Mexico City

When you arrive at the Mexico City airport, don’t pick up a cab at the curb or barter with hustlers in the lobby trying to entice you to use their cars. These are unregulated vehicles. Instead, go directly to the transportation booth and buy a ticket for your transportation into the city. There is a set price for taxis and minivans so you won’t need to haggle over the fee. Just tell the ticket agent your destination; you will be charged accordingly and issued a ticket to give to the driver who will take you to your hotel.Mexico City has a great selection of delightful places to stay in every price range. Note: Because driving is a hassle within the city, wait to rent a car until the day of your departure and use taxis or public transportation until then.Mexico City with its 22 million inhabitants is the second-largest city in the world, and growing every day. Its importance as a cultural and political center is not new—with its fabulous location on a high, fertile plateau, the site has hosted a great city since long before the Spaniards arrived. The Aztecs had the seat of their flourishing empire here in a magical city they called Tenochtitlán. Set in the middle of a lake, connected to the mainland by causeways and laced with canals, and embellished with palaces and splendid temples, this city was indeed a sight to behold. Even Hernán Cortés, who had seen the wonders of Europe, was overwhelmed by its grandeur. Three nights will give you two full days to visit some of the city’s museums (most museums are closed on Monday), which depict so richly the heritage of the Mexican people, setting the stage for what you will be seeing on your trip. We cover sightseeing for Mexico City in greater depth in the itinerary Mexico City & Beyond, but even though it will be duplicating information, we want to mention two places you must not miss: the Museo Nacional de Antropología and the zócalo. Depending upon which hotel you choose, you can either walk or take a cab. Your hotel can arrange a guide or order one of their secure taxis to take you wherever you want to go. Museo Nacional de Antropología: First, head for the Museo Nacional de Antropología, one of the world’s most outstanding museums. We first saw it when it opened in 1964 and now, almost 40 years later, it is even more fabulous, with tremendous improvements made in a massive renovation in 2001. The museum has a stunning architectural style with a spacious, partially enclosed central courtyard. Wrapping around the courtyard is a two-story building with 23 rooms displaying with artful elegance artifacts giving the history of the Mexican nation. Don’t miss a single room. Visit them all and read the description in English of what you are viewing. Linger at the dioramas that show the glorious city as it was before Cortés’s arrival. Enjoy the rooms that show the everyday life of the Indian people. Study carefully the information on the many archaeological sites and peek below the glass floor to see a royal tomb. Push all the buttons on the video monitors to watch videos of rituals and customs. You could spend an entire day here, which isn’t a problem as there is a very good restaurant for lunch.Zócalo: The second place you must include is a visit to Mexico City’s fabulous zócalo (main square). This in an incredible, huge plaza capturing the magic of Mexico’s past and present. It is surrounded by handsome Colonial buildings and dominated on one side by a superb cathedral, all built upon, and with the stones from, the mighty Aztec city that previously occupied the site. Wander through the square admiring its majesty and, of course, visit the breathtaking cathedral. Be sure not to miss the incredible Templo Mayor and Museo del Templo Mayor, which are situated on the northeast corner of the square. Scholars knew that a great Aztec city was the foundation for the one built by the Spaniards, but it wasn’t until 1978, when workmen accidentally came upon a fabulous statue of the Moon Goddess, that the archaeologists knew where to dig. They excavated in the plaza to the right of the cathedral and unearthed the Templo Mayor, the most important pyramid in the Aztec world. Today you can explore the ruins by a series of ramps and bridges that crisscross above the excavations. To display the wealth of artifacts that were uncovered, the museum was built next door. Within are over 6,000 artifacts taken from the site, superbly displayed, showing the sophisticated culture that flourished here before the arrival of Cortés. Do not miss the model of Tenochtitlán, the Aztec city that was the predecessor of the one you see today. Facing the zócalo is the massive Palacio Nacional where you must walk in to admire the bold murals by Diego Rivera. The paintings which adorn the walls of the staircase depict the history of Mexico. Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Park): Although Emperor Maximilian ruled Mexico for only a brief period, he left a French influence upon the city, including wide, tree-lined boulevards. One of the finest of these is the Paseo de La Reforma, a 12- kilometer-long thoroughfare, which remains as one of the most important and beautiful boulevards in the city. It crosses through one of the city’s highlights, the Bosque de Chapultepec, which dates back to the 16th century. The park is host to many museums, lakes, fountains, amusement parks, statues, theaters, and shaded walkways. It is pleasant to stroll through the park, which is the playground for the city. Here you soak in the local color with parents buying cotton candy and balloons for their children, vendors selling fresh produce, shoeshine men busily buffing shoes, lovers snuggled on park benches, mothers pushing baby carriages, and snack stalls tucked throughout.Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Park): Although Emperor Maximilian ruled Mexico for only a brief period, he left a French influence upon the city, including wide, tree-lined boulevards. One of the finest of these is the Paseo de La Reforma, a 12-kilometer-long thoroughfare, which remains as one of the most important and beautiful boulevards in the city. It crosses through one of the city’s highlights, the Bosque de Chapultepec, which dates back to the 16^th century. The park is host to many museums, lakes, fountains, amusement parks, statues, theaters, and shaded walkways. It is pleasant to stroll through the park, which is the playground for the city. Here you soak in the local color with parents buying cotton candy and balloons for their children, vendors selling fresh produce, shoeshine men busily buffing shoes, lovers snuggled on park benches, mothers pushing baby carriages, and snack stalls tucked throughout. Castillo de Chapultepec: On the summit of the highest hill in Chapultepec Park you find the Castillo de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Castle) whose story is rarely reported in American history books. The castle was once the home of Emperor Maxmilian and his wife Carlota and still has furnishings from the era of their reign. After the Revolution, the castle became a military academy for young men. In 1847, during the American-Mexican War, the American army assaulted the castle, which was bravely defended by the young cadets, most of whom died. One gallant youth leapt to his death wrapped in the Mexican flag to avoid capture. These young men were later to become known as the Niños Héroes, or Young Heroes. There is a dramatic monument with soaring columns in the park that is dedicated to these young heroes. Cathedral: This superb structure is the largest cathedral in Latin America and certainly one of its most beautiful. Sadly, today this Colonial monument is slowly sinking into the soft floor of the ancient lake bed that still lies under modern Mexico City, and there seems little can be done to maintain it. The cathedral took almost 300 years to complete and during that time architectural styles from many periods, from classical to baroque, were incorporated into it. Its façade is glorious, enhanced by 67-meter-high twin bell towers with a series of bells on various levels. Between the bell towers is a clock tower, adorned with statues of Faith, Hope, and Charity. In the center of the building there is a huge, gold dome, reminiscent of St. Peter’s in Rome. Inside, the magnificence of the richly embellished church continues, with beautiful oil paintings, exquisitely decorated statues, magnificently carved choir stalls, and the Altar de Los Reyes, which is an ornate baroque masterpiece.Museo de Arte Moderno: The Museo de Arte Moderno (the Museum of Modern Art) is one of the museums that is located in Chapultepec Park. It features 20^th-century paintings by Mexican artists. Museo Dolores Olmedo Piña: The Museo Dolores Olmedo Piña, located in the suburb of Xochimilco, is one of our favorite places to visit in Mexico City. Although it takes about 45 minutes to drive there from the heart of the city, the journey is well worth the effort. Perhaps you have never heard of Dolores Olmedo Piña, but she was an astonishing woman of dramatic beauty, talent, and energy. Born in 1908, she died in 2002, having lived a remarkable 94 years—a life brimming with glamour and wealth. Although travel wasn’t simple, she constantly visited exotic destinations throughout the world and seemed to have friends everywhere, from nobility to Popes. Always loving the flamboyant, she built an enormous home in a magnificent multi-acre, walled estate that once housed an Aztec palace. The mansion, surrounded by a large park, is itself worth a visit. Here you can wander through room after room, filled with Piña’s furnishings and personal photos, gasping in wonder at her exuberant way of life. But what makes the museum so fantastic is its collection of art. Dolores Olmedo became the last great love and benefactor of Diego Rivera and her home is now a museum, housing one of the greatest collections of his work. This includes Rivera’s paintings of her children and sunsets from her estate in Acapulco where he lived for the last few years of his life. Also on display are paintings by many other artists, including an excellent collection of the work of Frida Kahlo. Museo Franz Meyer: Many visitors to Mexico are unaware of one of our favorite museums in Mexico City, the Museo Franz Meyer Museum, located in the heart of the city on Avenida Hidalgo 45, on the north side of Alameda Park. The entrance is a bit tricky to find since the door is tucked in a courtyard by the side of the entrance to the adjacent church, Iglesia de San Juan de Dios. This museum is elegant and sophisticated with gleaming parquet floors and classical music gently playing in the background. Here you find magnificent Spanish Colonial collections of paintings, furniture, silver, sculptures, etc. Many of the splendid objects reflect the early Conquest Period and form an artistic bridge between Aztec and Spanish artistic traditions. From the outside, the museum looks small, but once within, the rooms extend seemingly forever. Some of the exhibits surround a charming cloister where there is an inviting small café with tables set in the garden. Museo Frida Kahlo: The Frida Kahlo Museum, located at the corner of Londres and Allende in the suburb of Coyoacan, is of special interest to those who want to know more about Diego Rivera and also gain an insight into the fascinating Frida Kahlo. This intriguing museum was the home of the dark-haired, tempestuous, talented beauty, Frida Kahlo, who was born and died here. She and Diego Rivera lived here after their marriage and the house, set in an enclosed garden, has walls painted in brilliant blue trimmed with red, reflecting their love of vibrant colors and design. Frida, who endured great pain resulting from childhood polio, and later spinal injuries resulting from a bus/streetcar accident, had a turbulent marriage to Rivera lasting 25 years. They must have been quite a pair, the diminutive Frida and the 300-pound Rivera. She was a talented artist in her own right, and her surrealistic paintings and free-spirited approach to life have gained great fame. When Frida died at the age of 47, Rivera left the house, along with the paintings inside, as a museum. The furnishings and personal items are much as they were when she and Rivera shared the home. I had to smile at a gift you will see in one of the rooms, a custom-designed wheel chair and easel, given to Frida toward the end of her life so that she could continue painting. It seemed so incongruous that this thoughtful gift was given to Frida (a passionate communist and champion of the common man) by Rockefeller (an icon of capitalism). If you plan to visit this museum, try to rent a copy of the film Frida, a movie released in 2002 depicting her life. Some of the scenes were photographed in this house. Museo Leon Trotsky: Diego Rivera (a passionate Communist) invited Leon Trotsky to come to Mexico when the political situation changed in Russia and Trotsky’s life was in danger. He lived briefly in the home of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. It is rumored he had an affair with Frida, which is perhaps why he and his wife moved into their own house that is now open as a museum. Tragically, his political enemies discovered his whereabouts and assassinated him. The museum is located in the suburb of Coyoacan, about a 45-minute drive from the heart of the city. Museo Nacional de Antropología: The National Museum of Anthropology, located in Chapultepec Park, is housed in a spectacular modern building containing collections of archaeological objects from all the pre-Columbian cultures of Mexico. There is a large inner courtyard almost totally shaded by a long concrete canopy which protects against the hot sun. The courtyard is embraced by the two-story museum, which displays chronologically and geographically the history of Mexico. These collections provide an excellent introduction to the archaeology of Mexico in an environment that is most pleasing. When the museum opened in 1964, it was considered a masterpiece, displaying a whole new concept of how to make archaeology come alive. Instead of becoming outdated, the museum is more remarkable than ever following extensive renovations in 2001. You move from room to room in an organized way to follow the exhibits in a chronological order and you see many special effects and video displays that explain what you are seeing. Not to be missed are a few highlights such as an incredible funerary mask of jade, which is one of the museum’s treasures. In the Aztec exhibit, you cannot miss the Sun Stone with its intricate design showing the sun god in the center surrounded by the Aztec calendar. The mother-of-pearl Toltec Coyote Headed Warrior is another gem. These are but appetizers of the many fabulous pieces you will see—plan to spend many hours here. (There is a very good restaurant on the premises for lunch). Palacio de Bellas Artes: The Palacio de Bellas Artes is in the heart of Mexico City, bordering onto Alameda Central, a delightful park with many shaded paths and pretty bubbling fountains. In Aztec times this was a busy marketplace and still today there are many vendors selling their wares. The Palacio de Bellas Artes, a handsome building made entirely of white Carrara marble, is so heavy that it is slowly sinking into the soft ground. The palace is multi-purpose. A wonderful selection of paintings and artifacts are beautifully displayed on several floors that wrap around a gallery. Also, the building houses the theater where the famous and colorful Ballet Folklórico is performed on Sunday morning and Wednesday evening. Palacio Nacional: The enormous National Palace dominates one side of the Plaza of the Constitution. This is the site where Montezuma had his palace, which was later replaced by the residence of Hernán Cortés. Continuing its heritage, the magnificent structure is today the president’s residence. Much of the building is used for government business, but you must go in to view Diego Rivera’s stunning murals depicting the history of Mexico. Obviously Rivera had his personal opinion of the struggle of the Indians against the conquistadors, for throughout his murals the cruelty of the Spaniards is clearly embellished. The fact that long before Cortés arrived, human sacrifice, slavery, and brutality were prevalent is lightly downplayed. However, the paintings are even more intriguing because of Diego Rivera’s prejudices and his sense of humor in depicting them. You are apt to miss a lot if you don’t know what you are seeing, so try to have a guide or do a little reading in advance. Diego’s murals depict the faces of real people and those he didn’t like received their due at the end of his paintbrush. It is almost like a puzzle to figure out who everyone is. Look carefully and you will see Cortés’s mistress, La Malinche, who is often at his side, sometimes holding their son. Plaza de La Constitución: This main plaza, or zócalo, is at the very heart of the city. It was built upon the ruins of the Templo Mayor, described below. It is massive in size and incredibly impressive. This is one of the biggest public squares in the world and one of the most interesting, with handsome Colonial buildings facing onto it. Two of the most dramatic of these are the magnificent cathedral and the Palacio National (see above). One of the best times to visit the plaza to truly capture its magic is in the early morning. At dawn, the colorful Mexican flag is raised on the towering pole in the center of the square, accompanied by music and lots of pomp and ceremony. At this time of the day the square is at its most beautiful, with soft light and few tourists. Later on, the square becomes far more congested with many vendors, lots of tourists, and the noise and bustle of the throng of the city going about its daily activities. This, too, is a fun time to be here and to feel the pulse of the giant square, which was probably as busy during Aztec times as it is today. Templo Mayor & Museo del Templo Mayor: The Templo Mayor was the heart of the Aztec empire and must not be missed. The site consists of two parts: the outdoor section, encompassing the excavated, stabilized ruins of the great temple complex, which you can view from a series of elevated walkways; and the wonderful Museum of the Templo Mayor, next to the ruins, where the amazing treasures recovered from the temple are stored and displayed. This beautiful museum tells the story of the temple complex through artifacts and clear interpretive text. In Aztec times, the great Templo Mayor stood in the sacred walled precinct in the middle of Tenochtitlán. Today this sacred area is the central plaza of modern Mexico City, but before the arrival of the Spanish invaders this was the actual and symbolic center of the ancient capital city and heart of the Aztec world. The immense pyramid, topped with two important temples, dominated the skyline of the metropolis. The elaborate temples were dedicated to the worship of the two gods who represented the power sources of the Aztec empire: Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc—gods of war and rain, of tribute and sustenance. Archaeologists knew there was a temple located somewhere near the modern plaza in Mexico City, but buildings constructed in Colonial times covered the structures of ancient Tenochtitlán and for centuries the Templo Mayor lay buried. In February of 1978, two electrical workers digging in the central plaza of the city discovered an immense round carved stone (over 3 meters in diameter) and notified the National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico. It was soon determined that the stone was carved with a depiction of the dismembered body of Coyolxauhqui, moon goddess and sister of Huitzilopochtli. It had once been situated at the foot of the pyramid steps below the temple dedicated to Huitzilopochtli. This serendipitous discovery of the spectacular carved stone concretely located the position of the great temple and initiated one of the most impressive archaeological excavations ever to take place in Mexico. The Templo Mayor project focused on the excavation of the magnificent double pyramid complex and the interpretation of its objects. From the excavations it was clear that the great temple had been constructed in seven stages. The first stage related to the earliest temple built in A.D. 1325 when Tenochtitlán was founded and the last to the final reconstruction or building period that produced the temple seen and recorded by the Spanish in 1519. This last temple was almost completely destroyed by the invading Spaniards, both in defiance of the ancient gods and to provide building stones for the Colonial city. The various rebuildings and embellishments of the original small pyramid into the final massive structure were done by a succession of Aztec kings to honor the gods and to enhance their own power and status in the empire. Archaeologists found many precious offerings buried within the walls of the various construction periods of the pyramid. These offerings were dedicated to Tlaloc, the god of rain, earth, and fertility, who was responsible for the success of the crops that fed Tenochtitlán; and Huitzilopochtli, god of war and the sun, who was responsible for the fruits of warfare that sustained the Aztec state. Items representing water, such as green jade beads, shells, mother-of-pearl ornaments, and bones of aquatic animals, reflect the role of Tlaloc as provider of sustenance for humans. Items such as sacrificial knives, weapons, and skulls relate to Huitzilopochtli as provider of sustenance for the empire itself in the form of sacrificial blood and the wealth of conquest. The iconography of the tall pyramid of Huitzilopochtli and the magnificent carved stone found at its foot refer to an ancient Aztec legend that tells of the birth of the great god Huitzilopochtli on top of the hill of Coatepec and his defeat of his sister, the moon, and his brothers, the stars. The pyramid represents the hill of Coatepec, and the carved stone found at its base is the image of Coyolxa­uhqui's dismembered body. The defeat of the stars and moon, symbols of darkness and the night sky, by Huitzilopoch­tli, warrior of the sun, was the epic act that assured the place of the sun in the daytime sky. This legendary drama was reenacted in special ceremonies on top of the pyramid. A victim was sacrificed, his heart torn from his chest, his blood offered as sustenance to the sun, and his body was thrown down the steep “hill” of the pyramid onto the surface of the stone of Coyolxauhqui, thus re-creating the symbolic battle between the sun and moon.Tlatelolco: Tlatelolco is a section of the ancient city of Tenochtitlán that was once the center of the Aztec market system. In this great plaza, the last battle for Tenochtitlán was fought between Aztec warriors and the troops of Cortés. In 1965, a plaque was installed in the ruins of Tlatelolco to commemorate the momentous events of the first encounters of the Spanish and the Aztecs. Its inscription that addresses the fatal outcome reads: On the 13th of August in 1521, heroically defended by Cuauhtemoc, Tlatelolco fell to Hernán Cortés. This was neither a triumph nor a defeat, it was a painful birth of the mestizo people who are the Mexico of today.This site, now known as the Plaza of the Three Cultures, has the excavated ruins of Tlatelolco’s main temple in the foreground and a large, very early, Colonial church and convent behind the temple ruins—with the tall buildings of modern Mexico rising in the background. The Plaza of the Three Cultures symbolizes the three cultures that make up Mexico today. Xochimilco and the Floating Gardens: Before the Spaniards arrived, the Aztec city of Tenochtitlán was an island in the center of a lake, connected to the mainland by causeways. Around the periphery of the city was a maze of floating islands laced by drainage canals that were laid out in an orderly fashion. These weren’t really “floating” islands, but began as rafts piled with rich lake mud and then anchored to the bottom of the lake by fast-growing trees with a deep root system. This is where fresh produce and flowers were grown. Today most of these islands are gone, but a few still exist and continue to produce vegetables and flowers for the city, just as they have for hundreds of years. These floating gardens are located in the outlying suburb of Xochimilco, about an hour’s drive from the center. There are tours that go here, or you can hire a guide. The way is quite confusing, so we don’t recommend driving yourself. We delayed going to these gardens for many years, both because they were off the beaten path and we expected them to be overly touristy. How wrong we were! Yes, the islands are touristy, but they are also actual remnants of an ancient civilization that remain in use today. The tourists are basically Mexicans who have come for a family outing.
You climb aboard a brilliantly decorated, flat wooden boat with a Venetian-style “gondolier” who steers the craft through the narrow canals. The waterways are jammed with boats with all sorts of passengers: children having birthday parties, school kids on outings; young lovers who snuggle in a boat by themselves, Mariachis serenading, women selling flowers, photographers who want to snap your picture, vendors selling postcards, entrepreneurs with cold drinks, and even boats with kitchens aboard where women in colorful costumes cook up a hot meal. What a jolly experience, especially on a sunny day—the local color just can’t be beat. The sightseeing suggested above is just a taste of what the city has to offer, but should keep you occupied for several days. If you extend your stay, there is a wealth of other places to visit. The tourist office (corner of Amberes and Londres in the Zona Rosa) or the concierge at your hotel can provide you with more suggestions and information.