Mexico City's many attractions involve culture, history and fun for everyone and the sightseeing possibilities on offer include incomparable monuments and scenic panoramas that defy the passage of time.
Coyoacan, Xochimilco, San Angel and Chapultepec are just some of the many enjoyable Mexico City attractions that are traditional, fascinating and incredibly beautiful.
Metropolitan Cathedral
This monumental structure today dominates Mexico's main square, know as the Zocalo. The Cathedral features a blend of art forms that include a baroque and neoclassical facade, five separate naves and beautiful side chapels. During religious ceremonies you can listen to the amazing sound of the cathedral organ being played. Due to the soft clay land of the city the cathedral is gradually sinking, although restoration efforts have saved its collapse.
Chapultepec Park
Chapultepec Park is an enormous green area in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of this fast paced city. This park, the city's largest covering over 2000 acres, contains three of the most important museums and also an amusement park with an old wooden roller coaster, the only genuine castle in North America, Mexico's largest zoo and the residence of the president of Mexico, called Los Pinos. For those who enjoy aquatic activities there are lakes with paddleboats, and also an aquatic park with water slides, tunnels and a wave pool. Papalote Museo del Nino is a hands-on children's museum with an IMAX big screen theatre.
La Feria
Located in Bosque de Chapultepec this theme park has various rollercoasters and rides for all ages. La Feria also has great shows and a fantastic selection of restaurants. The park is open Tuesday through Sunday and it's undoubtedly one of Mexico City's best attractions.
Six Flags, Mexico
Located on the southern side of the city, this theme park is enormous and full of everything from mechanical games to replicas of interesting places from around the world, with names such as Western town, Polynesian town and Swiss town. Six Flags also has dolphin shows, river trips, restaurants and much more. Your kids are going to love this exciting Mexico City attraction.
Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan (''Bithplace of the Gods'' in Nahuatl, an ancient prehispanic language used by the indigenous population) is a large and impressive archaeological site located 25 miles from Mexico City. Even now, after decades of investigations, it isn't clear who the real founders of the city are, since most of the buildings show traces of influence coming from different groups of prehispanic people, such as the Zapotec, Mixtec and Maya. The most famous temples in Teotihuacan are those known as the ''Pyramid of the Sun'' and the ''Pyramid of the Moon''. On both sides of the main street which runs through the length of the site, called ''Calzada de Los Muertos'' (Avenue of the Dead), lie a series of well-preserved temples of this prehispanic city, one of the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico.
Nowadays, the Spring Equinox is the busiest date for this ancient ceremonial site, since on March 21st, thousand of travelers coming from every corner of the globe gather at Teotihacan to soak up positive energy from the sun's rays. On this day, visitors dress completely in white and climb to the top of the temples (most climb to the highest point of the Pyramid of the Sun) and stretch their palms upward exactly at noon, when it is thought that the solar energy can be best absorbed by the human body.
Xochimilco
The floating gardens of Xochimilco are another of Mexico City's attractions. The ancient floating gardens have been around for about 700 years and still operate basically the same as they did in Aztec times. Here you can rent brightly painted boats, called trajineras. You cruise the ancient canals at a leisurely pace and once you are out of the dock area you will more than likely be approached by boats with mariachi or marimba bands, photographers and vendors of food, drinks and handicrafts. This is a favorite Mexico City attraction with visitors and locals alike and one you surely will not want to miss.
Mexico City Museum
This museum is located a few blocks from ''El Zocalo'' on Pino Suarez Avenue, in an ancient house that once belonged to the Count of Calimaya. This picturesque colonial building has gargoyles on its facade and inside there is a very exclusive collection of pre-Hispanic and colonial items, such as maps and one of the first printing machines in Mexico. The library has more than 1,500 items on display, classical music is performed here and the studio of the famous Mexican artist Joaquin Clausell is also based in the museum.
Coyoacan
Coyoacan is an enchanting colonial neighborhood in which you can actually feel the tranquility and colonial charm of old Mexico. Coyoacan is home to several museums of note, including the Frida Kahlo and the Leon Trotsky, both located in the former homes of their namesakes. The Anahucacalli Museum houses Diego Rivera's collection of pre-Hispanic art.