Mexico City
★ 4.6🇲🇽 Mexico CitySuggested visit 3-4 daysBest season Good year-round, with autumn and winter the most comfortable
AztecWorld HeritageMural artColonial history
A Baroque colonial capital risen on Aztec ruins, where revolutionary mural art and ancient and modern worlds collide.
Overview
Mexico City is one of the largest cities in North America, blending Aztec civilisation and Spanish colonial culture with world-class museums.
History
Mexico City stands on the site of Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec empire, founded in 1325 and one of the largest cities in the world at the time with about 250,000 inhabitants. In 1521 the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés destroyed the Aztec empire and built the capital of New Spain on its ruins. The city was built on drained lake bed and still sinks unevenly today. A massive earthquake in 1985 caused severe damage, and the historic centre became a World Heritage Site in 1987.
Highlights
- •The Templo Mayor, still only partly excavated
- •Teotihuacan and its Pyramid of the Sun, the third largest in the world
- •Revolutionary murals by Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo
- •The sheer scale of the Zócalo, the main square
- •Traditional trajinera boats on the canals of Xochimilco
Practical tips
- •Acclimatise to the high altitude
- •Watch for pickpockets in crowded places
Practical information
- Best time
- October to April
- Tickets
- Museum of Anthropology about MXN 80; Teotihuacan about MXN 95
- Opening hours
- Museums roughly 9:00 to 18:00; the Zócalo open all day
- Local food
- Tacos, tamales and mole
- Getting around
- The metro is extensive and cheap; avoid peak hours and watch your belongings
- Visa
- A tourist visa is required; holders of a valid US visa may enter visa-free, subject to Mexican immigration announcements.
Traveller reviews
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