Attractions in Mexico City, Mexico: What to do and where to go

Alameda Central

The original design for this famous wooded park was done in the 16th century, hence its fountains bear a very distinct Baroque style. The park has outlived many important historical events, such as the wars of Independence and Reform, the Porfiriato, a period in Mexican history referring to President Porfirio Diaz' term, marked by a strong French influence in all cultural aspects of life, and finally by the revolutionary movement of the 20th century. All of these events have shaped the park's current structure and appearance, which today has several statues, busts and a semicircular memorial of famous Mexicans and war heroes.

During your next visit to Mexico City, don't miss out on a trip to this beautiful park, located just steps away from gorgeous hotels, book shops, restaurants, and bars. Also in the area are the Franz Mayer Museum, the Pinacoteca Virreinal, a public art gallery from the Viceroyalty period, and the Palacio de Bellas Artes, all of which house a wealth of artistic treasures.

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.

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.

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

Without a doubt, La Feria is the most popular and traditional amusement park in Mexico City. It's just another of the fantastic entertainment options on offer at Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Park) and definitely worth visiting on your next trip to the nation's capital. At La Feria de Chapultepec you'll find all kinds of entertaining games and attractions on offer, ranging from educational rides and a carousel for small children, to those that'll cause an immense rush of adrenalin in teenagers and adults, like the House of the Terror, the exhilarating Go-Karts, and three hair-raising roller coasters.

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.

National Museum of Anthropology

The National Museum of Anthropology is probably the most important museum in all of Mexico. It spans a total area of close to 20 acres and houses a priceless collection of pre-Columbian treasures from several cultures, including Aztec, Olmec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Mixtec, and Mayan. There is also an exhibit about the indigenous people of Mexico living in today's society, teaching the visitor about the regions they live in, their history and their customs and traditions. Located in the grounds of Chapultepec Park, the museum offers daily guided tours and also holds temporary exhibits, which are usually part of the cultural exchange between this museum and other important museums in the world.

National Park "Cumbres del Ajusco"

This famous national park is located in southeast Mexico City and is a mountainous, forested area spanning approximately 2,200 acres. Known as ''El Ajusco'', it's a popular place for outdoor pursuits, such as hiking, trekking, and camping at Valle de la Cantimplora Campground. For avid mountain bikers, the park offers several trails that wind through the forest full of evergreens, pines, firs and holm oaks. There is also lots of wildlife in the area ranging from squirrels and coyotes to sparrows and swallows.

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.

The Zocalo or Constitution Plaza

Slightly smaller than Tiananmen Square in China and Moscow's Red Square, this enormous city plaza epitomizes modern Mexican nationalism. Under its immense concrete slabs, lies centuries of pre-Columbian history. It is flanked by several colonial buildings, including the National Palace and the Metropolitan Cathedral, the highest representations of the Mexican government and the Roman Catholic Church, the most popular religion in Mexico, respectively.

Millions of people have converged on the Zocalo for centuries, for concerts, photographic exhibitions, book fairs, political demonstrations, national and military parades, as well as crafts shows, food fairs and art shows. The list of events that take place here is almost as diverse as Mexican culture and ideology. The Zocalo is definitely an ideal starting point for a tour of Mexico City and you'll find countless shops, bars, restaurants, and nightclubs all located close by.