ride a bike, but Condesa and Roma have some wonderful neighborhood streets with lighter traffic where a bike can be safely ridden.

Parks

Buy
There are many small shops around Condesa, selling clothing from independent designers, crafts and trendy stuff. This place recalls the Palermo neighborhood in Buenos Aires or SOHO in New York. In Roma, trendy shops are interspersed with ice cream shops and bookstores along Av. Alvaro Obregon. A block away, Calle Colima has a number of trendy cutting-edge boutiques.

Bookstores
Visit some of the nice book shops in the area, both Condesa and Roma attract highly literate residents who support some excellent independent bookstores.

Eat
In addition to a lively restaurant scene, the area has some of the best street food in Mexico City. Vendors usually concentrate along Avenida Insurgentes which runs between the neighborhoods, particularly next to major metro stations.

Street food
The intersection of Av Insurgentes and Av Alvaro Obregon has a concentration of some of the city's favorite sidewalk taco stands. The intersection is widely known as a place to go if your stomach starts rumbling at 3am because the taco stands keep the grills sizzling all night long.

Condesa
Condesa has a developed restaurant scene, centered on a few blocks surrounding the triple-street intersection of Michoacán, Atlixco and Vincente Suárez, which can be pretty crowded during the day and very popular at night, especially on weekends. The restaurant area extends all along Michoacán from Tamaulipas to Mazatlan. You will find the majority of the restaurants listed below in this area.

Roma
Roma has historically had a smaller restaurant scene than Condesa, but this has been changing in the late 2010s and early 2020s, with a few restaurants moving to Roma and a few opening second locations there. Today, there are many places to eat without traveling to other parts of the city. A few are listed here, but you will also be able to discover many others on your own.

Drink
In Condesa, you will find a number of bars on the north end of Avenida Tamaulipas, in addition to the restaurant area mentioned above.

Connect
Mexico City has excellent 5G coverage everywhere, including all parts of Condesa and Roma. Hotels and restaurants all have high-speed internet, most with free WiFi.

title: Mexico City/Condesa and Roma


text:
Mexico City/Coyoacán

This relatively large area in the southwest of Mexico City has always been a counterculture hotbed. This is where Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera lived, a few blocks away from Leon Trotsky (their houses are now the Frida Kahlo Museum and the Leon Trotsky Museum, respectively), and the tranquil residential area, with parks, squares, and cobblestone streets, is now a favourite spot for the bohemia set.

Understand
Coyoacán (from Nahuatl: place of coyotes) has been populated since pre-Hispanic times, when it was a settlement on the southern shore of Lake Texcoco. During and after the conquest it was Spain's headquarters for several years; some of the oldest Spanish buildings still standing in Mexico are located here. The city was independent until well into the mid-20th century, when it was subsumed into Mexico City. Even today the district has retained its colonial charm, and when strolling in the old town center it is easy to forget that one is immersed in the megalopolis of greater Mexico City.

Coyoacán is also the seat of UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico), the oldest university in North America and the largest in Latin America, which has itself been declared a UNESCO site. The active student body contributes to the bohemian and liberal atmosphere of the district.

By metro
Metro stations are not conveniently located to the Coyoacán center – don't let the existence of a Coyoacán station (Line 3) fool you. Be prepared for at least a twenty-minute walk from any of the nearest stations:, , , and (all on Line 3). The neighborhood is safe, so you shouldn't have a problem if you decide to walk from the metro. You may also approach from station (Line 2); take the Calle 20 de Agosto exit for a picturesque twenty minute walk to the Frida Kahlo and Leon Trotsky museums. serves the University City area and has connections to Pumabus. There is also a bike rental station called Bicipuma that could be useful because the area is bike friendly.

By microbus
If you don't fancy a 20-minute walk from Metro Coyoacan to the main square Plaza Hidalgo, you can take a microbus also known as a pesero. These are the small green and grey buses that can be seen breaking road rules all over the city. As you leave either exit of Metro Coyoacan, cross the to the other side of the large road directly outside the metro (Avenida Universidad). Peseros will stop outside all metro stations, and all display their destinations in the front windscreen. Look for a sign saying Plaza Hidalgo, or ask the driver.

By bus
If you are coming to Coyoacan from outside the Mexico City metro area, the best bus station to arrive/depart is Taxqueña (also known as Central de Sur). The bus station is about 10-15 minutes by taxi from most locations in Coyoacan.

Get around
Coyoacan is one of the most walkable neighborhoods in Mexico City. Rideshare and taxi are good for longer distances. Metro is okay for getting to or from Coyoacan, but it only serves the northwest corner of the neighborhood and is of no value for getting around within Coyoacan.

There's a (taxi stand) on the corner of Caballocalco and Higuera, near the Plaza Hidalgo. Another taxi sitio is outside the Coyoacan Metro station and Centro Comercial Coyoacan.

The Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) operates a free bus service, called Pumabus, in and around the University City campus. 12 routes with 93 stops are covered by a large fleet of modern, environmentally friendly buses. The free service is available to all visitors as well as university students and staff. Buses pickup at the Universidad Metro station. See the official website for current schedules and route maps.

University City
The Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) is Mexico's largest university. The sprawling campus, called Ciudad Universitaria, is a city unto itself and contains a number of significant landmarks, museums, and cultural attractions. The entire campus is a, recognizing its breakthroughs in urban planning and architecture as well as its several murals by some of Mexico's most famous artists. The campus was also a host facility for the 1968 Olympic games.

Landmarks
In the general center of Coyoacán there is a pair of large squares, and, which together are the center for a lot of the activity in the area. On Saturdays and Sundays, there's an open-air market in the squares, mostly focusing on arts and crafts, clothes (a lot of tie-dye and T-shirts), piercings and tattoos. With a bit of selectivity, and some haggling, you can pick up a lot of interesting things here, and none of them are horribly touristy or tacky. There are also impromptu African dance performances, Aztec dancers, fortune tellers, and lots more to see. The market square is surrounded by cafes and restaurants, as well as a small 16th century church and a small public library. In the smaller streets nearby are even more cafes and restaurants, as well as stores selling antiques, clothes, crafts, and so on.

The small neighborhood around the Anahuacalli Museum has several nice cafes and a quiet charm; it is popular with university students and creative bohemian types.

Do

 * Wander the old churches around the neighborhood
 * Inspect the interesting crafts, souvenirs, and trinkets for sale in the central squares and surrounding markets, and watch children play with various entertaining toys, balloons, balls, etc.
 * Watch a music or dance performance

Viveros de Coyoacán National Park
A 39-hectare greenspace in the heart of Coyoacan, is one of Mexico's most interesting ecological projects.

Conceived by Miguel Angel de Quevedo in the early 20th century, this park is Mexico's oldest and largest tree nursery. Angel was alarmed at the deforestation he saw occurring in Mexico, particularly in the once verdant forests of Central Mexico, in the late 19th and early 20th century so he became an advocate for re-forestation. Key to his efforts was growing young trees that could be planted in damaged forest lands. In 1913, he grew 140,000 trees in this park. It was incorporated into the Mexico national parks system in 1938. Today, more than 1 million young trees are produced here for reforestation projects in other national parks, with another 1.5 million in two other tree nurseries operated by the Department of Forestry.

The park is a beautiful, serene setting with wide walking and jogging trails, numerous benches, and interpretive kiosks that identify tree species. More than 3,000 visitors enjoy the park each day, many coming to sit and feed the squirrels, which are notoriously unafraid of humans.

Sleep
There are not many hotels in Coyoacán, but there are quite a few privately owned apartments and rooms that can be booked on travel web sites. Beware of Airbnb listings which are (as is the case everywhere) prone to last-minute cancellations, absentee landlords, bait and switch, and exorbitant cleaning fees.

Connect
Cell service is excellent in Mexico City with several carriers providing 5G service with 100% coverage throughout the core city (including Coyoacan), though service may step down to 4G in parts of nearby Xochimilco.

For those with unlocked phones, travelers can purchase a pre-paid SIM card at (Parque Centenario 5) or at another branch of  in the Centro Coyoacán shopping center.

WiFi service is provided by virtually all hotels and restaurants and is provided by the CDMX city government as a free service in public parks throughout the city.

Go next
While you're in the southern part of Mexico City, take the time to explore nearby Xochimilco.

If you want to get out of the Mexico City area, use the Taxquena bus terminal (Central del Sur), which is a good choice for buses to Acapulco or Cuernavaca.

title: Mexico City/Coyoacán


text:
Mexico City/Del Valle

Avenida Insurgentes runs south of the central downtown areas cutting through two large, mostly residential neighborhoods: Colonia del Valle and Narvarte. Del Valle is a wealthy and inviting neighborhood in Mexico City with upscale shopping and restaurants. Narvarte is more middle-class and has developed a number of immigrant neighborhoods where the sounds and flavors of the old country can be experienced in sidewalk cafes and restaurants. These neighborhoods are located in the south central area of the city. Another upscale neighborhood, Colonia Napoles, is just west of Colonia del Valle. The development of this area started in the early 20th century, and also includes various European enclaves, mainly Spanish and German. All of the neighborhoods south of downtown but north of Coyoacan are quiet, mostly residential neighborhoods. It is a good area for nomadic ex-pats looking to rent an apartment for a few months as they work their remote gigs.

Get in
Neighborhoods south of downtown are extremely well connected by public transit services. Two Metro lines pass through Del Valle and Narvarte with Metrobus and Trolleybus lines along busy avenues. These neighborhoods are close enough to downtown and other popular parts of the city that Uber or taxi rates are very affordable and there are rarely times when a rideshare app fails to immediately connect you with a driver.

By metro
Line 3 (green) Stations:, , , , and.

Line 12 (gold) Stations:, , Zapata (connect to Line 3), and.

By bus
Many Metrobus stations stops in the del Valle area along Insurgentes, beginning with, , , , , , , and.

Trolleybus line 1 passes through this section of the city on Eje Lazaro Cardenas with terminal stops at two of the city's biggest bus stations, Autobuses del Norte and Autobuses del Sur (Taxquena).

Markets and Tianguis
In addition to the popular Sunday Tianguis, there are smaller tianguis in various neighborhoods of Del Valle and Narvarte, particularly on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Eat
There are many good restaurants in Del Valle and Narvarte including a number of ethnic restaurants including some Lebanese and Japanese restaurants. The area is ideal for budget travelers who can explore the myriad small taquerias and street food vendors selling tacos and tortas.

Coffee
Even before the Covid pandemic, Mexico City was a popular destination for "digital nomads" who can work remotely from anywhere in the world. During the pandemic, everyone became a remote worker and many have adopted the lifestyle and given up having jobs that require daily presence in an office. Mexico City has one of the world's highest concentrations of digital nomads as professionals from Europe and the United States discover the city's shockingly low cost of living coupled with its shockingly diverse cultural attractions. Whereever there are digital nomads, there are coffee shops for them to camp out in all day, soaking up the free WiFi as they quaff copious cups of caffeine (or so the shop owners hope). The most popular neighborhoods in Mexico City for digital nomads are Condesa, Roma, Coyoacan and Del Valle/Narvarte.

Sleep
Del Valle and Narvarte are primarily residential neighborhoods with few touristic sights, few government facilities, and few large commercial enterprises. Hotels are considerably less common in this part of the city than others, but there are still some good hotels, there are a fair number of independent rooms on airbnb, and there is a large selection of rooms in nearby neighborhoods, particularly Condesa and Roma.

Connect
As of 2023 all of Mexico City (including Del Valle) is covered by reliable 5G cellular service with multiple carriers available (the most popular is Telcel).

title: Mexico City/Del Valle


text:
Mexico City/La Villa de Guadalupe

La Villa de Guadalupe is in the northern part of Mexico City, part of the delegación (borough) of Gustavo A. Madero. It is home to the Basílica de Guadalupe complex (known often simply as "La Villa"), and the Tepeyac National Park, which includes Tepeyac Hill. The complex is perhaps Roman Catholicism's holiest site in Latin America.

Understand
Founded in 1563 as La Villa de Guadalupe, the area houses the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It is at the foot of the Tepeyac Hill, where many believe that the Virgin appeared to St. Juan Diego (canonized by John Paul II in 2002, making him the world's first indigenous American saint). The Old Basilica, which dates from 1709 (construction began in 1531), began sinking due to weakening foundations and unstable ground in the 20th century; it was replaced by the New Basilica in 1976. The Old Basilica has since been restored and has now re-opened; both places celebrate Mass, often concurrently. Pilgrims from around the world flock to this space to pay homage to Our Lady of Guadalupe; framed above the altar of the New Basilica hangs the tilma (apron) of Juan Diego, upon which the Virgin's image was imprinted.

Get in
The La Villa-Basílica Metro station is about 2 or 3 blocks from the basilica complex. Line 6 (red), a fairly isolated line which runs east-west to the north of the city, has several connections ("correspondencias") to lines that service the rest of the city: Line 7 (orange) at El Rosario, Line 5 (yellow) at Instituto del Petróleo, Line 3 (green) at Deportivo 18 de Marzo, and Line 4 (teal/aqua) at Martín Carrera. From any of these stations, hop on Line 6 to La Villa-Basílica. Exit the station, follow the crowd through the narrow market-like sidewalk full of food stalls, and onto the Calzada de Guadalupe (the main thoroughfare). From here, the Old Basilica should be visible; simply follow the crowd the couple blocks to the gates of the basilica complex. The New Basilica will be on your left, and straight ahead, the Old Basilica and the Capilla de las Capuchinas.
 * Metro de la Ciudad de México (logo) version 2019.svg Line:

You can also take a taxi from anywhere in the city if you'd rather deal with Mexico City's eternal traffic than the Metro.

Do

 * Attend a Mass in the Basilica and experience Hispanic religious fervor.
 * Check out the Museo de la Basílica (Basilica Museum), next to the New Basilica, behind the great statue of Pope John Paul II.
 * Celebrate the Feast Day of the Virgen of Guadalupe - December 12 is a national holiday and the biggest celebration takes place at the plaza in front of the Basilica. For 2 weeks prior to the feast day, indigenous dancers, called matachines, dress in elaborate costumes and dance their way through the streets leading to the Basilica. Crowds line the parade route and food stands fill the plazas.

Buy

 * An infinite number of commemorative items, sold both in the Basilica store (adjacent to the Old Basilica) and by vendors all over the square and lining the Calzada de Guadalupe leading up to the complex.

Eat
Street food. Plenty of it to be had, especially in the corridor that leads from the Metro stop to the Calzada de Guadalupe.

Sleep
La Villa de Guadalupe has few hotels, and those it has cater more to local trade than to the tourist trade. Most travelers will find it better to stay in other districts such as Polanco, Centro Historico or the Zona Rosa, all of which have excellent access to the Metro system.

title: Mexico City/La Villa de Guadalupe


text:
Mexico City/Polanco

Polanco refers to an area of Mexico City north of Chapultepec Park. This district is delimited by Paseo de la Reforma to the south, Boulevard Manuel Avila Camacho (aka Periférico) to the west, Avenida Ejercito Nacional to the north and Avenida Mariano Escobedo to the east. Many streets in the area are named after famous writers, philosophers or scientists; its most notable street, Avenida Presidente Masaryk, is named after a Czech president. Today, Polanco is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods of Mexico City and commands some of the highest real estate prices, and offers a wide range of upscale boutiques, restaurants and numerous art galleries.

Polanco is known for its cultural diversity: it is home to one of the largest Jewish and Lebanese communities in Mexico and there are several synagogues in the area. North of Polanco is a wealthy residential neighborhood, Lomas de Chapultepec (and further out more wealthy copycat neighborhoods collectively known as Las Lomas) which is difficult to get to without a car, but has some additional places to visit.

By subway
The Metro is an easy way to get in, as (Line 7, or the orange line) is located conveniently in the middle of the area and one block away from Avenida Presidente Masaryk.

By rideshare
Another convenient option is to take an Uber or another rideshare service. Safe, convenient (and depending on traffic) quick solution. Uber in Mexico is known to be incredibly cheap and as such a preferred means of transportation for many.

See
Polanco is an urban business hub that is best explored on foot. Eclectic and Nationalist styles, flourish in Polanco.

Do

 * Sample the internationally-renowned cuisine of one of the city's most famous restaurants, such as Aguila y Sol or Izote.
 * Window shop, or purchase if you can afford it, amongst the designer boutiques on Presidente Masaryk.
 * Stop by the Architecture and Design Center at Avenida Juan Vázquez de Mella number 481.
 * See a film in one of the cineplexes in the neighborhood, including the arthouse theater Cinemex Casa de Arte.
 * Look at all of the foreign embassies and impressive buildings scattered throughout the area.

Buy

 * Avenida Presidente Masaryk (alternatively, though incorrectly, spelled Mazaryk, or Masarik). Masaryk is one of the trendiest and most expensive shopping areas in Mexico City, where the local jet-set supply themselves. Many designer boutiques-- from Armani to Zara-- and luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Tane, Rolex, Cartier, Gucci, Bulgari, Corneliani and Tiffany's, can be found on Masaryk.

Malls

 * Antara Polanco Mid to high-end shopping mall with foodcourt and cinemas
 * El Palacio de Hierro Flagship on Avenida Molière 222
 * Pabellón Polanco More accessible shopping mall, and cinemas
 * Plaza Polanco

Department Stores

 * El Palacio de Hierro
 * Liverpool

Sleep

Connect
Several cell carriers provide service in Mexico City. The largest is Telcel. Districts in the center of the city, such as Polanco, have 100% 5G coverage.

WiFi service is provided at virtually all hotels and restaurants in the area and is also provided by the CDMX city government as a free service in public parks.

title: Mexico City/Polanco


text:
Mexico City/San Angel

San Ángel is an area in the south of Mexico City. It is an upscale neighborhood with wooded hills and an appreciation for the arts (the area was once home to Diego Rivera). This area includes the Lomas neighborhoods between San Angel and the southwestern parts of Chapultepec Park.

By Metrobus
Along Insurgentes Avenue, stop.

By Metro

 * Line 3 (olive green) Station: (5 minutes walking)
 * Line 7 (orange) Station: (15 minutes walking)

By Car
San Angel can be reached by Periferico (altavista exit), insurgentes, Avenida Revolucion, and Miguel Angel de Quevedo.

Connect
All of Mexico City, including San Angel, has 5G coverage. Most hotels and restaurants offer free WiFi connections. The CDMX governement provides free WiFi connectivity in public parks.

title: Mexico City/San Angel


text:
Mexico City/Santa Fe

Santa Fe is in the western area of Mexico City. It is the newest and most modern district of the city, as almost all of it has been developed only in the past twenty years; this puts this district in stark contrast with Mexico City's other districts, especially the Centro Historico. Many multinational and Mexican companies alike are headquartered here, with multimillion-dollar towers that scrape the sky.

Understand
Santa Fe was developed in the early 1990s on the remnants of an old landfill -- yes, a junk yard turned into a modern business district. It wasn't until the early 2000s that Santa Fe gained attention, radically different from the rest of the city, because of its ultramodern architecture and contrasting wealth lifestyle signs.

The paranoia that the local authorities have against photographers in Mexico City goes double for Santa Fe. Guards will yell "no photo" at you, or even shoo you away from a building if you as so much approach with a camera, tripod or no. This building is nicknamed, "The Washing Machine Building" (or "Lavandería").

Get in
Santa Fe is not served by the Metro, so the only ways into the area are by car, taxi or bus. Cars and taxis are probably the fastest, but are certainly not the cheapest. However, Santa Fe is served by Mexico City's RTP network and much more frequently by pesero buses, which leave from station (Metro Lines 1, 7 and 9) and take around 30-45 minutes to get there. Look for buses that say "Sta. Fe" in the window.

You will recognize instantly when you are in Santa Fe, when the two-lane road widens to lessen stop-and-go traffic and grand office buildings replace stucco shanties. If you're on a pesero, it will travel around the skyscrapers rather than go in between them; a good place to get off and look around is when the bus is on Avenida Vasco de Quiroga, or on the opposite end of the line of skyscrapers. Don't wait too long though, because the bus continues onward into the residential area of the hills.

See
If you just want to see a radically different side of Mexico City, Santa Fe is the place to be, with lots of skyscrapers and modern architecture. Also, take a stroll in the Alameda, the central park of Santa Fe.

Do
There's not much to do; Santa Fe is a business district first and foremost, so during nights and weekends it looks like a ghost town. But you can visit Parque La Mexicana for a sort of World's Fair exhibition of modernist architecture that make up the Santa Fe skyline.

title: Mexico City/Santa Fe


text:
Mexico City/Tlalpan

Tlalpan and Pedregal is a district of Mexico City. Tlalpan is best known as the location of most hospitals in Mexico City and its most natural parks. Pedregal is a wealthy residential area built on top of and using lava rock from the Xitle volcano. The San Ángel Ecological Reserve is in Pedregal.

Understand
Tlalpan is the largest borough of Mexico City and comprises several neighbourhoods and small towns in the south of Mexico City, including Tlalpan itself, Chicalcoyotl, San Pedro Mártir, San Andres Totoltepec, Xicalco and San Miguel Ajusco. Many of these towns are now merged into the urban sprawl, but most of Tlalpan is still very much green and the southernmost parts have a clearly rural character. It is home to the Fuentes Brotantes and Bosque del Pedregal National Parks. The elevation rises towards the south, and it contains the Ajusco volcanic range with the highest peak measuring 3,937 meters above the sea level.

Tlalpan, formerly known as San Agustín de las Cuevas, was the first rest stop on dry land when leaving the island of Mexico City towards the south. The former causeway linking it to the city is the avenue now known as Calzada de Tlalpan. Tlalpan has been relatively prosperous throughout history, which still can be seen in its well-preserved stately colonial houses and cobblestoned streets.

In terms of foreign tourism, Downtown Tlalpan is a barely known place, which could make it a highlight if you visit it. Overall is a quiet and safe place, with pretty colonial architecture, cobblestone streets and lots of trees.

Get in
The easiest way to reach the Centro Histórico of Tlalpan is using a bus or microbús from any point North along Calzada de Tlalpan (such as Metro Pino Suárez, Metro General Anaya or Tren Ligero Estadio Azteca) or using the Metrobús along Insurgentes Sur (Metrobús Fuentes Brotantes). The bus should have a sign that reads "Tlalpan San Fernando". Ask the driver you want to go "Tlalpan Centro". As in many other places in Mexico, the area lacks of traffic signs, so it is better to ask people for directions.

The Centro Histórico of Tlalpan is easily reachable by car from central Mexico City by driving along the Calzada de Tlalpan and turning right on Miguel Hidalgo (the second street after San Fernando). Street parking is relatively plentiful (by Mexico City standards) and free. From Hidalgo, there is a public car park on the right side just after passing by the central square.

There are also RTP buses that reach most of the towns in Tlalpan all the way up to Parres. Most of these buses start from the bus station opposite to Tren Ligero Station Estadio Azteca and pass by the intersection of Calzada de Tlalpan, Viaducto Tlalpan and Insurgents Sur, which later becomes the Federal (Libre) Highway to Cuernavaca.

Get around
The Centro Historico of Tlalpan comprises an area of maybe 6 x 6 blocks bordered by Insurgentes Sur to the West, Calzada de Tlalpan to the East and San Fernando to the North. Ask for a map at the Tourist Booth in the Zocalo (main square). It is all easily walkable. Other parts of Tlalpan can be reached by RTP bus from Estadio Azteca Tren Ligero Station, taxi or car. The Metrobús along Insurgentes traverses the Pedregal, and the bus lines running along Calzada de Tlalpan, Periférico, Boulevard Picacho-Ajusco are useful to reach the main urban areas in Tlalpan.

See
The Centro Historico de Tlalpan or historical Downtown of Tlalpan is a good place to visit. You can stroll through the streets around the Plaza de la Constitucion (Zocalo), which is the main square. Some of the main attractions within the Centro Historico are:

Outside the centro histórico, you can visit:

In the towns south of Tlalpan, you can see:

Do
The local Tourism Department offers walking tours, ask for information at the Tourism Booth located in Plaza de la Constitucion (Main Square).

Visit some of the parks in the borough:

Splurge

Drink
There are several cafés and bars in the arcades opposite to the main square, including a popular branch of the De la Selva café.

Sleep
Some hotels operating in this area include:

title: Mexico City/Tlalpan


text:
Mexico City/Xochimilco

Xochimilco is to the south of Mexico City, and gives a glimpse at the effects of rushed urbanization over the years. It's a great place for tourists. Together with the historical center of Mexico City it forms a.

Get in
Though Xochimilco is far from the city center, it is well served by public transportation. First, take Metro Line 2 (the blue line) to (in a few stations on the way, you may see it spelled Taxqueña). As you exit the train platform at Tasqueña, make a sharp right turn to get to the Tren Ligero (light rail). The light rail does not accept Metro tickets, so you must buy separate tickets ($3) at the booth just outside the train turnstiles. Xochimilco is the last station on the light rail line, and the embarcaderos (waterfront embarkation points) are just a short walk away.

Do

 * Nativitas Embarcadero, take one of hundreds of boats (trajineras) through the canals which is all that is left of the lake on which Mexico City was built. This activity used to be widely enjoyed by Mexicans and it used to be one of the more authentic tourist experiences available. Nowadays however locals no longer consider it a nice experience because of the decay. The water quality, environmental health, and size of the canal system has declined due to overuse of groundwater, illegally built homes along the canals, and even attempts to fill or block some of the canals.  The boats are colorfully painted and often bear the name of the owner's female child or other relative. There are set prices depending on the size of boat and length of the ride, though if you speak Spanish this can be bargained on. You can bring your own food and drinks for a picnic lunch on the larger boats, as they have a long table down the middle. As you travel down the canals, music boats float by with bands, mariachi trios, and marimba players, and for a fee you can have them float along beside you and play the songs that you request. As you travel you will see city life, restaurants, and greenhouses where flowers and plants are grown. Further beyond the city canals there is a wildlife preserve in which the original character of the chinampas (Aztec-era "floating gardens") may be seen.

 * Parque Ecologico de Xochimilco (PEX), 189 hectare recreational park with lakes, cienegas (springs), canals, and gardens. Picnic areas, playground, a miniature train ride, and paddleboats for rent.

Festivals

 * Feria de la Flor Mas Bella del Ejido - April: weeklong festival featuring music and dance performances and a contest for the most elaborately decorated trajinera on the canals.

Buy

There is a souvenir market along one part of the embarcadero with handcrafts, T-shirts, embroidered clothing, linens, sandals, and other souvenirs. In the off season, not all of them may be open. In addition, you will approached on the street by walking vendors.

Across from Xochimilco Cathedral is a plaza where one can buy more handicrafts (as well as not-so-great second hand clothing imported from the US), but there is better merchandise across the street at the roofed public market. This is where the locals shop. Here you can buy produce, dried chilis, ice cream, juices, meat, fish, and clothing and items for baby bautizas (baptisms) such as elaborate christening gowns, floral displays, and items relating to the child's patron saint. If you are lucky, you may be able to pick up some blue corn tortillas or patas (spiced, jellied cow's feet.)

Eat
On the canals, there are some trajineras which sell sweets, tacos, boiled corn or roasted corn on the cob. There are also "restaurant boats" selling simple meals of rice, chicken in sauce, and tortillas. Vendors also stand on the shore in some places selling meals, drinks, candy, and ice cream to boats that float by.

In downtown Xochimilco, there are several areas of the market with food stands, as well as restaurants outside the market. There are also several pizzerias and taco restaurants nearby.

Drink
Generally, there will be a bucket of soft drinks, fruit drinks and beer on the boat; you pay at the end of the boat ride for what you consumed. Soft drinks and beer may be also purchased from vendors who float by in their own boats; a simple hand signal is enough to get them to come over. Some vendors also set up coolers on the banks. As with all food purchased on the canals, it helps to have exact change or close to it.

Sleep
There are no good hotels for tourists in Xochimilco. If you search on hotel booking sites, you are only likely to get results for small local hotels that cater to locals who want a room for a few hours to have sex. Hotels for travelers are in the big city.

title: Mexico City/Xochimilco


text:
Mexico City/Zona Rosa

Zona Rosa is a business and entertainment district located in a portion of Colonia Juárez, near the center of Mexico City. It is one of the city's most touristy areas, filled with hotels, dance clubs, restaurants, bars and live bands. Demographically, it boasts a healthy gay population as well as a relatively high concentration of Korean immigrants. Mexico City's financial heart is also here, with the Mexican Stock Exchange building and the 35-story HSBC building next to the Angel de la Independencía, amongst other banks with offices in this area. It is clearly defined by Avenida Insurgentes to the east, Avenida Chapultepec to the south, Paseo de la Reforma to the north, and Calle Sevilla to the west. Though not considered part of Zona Rosa, a lot of its characteristic style spills northward across the Paseo de la Reforma.

Zona Rosa (which means "pink zone", not to be confused with zona roja, a red light district) used to be the place to go for nightlife in the city, but other areas, most notably Condesa, have surpassed it in trendiness. Nevertheless, there is still heavy tourist traffic, and you will easily find yourself accosted by people in the streets selling goods and services, be it dance and strip club promoters, tourist information from police officers, tours from taxi drivers, plus the usual crowd of street vendors, lottery vendors and beggars. If you're not interested, just ignore them.

Get in
Glorieta de Insurgentes, the plaza-and-traffic circle at the intersection of Avenida Insurgentes and Avenida Chapultepec, is a transportation hub for the Metro and Metrobus and is an excellent stopping-off point.

By metro
You can hop off at (Line 1, pink). The station exits in the plaza at the center of Glorieta de Insurgentes, where good people-watching opportunities abound.

By bus
If you are riding on Chapultepec Avenue, ask the driver to drop you at Florencia Avenue. Keep in mind though, that the MetroBus is usually packed.

By car
You can access the area using Avenida Niza, Avenida Reforma or Avenida Insurgentes. There are several parking lots charging around M$14 an hour. Several restaurants have their own valet parking, charging between M$30-45. There are also parking meters charging M$10 an hour. Make sure you pay enough when using meters, as unlike other countries where the police will just leave a ticket on the dashboard, in Mexico City, they will put a wheel lock to violators and paying fines is a very expensive and troublesome process. Meters are off on Saturdays and Sundays.

By turibus
The double-decker hop-on and hop-off tourist bus that runs along Paseo de la Reforma, and throughout many other areas of the city. You can depart Zona Rosa at the Angel de Independencia for connections to the pyramids, the south of the city and the normal tourist route. Be sure to check the schedule at the tourist information booth a few steps from the stop.

Get around
Walking is the best way to move around. The area has a few pedestrian-only streets, being Genova the main street where many restaurants and shops are located.

Do
Zona Rosa is probably the only area in Mexico City that really never sleeps. It's a great place to start and end your night. Mexico´s Zona Rosa is also known as a meeting point for Mexico City's thriving gay community.

Eat
If you're looking for fast food chain restaurants or internet cafes, they're practically on every corner in Zona Rosa.

Drink

Dance
In Amberes street, there are a few places to go and let loose on the dance floor.

Gay-friendly
The Zona Rosa is also a very gay-friendly area. In the information kiosks you'll find many guides with gay places to visit in the zone. A good first stop is the BGay cafe on Amberes (a street which also has several other gay bars and clubs). See LGBT Mexico City for more gay-friendly bars and clubs.

Sleep
Some of Mexico City's most renowned hotels are located in Zona Rosa.

Hostels

 * hi

Connect
Cell phone services in Mexico City are excellent. 5G coverage is the norm as of 2023, particularly with Telcel, and dark spots with no coverage are virtually unheard of in Zona Rosa. Free WiFi is available at most hotels, restaurants and other tourist spots. The city government provides free WiFi service to everyone in public parks and plazas, including the Glorieta de Insurgentes and nearby Chapultepec Park.

title: Mexico City/Zona Rosa


text:
Mexico State

Mexico State (Spanish: Estado de México), often referred to locally as Edomex (a contraction of the full Spanish name), is one of the federal entities of the country of the same name in Central Mexico, surrounding the Federal District and Mexico City on three sides.

Cities

 * — capital of the state, known for its botanical gardens and many museums
 * — has been designated a "Magic Town" for its traditional architecture full of alleys and houses with wide patios and corridors, buildings supported by columns and cobbled streets
 * — small town near the volcanoes Popocatepetl and Ixtaccihuatl
 * — largest suburb of Mexico City
 * — a small city known for its thermal baths, a designated "Magic Town"
 * - ancient pre-colombian settlement with many archaeological sites nearby, known for it's black Christ figure and for shamans and dark magic
 * — a touristy town known for its pottery
 * - small town southeast of Mexico City, site of Desierto del Carmen, a national park and 18th century Carmelite convent
 * - charming small city on the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, designated as one of Mexico's Pueblos Mágicos
 * — an important site for Catholic religious tourism and UFO fans
 * — preserves vestiges of the colonial style, highlighting religious buildings of the 17th century, and remains of structures from pre-Columbian times
 * — town on the shores of Lake Avondaro, close to butterfly sanctuaries and thermal spas

Other destinations

 * - impressive pre-Columbian archaeological site with massive pyramids

 * - twin volcanoes east of Mexico City on the border with Puebla state

 * - snow-capped volcano near the state capital

 * - the world's largest concentration of mammoth fossils was discovered when the new Felipe Angeles International Airport was constructed at the site of the Santa Lucia Air Force Base between 2019 and 2022. A large paleontological museum, Museo Paleontológico de Santa Lucía Quinamétzin, was built at the airport to display many fossilized skeletons and exhibits about pre-historic conditions of the local area.

 * - an outdoorsman's playground with numerous rivers and streams feeding into 4 large man-made lakes. Aside from trout fishing, there's plenty of water sports like swimming, sailing, and kayaking. Landlubbers will find miles of hiking trails, camping, rapelling, and opportunities for nature watching.

Itineraries

 * Camino Real de Tierra Adentro is a historic route through Central Mexico, Bajio, and Northern Mexico and the southwestern U.S. state of New Mexico. The route is a.

Understand
This state is the most populous state (almost 17 million people in 2020) in the country and the most densely populated (720/km2). There are an abundance of activities around the state, but most are concentrated around the Mexico City metropolitan area and Toluca, the state capital.

The demonym used to refer to people and things from the state is mexiquense, distinct from mexicano ("Mexican"), which describes the people or things from the country as a whole.

Get in
Mexico State surrounds Mexico City on three sides, so travelers usually get into the state from outside the country or from more distant parts of the country through Mexico City. Domestic travelers from other Mexican cities and states can fly into Santa Lucia or Toluca.

By air

 * Benito Juárez International Airport (usually known as Mexico City International and commonly abbreviated "AICM") is the main airport for Mexico City. It serves all Mexican commercial airlines and a wide range of foreign carriers with routes to the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia.
 * Felipe Angeles International Airport (usually known as Santa Lucia Airport and commonly abbreviated "AIFA") is a new commercial airport facility opened in 2022, 48km north of Mexico City. It serves as the main cargo airport for Mexico City and is an emerging hub airport for many Mexican carriers, it also handles some international flights to destinations in Latin America.
 * Toluca International Airport serves the state capital and has often served as a regional focus city for low-cost carriers. The airport is underutilized with infrastructure to handle far more traffic than it receives.

By bus
Mexico State is very easy to reach by bus with service to every larger population center by first-class bus and every small town by at least a second-class bus. See the articles for individual cities for details, or the country article for Mexico for names of larger bus companies.

Get around
Bus and car are the most flexible ways to get around in Mexico State, though traffic is heavy and slow near Mexico City and in Toluca and larger cities. Train service is increasingly useful, but the network is limited in range and not always well integrated.

By train
The Ferrocarril Suburbano is a commuter rail system that connects downtown Mexico City with northern Mexico State municipalities. Service is provided on the Buenavista-Teotihuacan line (Blue), and the Buenavista-Cuauhtitlan line (Red). A third line (Green) connects Nezahualcyotl to Chalco. Communities served include Tultitlán, San Rafael, and Tlanepantla. Buses connect rail stations to nearby neighborhoods. Plans are underway to build a rail line connecting Ferrocarril Suburbano Line 1 with the Santa Lucia Airport (NLU).

Fares range from M$6.50 to M$15.50 (Jan 2023), depending on distance. You must buy a rechargable fare card to ride the train and fare cards for the Metro or the Tren Ligero do not work with Ferrocarril Suburbano (you have to buy a separate card). A rechargable card costs M$30, M$17 of which is an initial credit for fares. When you run out of money on your card, use the machines at rail stations to add funds.

The Interurban Tren Mexico City–Toluca (universally known as El Insurgente) is an inter-urban rail project to connect the state capital with the nations capital. The 57-km rail line has been in the works since 2012. All of the stations within the State of Mexico opened in 2023. Construction on the rail segment in Mexico City is scheduled to complete in 2024. Shuttle buses to the Toluca Airport (TLC) will be available at the Tecnologico station. The line will provide connections to Mexico City's Metro system at the Observatorio station, which is also one of Mexico City's four major bus station with long-distance buses to cities to the southeast of Mexico City.

See

 * The flowered gondolas in the floating gardens of Xochimilco are in the south of Mexico City (not Mexico State) but are still worth a trip.
 * The Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque hydraulic system, a UNESCO World Heritage site (partially located in Hidalgo).
 * The National Museum of the Viceroyalty is in Tepotzotlán, just outside Mexico City, it is one of the country's best historical museums about Colonial Mexico.

Do

 * Zacango Ecological Park - large zoo in the town of Calimaya, (near Toluca), rhinos, giraffes, elephants, zebras and more than 170 other species.

Eat
Everything about Central Mexican cuisine is true of food in Mexico State, though some dishes are more emblematic of the area than others.

Tlacoyos are similar to huaraches served in other states. It's essentially a thick, flat tortilla topped with stewed meats or vegetables. It can be folded in half and eaten like a big taco, but is more likely to be eaten like a slice of pizza. In Mexico State, tlacoyos are often made with blue corn meal, giving them a unique appearance.

Drink
Beer is the most popular drink in most of Mexico and in Mexico State, the most popular beers are from the Modelo brewery in Mexico City. A number of small craft breweries operate in many cities of the region. Pulque is also popular throughout Mexico State. Local craft breweries and pulquerias will be listed in the various destination (city) articles.

Stay safe
All of the usual advice to be vigilant applies in Mexico State, though the area is not one of the areas known for violent crime. It is generally safe to travel throughout the state with normal precautions and avoiding sketchy areas off the normal tourist routes.

Go next

 * Cuernavaca - the city of eternal spring
 * Hidalgo - many quaint colonial towns
 * Puebla - volcanoes and colonial cities
 * Guerrero - mountains, caves, silver, and the beaches of Acapulco
 * Michoacan - Purhepecha traditions and famous butterfly reserves

title: Mexico State


text:
Mfuwe

Mfuwe is a small village in the Eastern Zambia, known as a gateway to South Luangwa National Park.

Understand
Mfuwe isn't so much a village as a long strip of road connecting the airport to the Mfuwe Bridge over the Luangwa River. The center of Mfuwe, in the loosest sense of the word, is around the BP petrol station.

Informally there are at least 5000 people living there — go and explore the side streets, visit the health clinic, or Mfuwe basic school (ask someone), have a wander! There will be no hassle and people will be glad to chat, especially the kids who will no doubt say "How are you" "I'm fine".

By plane
Mfuwe International Airport (MFU) has been upgraded with an all-weather bitumen runway. Scheduled services run to Lusaka and Chipata. Flights are twice daily (to Lusaka) in the high season but sporadic (or stopped entirely) in the low season. Charter flights allow access to Lilongwe (Malawi), Mwaleshi (North Luangwa), Shiwa Ngandu, Kasanka and other domestic airfields. The airport is about 25 km from Mfuwe Bridge, transfers should be arranged in advance with your accommodation.

By road
Mfuwe is about 3 hours by car from Chipata (123 km) in the dry season, but the road is not tarred and travel is more difficult, occasionally even impossible, in the wet season. From Chipata, it's 2-3 hours to Lilongwe and 8-10 hours to Lusaka.

Pickup trucks lurch down the same road in 5 hours on a good day.

Get around
There is no public transport as such. Safari lodges typically throw in free airport transfers, but charge around $20-30 for other trips.

If you want your own wheels and know how to bash about the bush, 4x4s can be rented from Personal Touch (tel. +260 6 246 123,or 0978-459965 ben@tptouch.com) at prices starting from US$125/day, airport transfers included. The Personal Touch can also be contacted for general transfers to community projects or Kawaza village

Buy

Mfuwe has one shop of significant interest:

 * Mango Tree Crafts, on airport road near turnoff to Chipata. The home base of Tribal Textiles, this workshop has local artisans producing both traditional and less traditional designs.  There are free 20-minute tours of the disarmingly simple production process: draw designs with flour and water, apply paint, wash off flour and bake in an oven.  Most of their output is exported worldwide, so while the prices in the outlet shop may seem a little steep by Zambian standards (US$20 for a pack of napkins?), they're still far cheaper than in, say, New York.

Drink
Mfuwe is the Zambian version of a cowboy town. There is a main strip road but on either side of the road there are bars. If you want to meet local guys then stop by for a drink - people are very friendly. You won't find a menu either but just ask for some barbecued chicken and it will turn up ! You can play pool and you'll find music, drink Mosi beer (delicious) and dancing on Friday and Saturday nights. If you're staying at a lodge ask a driver to collect you from the bar - easy to arrange.

Sleep
Safari lodges in and around South Luangwa National Park are listed separately in that article.

 * Cobra Guesthouse, opposite BP. Very basic rooms from US$2.50.

Connect
Mobile network coverage in Mfuwe is spotty at best, so the primary means of communication is radio. Every lodge, tourist-oriented shop and not a few vehicles have radios for fast, reliable communication.

Stay safe
Mfuwe is regularly raided by wild animals, particularly elephants, after dark. Stay indoors.

title: Mfuwe


text:
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is in a national park in Western Uganda and the nearest town is. It is one of the only four national parks that protect the mountain gorillas. It lies within the Great Virunga Conservation Area that also extends to Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda and the Virunga National Park of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Get in
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park can perhaps be most easily accessed via Kisoro via a very poorly-maintained dirt road. Boda-bodas and high-clearance four-wheel drives are perhaps the only vehicles that can reliably pass even during the dry season. A boda-boda from Kisoro into either park entrance (Muhavura or the main entrance) will cost around USh15,000 as of June 2014 and will take about an hour.

Flights to the near by Kisoro Airstrip connect the park the Entebbe International Airport on a daily basis and can be booked through Savannah Wings.

Fees and permits
Gorilla Tracking Permit - FRN($)700 - FR($)600 -  EAC(UGX)250000

Golden Monkey Tracking - FRN($)90  -  FR($)90  -  EAC(UGX)40000

Batwa Trail Experience - FRN($)80  -  FR($)80  -  EAC(UGX)50000

George Walk            - FRN($)30  -  FR($)15  -  EAC(UGX)15000

Volcano Climbing       - FRN($)80  -  FR($)70  -  EAC(UGX)50000

Painting & Art Work    - FRN($)10  -  FR($)10   - EAC(UGX)20000

Mgahinga Platform Viewing Experience - FRN($)10 - FR($)10  - EAC(UGX)10000

Guided Short Nature Walks For Children - FRN($)5 - FR($)5 -  EAC(UGX)10000

Children Scouts Adventureous Activities - FRN($)10 - FR($)10 -  EAC(UGX)20000

Do

 * Volcano hiking:, , and (Muhabura) can all be climbed in the park. Guide and guard are mandatory but included in the price, though tipping appears to be customary. Each climb takes approximately 6-8 hours, depending on personal fitness level and trail conditions. Prices as of January 2014 were US$60, though this may vary according to how the trek was booked. "Wellington boots" (rubber boots) can be rented for about USh10,000 and porters for about US$15. The start point for Muhavura is at a different park entrance than that of Sabinyo and Gahinga.

 * Gorilla Tracking: Mountain gorillas can be tracked in the park. Prices are steep for foreign non-residents but cheaper than in neighbouring Rwanda.

 * Golden Monkey Tracking: Golden monkeys are a species of monkey essentially unique to the Virunga mountains. Substantially cheaper than mountain gorilla tracking.

 * Birding

title: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park