It’s not surprising that Mexico City, a megapolis of some 20 million people, has quite a reputation. Depending on whom you listen to, the Distrito Federal, or D.F., is a hotbed of pollution, crime, and out-of-control urban sprawl; or it’s a pulsing epicenter of history, art, fashion, and food—a whirlwind for the senses and an amalgam of new and old in one of the most culturally rich nations on Earth. Intimidating? Sure, like most of the giant, significant cities of the world, Mexico City can be overwhelming. But for an adventurous and interested visitor with basic street smarts, the payoff is huge—important museums and edgy art galleries to occupy you for weeks, Aztec ruins a stone’s throw from modern skyscrapers, stunning Rivera and Tamayo murals seemingly around every bend, enough exciting food discoveries on street corners and in fancy restaurants to last you a lifetime. (Of course, it’s that last bit especially that’s brought us to revisit Mexico City over the years!)
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Mexico City
Mexico City Food + Travel Guide
Essential Dishes
What to Eat in Mexico City
Activity Tips
How to Burn It Off in Mexico City
WALK
Within the city, some of the best neighborhoods to explore thoroughly on foot include the art- and history-filled Centro Histórico—heck, just walking across the massive Zócalo, the world’s second-largest public plaza, a few times will burn a nice handful of calories—the hip Brooklyn-esque colonias of Condesa and Roma, and the relaxed neighborhood of Coyoacán, one-time stomping grounds of artist Frida Kahlo (as well as an asylum-seeking Leon Trotsky).
D.F. is rich in parkland —many visitors are surprised at just how many trees they see. The city’s largest park, the Bosque de Chapultepec (map), is a 220-hectare (543-acre) oasis of greenery and art in the middle of the urban jungle, home to jogging paths, a lake with rental rowboats, the presidential mansion, city zoo, several museums including the excellent Museo Nacional de Antropología, and the city’s towering landmark, the Castillo de Chapultepec. The centuries-old Alameda Central, on the spot of a former Aztec marketplace located just west of el Centro, is another leafy, pleasant spot for a stroll, dotted by classical fountains and affording great opportunities for people-watching (especially on Sundays). Also great for exercise is the smaller, more neighborhoody Parque México (pictured above) in Col. Condesa, popular with local joggers and dog-walkers.
Accommodations
Where to Stay in Mexico City
We enjoyed our stay at the well-priced and -located Hotel Milan (from 510p; Álvaro Obregón 95, map) in Col. Roma, where rooms are clean and comfortable, with TV, Wi-Fi, and fans. There’s a downstairs café, but you’re so close to great food you won’t need it. Bonus: close proximity to the graceful Casa Lamm, a late-19th-century mansion turned cultural center, art gallery and school, bookstore, and café.
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