MY TIPS - Mexico city
Tips by Giselle
- The distances in Mexico are enormous (especially if you come from Europe and a country two hours from yours seems far away). Even within the DF you can take hours to get from one place to another because of the traffic.
- In Mexico City it is ideal to move around its extensive subway network, it has 12 lines and they take you to almost any point in the city. Do not be surprised to see areas differentiated by color on the platform. There are almost always pink-painted wagons dedicated exclusively to women and children.
- It is true that the city is huge and that it may seem like a chaos, but it is a vibrant chaos, where ancient Tenochtitlán resurfaces among its rubble covered by colonial buildings, there are colors everywhere and it eats wonders.
- What to see and do in CDMX?
- Zócalo area: the heart of the city where the ruins of the Templo Mayor are located, which was the most important sacred site in Mexico - Tenochtitlan and is currently an archaeological site below the Cathedral. Does it sound like the Spanish have built a church on top of you? You can admire how huge the heart of this city has been before the conquest and you can visit a very interesting museum to learn more about its history. Next to it is the Cathedral, whose façade is particularly inclined, like many of the buildings in the city, due to the large number of earthquakes that have suffered and the marshy terrain where it is located. When I went there was a guided tour that allowed you to go up to the roofs where you get a complete panoramic view of the entire Zócalo.
- Next to it is the National Palace, a building with more than 500 years of history where the history of Mexico can be seen illustrated by the murals painted by Diego Rivera between 1929 and 1951.
- If you are in the center, I recommend that you go to Café de Tacuba to eat something, have a coffee or simply go back in time. Founded in 1915, it is an icon of the city.
- Three other gems in the center are: The Palace of Fine Arts, the House of Tiles and the Postal Palace. They are all within walking distance and the buildings are beautiful.
- The Chapultepec Forest is the green lung of the city. In it, in addition to being able to take a pleasant walk or play sports, you can find the Castle of Chapultepec, the Museum of Modern Art or the unmissable and highly recommended Museum of Anthropology.
- The city has two neighborhoods where the trendy places, the nights out and the greatest gastronomic offer are concentrated: Roma and Condesa.
- One of the neighborhoods that I liked the most, because of its traditional and colorful nature, was Coyoacán. Neighborhood that saw the birth and death of Frida Kahlo, houses her Blue House, a museum that allows you to visit the rooms where she lived and created most of her works. A place full of magic.
- Already on the outskirts of DF, there are two icons: Teotihuacán and Xochimilco.
- The Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacán was one of the largest urban centers in the ancient world, which came to concentrate a population greater than 100,000 inhabitants. The area open to public visits has an area of 264 hectares, where the Citadel, the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, the Calzada de los Muertos, the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, among others, are concentrated. Due to its length it is almost impossible to visit everything in a single day, so there are recommended routes according to your interests. Get ready to leave your lungs if you are going to climb the pyramids!
- Xochimilco, which means "field of flowers", is perhaps the last living link in the Aztec civilization. It is a lake town full of colors, music and plants. Famous for its rides in trajineras (brightly colored boats) and its folklore, it is located an hour from the city and it is worth spending an afternoon browsing among tequilas and mariachis.
- In Mexico the tip is law. Do not forget to leave it, or they will surely have no problem in reminding you.
- Eat tacos al pastor. I beg you. They are typical of the city and they are my favorites.
- If you want to buy crafts, go to the Citadel Market. It is a feast for the eyes and they have beautiful typical things at reasonable prices.
- And finally, start talking to everyone you meet. Mexicans are friendly and hospitable people. They will surely love to tell you about their lives, to hear about yours and if you are very lucky like me, they will become your friends.
