World City Guide

Mini Guide of Mexico City

City Overview

Growing out of the ruins of the ancient Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán, the sprawling megalopolis of Mexico City is at the cultural, geographical and political heart of Mexico and is a magnet to people from all over the country. Mexicans refer to their capital as simply ‘México’ or more specifically ‘el DF’ (pronounced day-effay). The DF is the ‘Distrito Federal’ (Federal District), in which the whole of the city centre falls.

Every day, hundreds of people flock to Mexico City in search of a better life - many getting no further than the mushrooming shanty-towns that ring the outskirts. These stand in stark contrast to the swish, modern offices and apartment blocks of Polanco and Chapultepec.

The growing number of people trying to make their way in the city coupled with the extremes of wealth and poverty has lead to its unenviable reputation for crime. Mexicans from other parts of the country will give dire warnings about the city – however, these are exaggerated and provided reasonable precautions are taken it need be no more dangerous than any large city.

Mexico City has a troubled history – restless politically and under constant threat from the forces of nature. Parts of the old city, especially the cathedral and colonial buildings are sinking into the soft clay of the lakebed of Lake Texcoco, and frequent earthquakes have taken their toll.

Surrounding Mexico City is a mountain range that includes the volcanoes Ixtaccihuatl and Popocatepetl, which is still active. These mountains act as a basin preventing the pollution - mainly from traffic and industry - from escaping and causing a heavy yellow cloud to hang over the city on most days, although recent measures at traffic limiting have lessened this. Although the climate is mild all year round, the best months to visit are October to April as winter slightly dispels the pollution

Mexico City was founded in 1525 by the Spanish Conquistadors, who, after defeating the Aztecs built their new city on the ruins of Tenochtitlán. The Aztecs had arrived in 1345 and established their stone-built city on an island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. Legend has it that the site was chosen because the Aztecs saw an eagle perched on a cactus and eating a snake – a sign that they should end their wanderings and build a city.

The location proved excellent defensively and until the arrival of the Spanish the Aztecs dominated the region with legendary ruthlessness – blood sacrifice and ritual being a common appeasement to their angry gods. The Aztecs believed themselves descendants of an even older civilisation at Tula and it was their belief in the fulfilment of an ancient prophecy that brought them to defeat at the hands of the Spanish. Moctezuma, the Aztec king, believed Cortés to be the feathered serpent-god, Quetzalcóatl, once driven out to Tula, returned to reclaim his throne. The Conquistadors overthrew the Aztec Empire with ease and Tenochtitlán was forgotten until the 1970s when workmen uncovered the remains of the Templo Mayor.

The 20th century brought with it revolution and saw the start of 71 years of one-party rule under the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) that ended with elections in 2000. As home to the entire federal government, Mexico City is now at the forefront of this change. From a colonial economy based largely on mining, especially silver, the economy has diversified to include strong agriculture, petroleum and industry sectors. Mexico is currently the second strongest economy in all Latin America.

Mexico City can at first seem frustrating and overwhelming, but despite its problems, given time it reveals itself to be one on the worlds’ most exhilarating and vibrant cities.

Getting There By Air

Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez (MEX)
Tel: (55) 571 3600 or 3007.
Website: www.aeropuertosmexico.com/ingles

Mexico City’s only passenger airport is situated six kilometres (3.75 miles) east of the Centro Histórico. It handles some 19 million passengers each year but has been unable to cope with the increase in passenger numbers that has accompanied the burgeoning population of the city. Travellers are greeted by a chaotic arrivals’ hall with randomly changing queues, late luggage at overcrowded poorly marked carousels and little signage. Departures are a little better but the increased security of recent years has added to the queues and general confusion.

Airport facilities: These include casa de cambios (bureaux de change), ATMs (Bancomer, Bital and Banamex), travel agents, tourist information, bars, restaurants, 24-hour luggage lockers, a telecommunications office, long-distance telephones and a wide range of duty-free and other shops. Car hire is available from Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Thrifty and Auto Rent.

Transport to the city: Fixed-price Transportación Terrestre taxis offer by far the safest and most efficient transport into the city centre. Tickets are bought from booths at exits A, E and F; be sure to by tickets from the official booth and ensure that the taxi you are getting into is registered. Unlicensed taxis in Mexico City rightly have a bad reputation and there are many scams targeting tourists around airports and bus stations (see Getting Around – Taxis).

There are no direct buses into the city centre. A trolley bus can be taken to Calzada Ignacio Zaragoza and then a bus into the city. This journey takes at least one hour, often much longer, depending on the time of day.

There is a metro station, Terminal Aérea, near the exit at the end of hall A but officially luggage is not allowed on the metro.

Getting There By Water

Getting There By Road

Mexico’s motorways, although not up to European, Canadian and US standards, are fairly well maintained. They fan out from Mexico City and most large cities can be bypassed. There are more then 6,000km (3,700 miles) of cuota (toll) roads in Mexico. These are often four lanes and in much better condition than the via libres (free roads), which have dangerously large potholes, as well as wandering children, livestock and drunks, to contend with. Cuotas (tolls) vary but are generally expensive. The high cost means they are often empty and are generally much safer. Banditry is a problem in parts of Mexico and drivers of foreign vehicles are particularly targeted, the risk is far greater when driving at night which is not recommended.

Speed limits are usually 100kph (62mph) on motorways and 30kph (19mph) or 40kph (25mph) in cities. A valid driving licence from the driver’s home country is required and an International Driving Permit (IDP) is recommended. Insurance is not mandatory but is very strongly advised; note that Mexican law only recognises Mexican seguros (insurance). The minimum age for driving in Mexico is 18 years. There is no legal limit for blood/alcohol levels, however drunk driving is taken seriously and is punishable with heavy fines.

SECTUR, the Mexican Ministry of Tourism, has teams of Angeles Verdes (Green Angels) (tel: (55) 5250 0123) who patrol most of Mexico’s main roads and provide free assistance to motorists in trouble. It’s appropriate to tip the mechanic if they help you.

Emergency breakdown service:
Angeles Verdes (55) 5250 8221 patrol the roads looking for broken down vehicles, it’s appropriate to tip the mechanic if they help you.

Routes to the city: The 57/57D motorway links Mexico City to the north and Querétaro, San Luis Potosí and Monterrey, with 45D branching west at Querétaro to reach León, Aguascalientes and Zacatecas. Route 150D heads east to Veracruz and Puebla (with branches to Oaxaca and Villahermosa) while 15/15D goes west to Toluca and Guadalajara. To the south, 95D links Mexico City with Cuernavaca and Acapulco, with a branch going to Taxco.

Coach services: The country’s coach services provide an efficient and cost-effective alternative to air travel, with direct buses connecting Mexico City with most cities in Mexico. The buses vary considerably from non-stop, luxury, air-conditioned services to rickety, second-class affairs.

There are four main long-distance bus terminals in Mexico City, as listed below. All have left-luggage facilities, pay phones and telephone booths (casetas) where you can make long-distance telephone calls, post offices, ATMs, cafeterias and a safe taxi rank. Only Terminal Norte and TAPO have casas de cambio (bureaux de change).

Terminal Norte (north), Avenida de los Cien Metros 4907 (tel: (55) 5719 1201; Metro Autobuses del Norte), is served by 30 different bus companies linking Mexico City to the north of the country, Guadalajara, Colima and Puerto Vallarta. Terminal Oriente (east), Calzada Zaragoza 200 (tel: (55) 5784 3077; Metro San Lázaro), is better known as TAPO and serves destinations east and southeast of Mexico City, such as Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca and the Yucatán Peninsula. Terminal Central de Autobuses del Sur (south), Avenida Tasqueña 1320 (tel: (55) 5336 2321; Metro Tasqueña), offers southward services, including Acapulco and Zihuatenejo. Terminal Poniente (west), Avenida Sur 122 (tel: (55) 5272 8816; Metro Observatorio), handles westbound services, including frequent shuttles to Toluca.

Getting There By Rail

Mexico’s passenger railway system, Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México (FNM) or Mexican National Railways has been in decline for some years and recently went into liquidation.

Getting Around

Public Transport
The sheer size of Mexico City and make getting around seem a daunting prospect, however, the city has a comprehensive and cheap public transport system. The best method of travelling is the modern, efficient and easy to use metro. It is advisable to buy a number of tickets in advance to avoid queuing. These tickets are simply fed into a turnstile and are valid indefinitely. Trains display their dirección (direction); when changing trains, transfers are marked Correspondencia. During rush hour the carriages get very crowded and in the central areas are so busy that the crowds stretch back from the platform into the corridors and should be avoided; between 1800 and 2100 Solo Mujeres y Niños (women and children only) carriages operate.

The tren ligero runs entirely above ground south from Tasqueña ground to Xochimilco, it operates a different ticket system to the metro, but like the metro is fast, efficient and, to a lesser extent prone to overcrowding.

Municipally run Ruta-100 buses display their routes on the windscreen and are reasonably clean and efficient. Minibuses or peseros (also referred to as micros-buses or micros) ply the streets of Mexico City, their routes painted on the windscreen and are a fun, if slow, way to travel. They can be hailed anywhere and do not have fixed stops, passengers indicate their stop by shouting ‘bajan’. Fares are paid directly to the bus driver on boarding the bus so it is useful to have the correct change.

Visitors should note that pickpockets are rife on all public transport. Metro Hidalgo is a particularly notorious station where pickpockets and bag-snatchers seek out tourists. There have also been a few unpleasant cases of ‘express kidnapping’, where people are not only forced to withdraw their daily limit from an ATM at gunpoint, but then held overnight or for successive nights and forced to make further withdrawals each day. The only way of guaranteeing that this does not happen is to not carry any cards and therefore not be worth kidnapping, even if mugged, although the number of police in most of the sightseeing areas has recently greatly increased, so visitors should feel safe in the day. It would be sensible not to carry any cards at night and not to travel on public transport at night.

Taxis
There are several different types of taxi available. The most common are the taxis on unfixed routes. The green and white Volkswagen Beetles are the most ubiquitous of these. All unlicensed taxis should be avoided - in recent years, there has been a rise in taxi crime and violent assaults, robberies and rapes have been reported.

From the airport and main bus terminals, fixed-price Transportación Terrestre or autorizado (authorised) taxis operate. Tickets are bought in advance from booths, which also display maps indicating the different zones and prices. It is not customary to tip the driver.

Although the system of cab licensing and advance purchase tickets has sought to address the problem of taxi crime it has been known for criminals to hang around in unlicensed cabs at the official taxi rank, complete with false identification. After purchasing the ticket it should be stamped with the ID of the taxi and half returned to you, if the process deviates from this at all, the porter seems over helpful or if you have any suspicions – don’t get in the cab.

Radio taxis are more expensive but reliable and safer. These can be telephoned or ordered from hotels and restaurants. Companies include: Servitaxis (tel: (55) 5516 6020); Taxi Radio 24 Horas (tel: (55) 5566 0077); Taxi-Mex (tel: (55) 5519 7690) and Taxi Autotransportes (tel: (55) 5398 9641).

Driving in the City
Driving in Mexico City is not recommended. Traffic can be dense and infuriating, the one-way systems confusing and signposting less than clear. Visitors should certainly not drive alone at night, as there have been many reports of hijacking, robbery and assaults on lone drivers. Also, the red lights tend to stop operating at night except on large thoroughfares.

Mexico City has two ring roads, the Anillo Periférico, through what used to be the city outskirts, and the Circuito Interior, within its circumference. The city has a structure of primary roads called Ejes Viales (road axes). The Eje Central runs from south to north passing by Bellas Artes; this serves as the focal point for numbering of all other roads: Ejes to the west are called Eje 1 poniente, Eje 2 poniente, etc; those to the east Eje 1 oriente, Eje 2 oriente and so on; to the north, Eje norte; and to the south, Eje sur.

Mexico City operates a ‘Hoy No Circula’ (Don’t Drive Today) policy (website: www.sima.com.mx) in an effort to combat the city’s pollution problem. No matter where they are registered, cars without catalytic converters are banned from driving between 0500 and 1000 for one day each week. The last digit of the registration plate denotes when the vehicle must be taken out of circulation: 5 and 6 on Monday; 7 and 8 Tuesday; 3 and 4 Wednesday; 1 and 2 Thursday; 9 and 0 Friday.

Some hotels offer off-street parking. Otherwise estacionamiento público (supervised public car parks) are recommended and cheap. In the Centro Histórico, there are several public car parks south of Avenida Madero. Many restaurants have valet parking but it is wise to remove valuables like stereos from the car before leaving it with the valet.

Car Hire
Car hire in Mexico is expensive. A valid driving licence from the driver’s home country is required to hire a car, as is a valid passport and a major credit card. The driver must usually be a minimum of 23 years old, although sometimes this is lowered to 21 years. Insurance, tax and fuel are an additional cost to the basic daily or weekly rental rate.

Car hire companies include: Avis, Hotel Presidente Inter-Continental, Avenida Campos Eliseos 218, Polanco (tel: (55) 5282 0195 or (55) 5588 8888, general reservations; website: www.avis.com.mx); Budget, Athenas 40, Juárez (tel: (55) 5566 6800, general reservations; e-mail: reservaciones@budget.com.mx; website: www.budget.com.mx); Hertz, Versailles 6, Juárez (tel: (55) 5592 8343; website: www.hertz.com.mx); and Thrifty, Avenida Campos Eliseos 199B, Polanco or Paseo de la Reforma 322, Juárez (tel: (55) 5207 1100/08; website: www.thrifty.com.mx).

Bicycle Hire
Bicycles can be hired from Avenida Heroico Colegio Militar, in the primera sección of Chapultepec Park.

Business

Business Etiquette
Machismo is still at the heart of the Mexican ethos and Mexicans believe in the differences between the sexes rather than their equality. The Mexican business world is generally a male domain and, although women are making progress, the top jobs still tend to be held by men. Business attire is very formal – men wear suits and women’s clothing should be well tailored and conservative in style. While many people speak some English, it is considered courteous for businesspeople to speak a few words of Spanish, and for detailed discussions an interpreter may be required. It is important to bear in mind that in Mexico ‘yes’ does not always mean yes, as Mexican social etiquette makes it difficult to say ‘no’.

In Mexico City, a lot of business is conducted over a meal, although it is more common for negotiations to take place during a long business breakfast than a lunch. It is polite to accept a drink with your host and customary to shake hands with everyone upon arrival and departure. Business cards are used extensively and it is a good idea to have the cards printed in Spanish and English and to bring plenty of them. Mexicans attach great importance to professional titles – doctor, profesor, licenciado (lawyer or graduate) and ingeniero (engineer) – and it is courteous to address them by their title. Etiquette includes small talk before getting into business.

The concept of time is fairly flexible, yet while guests might arrive an hour late to social events (to arrive on time is actually considered quite rude), punctuality is observed for most government appointments and functions. In Mexico City, businesses generally open between 0900 or 0930 and work continues until 1900, with a long lunch beginning at 1400 or later. In government offices, work begins at about 1000, with a lunch break beginning at 1400 or 1500, with staff not returning until 1700 or 1800 to work into the evening until 2100.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
The sheer scale of Mexico City, coupled with the affects of altitude and pollution can at first make the city seem overwhelming, however it offers such a fascinating array of Aztec, colonial and modern art and architecture that it rewards perseverance. The city is divided into districts (colonia), often indicated with ‘Col.’ at the beginning. The Centro Histórico (Historic Centre), at the heart of the city, was built on the ruins of the original Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán and is packed with fine examples of colonial architecture. At its centre is the Plaza de la Constitución, or Zócalo, the city’s main square and political and religious focus. On two sides of the square are the Palacio Nacional (Presidential Palace), with its fine Diego Rivera murals, and the Catedral Metropolitana (Metropolitan Cathedral). Close by, the Templo Mayor (Main Temple) and the adjacent Museo del Templo Mayor are filled with the artefacts unearthed from the site of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlán.

The Alameda Central is a leafy park in the centre of town favoured by Mexican families at the weekend. At one end is the impressive Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts), an arts centre housing some of the greatest works by Mexico’s muralists and a must-see for its Art Deco interior. Modern skyscrapers and hotels flank Paseo de la Reforma, the handsome street that runs from the Centro Histórico to the Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Park). On the way is La Zona Rosa (Pink Zone), a lively neighbourhood popular for shopping, dining and nightlife. Chapultepec Park is the city’s largest park and home to many fine museums, including the Museo Nacional de Antropología (Museum of Anthropology), one of the most impressive museums of its kind in the world.

Two southern suburbs, Coyoacán and San Angel, formerly separate villages, have a colonial charm and merit a visit for their markets, museums and memories of their famous residents: Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. El Bazar del Sabado (Saturday market) in San Angel offers paintings and quality crafts, while the main square in Coyoacán hosts a colourful market every weekend accompanied by bands of musicians of varying quality. To venture further afield, the volcanoes Ixtaccihuatl and the very active Popocatepetl can be visited as a day trip as can the ancient ruins of Tula and Teotihuacan.

Please note that all museums are closed on Monday, as is the Chapultepec Park, and the majority of museums are free on Sunday but get very crowded.

Tourist Information
Oficina de Turismo de la Ciudad de México
Londres 54, corner of Amberes, La Zona Rosa
Tel: (55) 5208 1030.
E-mail: informacionturistica@mexicocity.gob.mx
Website: www.mexicocity.gob.mx
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1800.

SECTUR (National Tourism Ministry)
Avenida Presidente Masaryrk 172, corner of Hegel, in Polanco
Tel: (55) 5250 0123 or (01-800) 903 9200, 24-hour help and information Mexico only.
E-mail: correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx
Website: www.sectur.gob.mx
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1800, Sat 1000-1500.

Passes
There are no passes or discount schemes available for tourists.

Key Attractions

Centro Histórico (Historic Centre)
The focus of the Centro Histórico, the Zócalo, or Plaza de la Constitución, is second in size only to Moscow’s Red Square and is quite literally the capital’s political and religious centre. During the day and evening is animated and alive with people –with official ceremonies and celebrations, demonstrations and marches, impromptu performances and artisans plying their wares, but is surprisingly empty from around 2200 onwards. The ceremonial raising and lowering of the huge flag at the square’s centre takes place at 0600 and 1800 and is an early alarm for guests in hotels overlooking the plaza.

On the north side of the Zócalo is the Catedral Metropolitana (Metropolitan Cathedral). Built in 1573, consecrated in 1667, and completed in 1813 in a Baroque style known as churrigueresque, it is the largest and oldest cathedral in Latin America. The cathedral has suffered from subsidence over many years, sinking into the bed of Lake Texcoco and the restoration work that is under way to build new foundations does detract from its grandeur somewhat. There are no opening hours or admission fees but visitors are asked to be respectful during religious services.

Next to the cathedral are the ruins of the Templo Mayor (Main Temple), the principal teocalli of Aztec Tenochtitlán, which was demolished by the Spaniards in the 1520s and rediscovered in 1978 while telephone cables were being laid in the area. First constructed in 1375, the Aztecs then built a new temple every 52 years – seven have been identified layered one on top of another. The site’s museum displays various artefacts found in the main pyramid of Tenochtitlán.

The whole eastern side of the Zócalo is taken up by the Palacio Nacional (Presidential Palace), which houses the Federal Treasury, the National Archives and, until recently, the offices of the President of Mexico. Inside are colourful murals by Diego Rivera – his México a Través de los Siglos (Mexico Through the Centuries), in the main stairwell leading to the first floor, depicts every major event and personality of Mexican history, from Cortés’ conquest of the Aztecs to the Mexican Revolution.

A few blocks west of Zócalo, the Museo Nacional de Arte (National Art Museum), built at the turn of the 20th century in the style of an Italian Renaissance palace, houses an exhaustive collection of Mexican art from every school and style.

Templo Mayor
Plaza de la Constitución
Tel: (55) 5542 0606 or 4784.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1700.
Admission charge, free on Sun.

Palacio Nacional
Plaza de la Constitución
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-1700.
Free admission; identification required for entry.

Museo de Arte Moderno
Tacuba 8
Tel: (55) 5510 2999.
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 1030-1730.
Free admission.

Alameda Central
Originally the site of an Aztec marketplace and later a place of execution during the Spanish Inquisition, the Alameda Central is Mexico City’s largest central park. A welcome green respite where office workers stroll past the many food stalls and hawkers sell a variety of wares; the place throngs with activity on Sunday and there are often open-air concerts. For an artistic impression of the park, the nearby Museo Mural Diego Rivera displays the artist’s Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en la Alameda (Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park), a huge mural painted in 1947. It depicts the many characters from history that Rivera imagined to have walked in the Alameda.

The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts), a sumptuous, white-marble concert hall at the eastern end of the Alameda, also houses a museum and theatre within its Art Deco interior. Intended to mark the 1910 centennial celebration of Mexican Independence, work began in 1904 under the Italian architect Adamo Boari, who also designed the spectacular Correo Mayor (main post office) nearby, but was finally completed in 1934 following a number of setbacks, including the Mexican Revolution. The museum on the second and third floors displays old and contemporary paintings, sculptures and handicrafts. Powerful works by the great Mexican muralists Diego Rivera, Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros and Rufino Tamayo are on display on the third floor. Operas and orchestral concerts are frequently performed in the theatre, which has a glass curtain designed by Tiffany. Opposite the Palacio is the Torre Latinoamericana (Latin American Tower), a landmark skyscraper built in the 1950s. Its 43rd-floor viewing platform is 2422m (7950ft) above sea level and on clear days affords splendid panoramic views over the city, the Valley of Mexico and the distant volcanoes.

Museo Mural Diego Rivera
Plaza Solidaridad, corner of Balderas and Colón
Tel: (55) 5512 0754.
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 1000-1800.
Admission charge, free on Sun.

Palacio de Bellas Artes
Avenida Juárez, corner of Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas
Tel: (55) 5512 2593.
Website: www.conaculta.gob.mx/palacio/museo.htm.
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 1000-1800 (museum).
Admission charge, free on Sun.

Torre Latinoamericana
Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas, corner of Avenida Madero
Tel: (55) 5752 2887.
Opening hours: Daily 0900-2200.
Admission charge.

Paseo de la Reforma
The Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City’s main boulevard, runs from the Alameda to Chapultepec Park (see below) and is lined with shops, offices, hotels, restaurants and some modern skyscrapers. It is a prestigious address and home to many multinationals, financial institutions and embassies. Based on the Champs Elysées in Paris, this thoroughfare was built to provide a direct path for the Emperor Maximilian between the Centro Histórico and his palace in Chapultepec Park and is lined with monuments, fountains and statues of Mexican heroes.

In particular, El Monumento a los Heroes de la Independencia (Monument to Independence), or Angelito as it is affectionately known, is a gilded statue of a winged Victory set atop a 46m-high (150ft) column in a glorieta (traffic circle) and the location for demonstrations and sporting and national celebrations. In 1956, the statue toppled to the ground in an earthquake, but was completely restored, much to the relief of the Mexican people. Displayed inside the monument is the skull of Hidalgo, the executed leader of a group of rebels who rose against the Spanish in October 1810, which can be seen daily 0900-1700 at no charge. On the night of 2 July 2000, hundreds of thousands of jubilant Mexicans flocked to the monument to celebrate the victory of Vicente Fox in the presidential elections that toppled the 71-year rule of the former Institutional Revolutionary Party.

Lying to the south of the Paseo and bounded by Reforma, Sevilla, Avenida Chapultepec and Avenida Insurgentes Sur, is La Zona Rosa (Pink Zone), a busy shopping and entertainment district with many stores, restaurants and nightclubs.

Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Park)
Bosque de Chapultepec, Mexico City’s largest park, is a huge wooded area covering four sq kilometres (1.5 sq miles) and containing lakes, the presidential residences, several of the city’s finest museums, an amusement park and a zoo. Legend has it the wood served as a refuge for Toltec and Aztec kings during times of trouble. The park attracts thousands of visitors especially on Sundays when families come to relax and picnic. The park is divided into three sections, with the attractions listed below lying in the primera sección (first section), on Paseo de la Reforma. The segunda sección (second section) is occupied by La Feria (Amusement Park), and the tercera sección (third section) by Atlantis, a marine park with dolphin and seal shows and an aquarium – both are on Avenida Constituyentes.

The Castillo de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Castle), situated on the Chapultepec Hill (the name means ‘Hill of Grasshoppers’ in the Aztec language Nahuatl), was built in 1785 for the Spanish viceroys and used as a residence for Mexico’s presidents until 1940. It now houses the Museo Nacional de Historia (National History Museum), filled with hundreds of paintings, murals, ceramics, furniture and carriages depicting the history of Mexico from the Aztecs to the present day. The rooms once used by Emperor Maximilian and Empress Carlotta have been preserved and fine views over the Valley of Mexico can be had from the castle’s balconies. A road-train climbs the hill from inside the entrance to the park.

The Museo de Arte Moderno (Museum of Modern Art) has permanent exhibitions of Mexican contemporary art – by Rivera, Siqueiros, O’Gorman, Rufino Tamayo, Frida Kahlo and Dr Atl, to name but a few – and also hosts temporary exhibits of international artists. There is a delightful sculpture garden in the grounds of the museum. Parque Zoológico de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Zoological Park) has an impressive collection of animals from around the world and was the birthplace of the first panda born in captivity. The modern Museo Rufino Tamayo contains permanent exhibits of work by contemporary Mexican and international painters, donated by Tamayo and his wife, as well as a superb collection of paintings by the artist himself.

Chapultepec Park
Tel: (55) 5553 6224.
Opening hours: Daily 0500-1700, closed Monday.
Free admission.

Chapultepec Castle and the Museo Nacional de Historia
Tel: (55) 5553 6224.
Opening times: Tue-Sun 0900-1700.
Admission charge.

La Feria
Tel: (55) 5230 2121.
Website: www.feriachapultepec.com.mx
Opening hours: Tue-Fri 1000-1900, Sat-Sun 1000-2000.
Admission charge.

Atlantis
Tel: (55) 5273 2176 or 5271 8618.
Website: www.parqueatlantis.com.mx
Opening hours: Sat-Sun and public holidays only, 1000-1730.
Admission charge.

Museo de Arte Moderno
Tel: (55) 5211 8331 or 8045.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1730.
Admission: Charge.

Parque Zoológico de Chapultepec
Tel: (55) 5553 6229 or 6263.
Website: www.chapultepec.df.gob.mx
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1600.
Admission: Free.

Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporaneo
Tel: (55) 5286 6519.
Website: www.museotamayo.org
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1800.
Admission: Charge but free on Sun.

Museo Nacional de Antropología
(National Anthropology Museum)
Perhaps Mexico’s City’s finest museum, the Museo Nacional de Antropología (National Anthropology Museum) is also one of the best of its kind in the world. Situated in an extension of Chapultepec Park, this huge museum houses a vast and spectacular collection centred on a spacious rectangular patio and can take days to explore. Its well-organised collection is dedicated to each major culture that contributed to the evolution of a Mesoamerican civilisation: Pre-Classic, Toltec, Teotihuacán, Aztec, Oaxaca, Gulf Coast, Maya, Northwestern and Western Mexico. Some of the most fascinating exhibits are the famous Aztec ‘sun’ (or ‘calendar’) stones, the giant stone Olmec heads from Tabasco and a replica of a Mayan tomb from Palenque. On the upper level, the rooms are dedicated to how modern Mexico’s indigenous people live.

Several times a day, voladores (fliers) give a daring performance in front of the museum’s entrance, re-enacting an ancient ceremony. Men dressed in colourful, traditional costume attach ropes to themselves and scale a tall pole, from where they launch themselves and ‘fly’ in circles as they unwind until they reach the ground.

Paseo de la Reforma (north of Chapultepec Park)
Tel: (55) 5553 6381.
Website: www.mna.inah.gob.mx
Opening hours: Tue-Sat 0900-1900, Sun 0900-1800.
Admission charge, free on Sun.

Coyoacán
Once a city in its own right, the suburb of Coyoacán is the oldest part of Mexico City and was the place from which Cortés launched his attack on Tenochtitlán. Along the peaceful tree-lined avenues are beautiful buildings from the 16th to 19th centuries. Especially at weekends, the craft stalls, musicians and mime artists around the central squares of Plaza Hidalgo and Jardín del Centenario create a bohemian atmosphere.

The Museo Casa de Frida Kahlo occupies the family home of the artist Frida Kahlo. She was born here in 1907 and then lived here with her husband, the revolutionary muralist Diego Rivera, from 1929 until her death in 1954. The couple was part of a glamorous, leftist, intellectual set during the 1930s and the house is full of mementoes of this period. Two rooms are preserved as lived in; the rest display paintings by both artists. The Kahlo work on display is not her best known but expresses something of the pain and torment in her life. The small collection of folk art – a passion of Kahlo’s –includes a number of regional costumes worn by the artist.

The Museo Casa de León Trotsky (Leon Trotsky Museum) the house where the Russian revolutionary spent the last four years of his life, is a very dark and sombre place. Very little has changed in the house since 1940, when Trotsky was murdered in his study with an ice pick by an assassin sent by the KGB, while the living room wall, pockmarked with bullet holes, is a reminder of a previous failed assassination attempt. There is a tomb in the garden where his ashes were interred.

Museo Casa de Frida Kahlo
Londres 247 (corner of Allende), Coyoacán
Tel: (55) 5554 5999.
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 1000-1800.
Admission charge, free on Sun.

Museo Casa de León Trotsky
Avenida Río Churubusco 410, between Gómez Farías and Morelos
Tel: (55) 5658 8732.
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 1000-1700.
Admission charge, free on Sun.

San Angel
San Angel is an elegant, colonial neighbourhood about 9km (6 miles) south of Paseo de la Reforma. The affluent suburb is best known for its weekly arts and crafts market, the Bazar Sábado (Saturday Bazaar), in Plaza San Jacinto. The Museo Estudio Diego Rivera (Diego Rivera’s Studio Museum), where Rivera and his wife Frida Kahlo lived in the 1930s, is an avant-garde building designed for them by Juan O’Gorman. There are only a few of the artists’ works on display but plenty of memorabilia. The Museo Carrillo Gil Arte Contemporano (Carillo Gil Contemporary Art Museum) is a fine art museum containing works by Mexican and international artists.

Museo Estudio Diego Rivera
Diego Rivera 2 (corner of Altavista)
Tel: (55) 5550 1518.
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 1000-1800.
Admission charge, free on Sun.

Carrillo Gil Arte Contemporano
Avenida Revolución 1608
Tel: (55) 5550 3983.
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 1000-1800.
Admission charge, free on Sun.

Further Distractions

La Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe)
In the northern suburbs of Mexico City, the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, often known as La Villa de Guadalupe, is the holiest shrine in the country. It is built on the site where, in 1531, the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared three times, in the guise of an Indian princess, to Indian Juan Diego, leaving her image miraculously emblazoned on his cloak. After investigating the story, the church authorities decided to build the shrine and the Pope is set to canonise Juan Diego this year, despite doubts over his existence. The original basilica was built in 1709. When a large crack appeared and it began to sink into the swampy subsoil, a new basilica was constructed in the same plaza and consecrated in 1976. Juan Diego’s cloak has been preserved and hangs in the church, behind the main altar. Moving walkways allow visitors to get as close as possible. The original basilica is now a museum displaying many representations of the image on the cloak.

Throughout the year, pilgrims come from all over Mexico to visit. However, for the Día de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Patron Saint’s Day), on 12 December, millions throng to pray and give thanks to the dark-skinned virgin. Some worshippers hobble on their knees to the church, while others dance their prayers in traditional Indian costumes with feather head-dresses and skirts in a festive atmosphere.

Plaza Hidalgo 1, Colonia Villa de Guadalupe
Tel: (55) 5577 6022.
Opening hours: Daily 0800-2300 (basilica); Tue-Sun 1000-1800 (museum).
Admission charge, free on Sun.

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
Most places of interest in Mexico City are concentrated in small pockets of the city so travelling on foot is often the best means of getting around. However, it is worth remembering that, due to the effects of altitude and the pollution, it is not uncommon to feel tired and breathless when walking even short distances for the first few days after arrival.

The government’s cultural agency INAH (National Institute for History and Archaeology), Frontera 53, San Angel (tel: (55) 5286 1933; website: www.inah.gob.mx), offers walking tours in the city and beyond. INAH’s tours are cheaper than most and are given by English-speaking specialists but most travel agencies will be able to arrange walking tours.

Bus Tours
Half- or full-day tours of the city typically include pick-up and drop-off at major hotels and visits to the Centro Histórico and the Museo Nacional de Antropología accompanied by an English-speaking guide. Bestours, Hamburgo 182 bis (tel: (55) 5514 3080). INAH (see Walking Tours above) also run bus tours in the city.

Turisbus, operated by the Ministry of Tourism (website: www.mexicocity.gob.mx) has a circuit that covers 130 places of interest along the Reforma-Centro Histrico corridor and includes museums, monuments, galleries and parks. It has 25 access points with buses at 15- 30 minute intervals, where passengers can hop on and off. Tickets are available for one, two or three days. An electronic translator service is available and it operates from 0900-2100 every day except Christmas and New Years’ day.

Excursions

For a Half Day

Xochimilco: About 20km (12 miles) south of the Zócalo is a network of canals lined by gardens and agricultural plots known as the ‘floating gardens’ of Xochimilco (the name means ‘Place where the Flowers Grow’ in the Aztec language of Nahuatl). Within the network of canals, the Pre-Hispanic inhabitants constructed little islands known as chinampas on which fruits, vegetables and flowers could be grown. These formed one of the economic bases of the Aztec Empire.

Some 180km (112 miles) of canals remain today and the area has become a favourite destination for Mexico City’s inhabitants to come for a bit of fun and relaxation. Hundreds of colourful trajineras (small, flat-bottomed barges similar to gondolas) are punted along the canals with parties of revellers on board. As well as the passenger boats, there are waterborne bands of mariachis or marimbas ready to play requests (for a price), vendors selling tacos, soft drinks and flowers, photographers and souvenir sellers adding to the general cacophony.

It must be noted however that it only comes alive on Sundays and holidays and the rest of the week can be a disappointment, as it appears quiet, drab place with only the odd boatload of bemused tourists taking to the water.

The Tourist Office in Xochimilco is situated at Embarcadero Nativitas (tel: (55) 5676 0810; website: www.xochimilco.df.gob.mx/) and can provide more information. Transport is by buses marked Metro ‘Tasqueña’, or by taking the metro to Tasqueña and then the tren ligero (overground train) to Embarcadero.

The Museo Dolores Olmedo Patino (Dolores Olmedo Patino Museum) is a renovated 16th-century hacienda, set in 3 hectares (8 acres) of beautiful grounds, complete with parading peacocks and Xoloitzcuintles, a rare breed of hairless dog indigenous to Mexico. The museum contains some of the best-known works of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, as well as pre-Hispanic artefacts. The collection, which belongs to Señora Olmedo, a rich socialite and prolific patron of Rivera’s who still lives in part of the mansion, went on public display in 1994. The museum, open Tuesday to Sunday 1000-1800, is located at Avenida México 5843, on the corner of Antiguo Camino a Xochimilco (tel: (55) 5555 1016).

For a Whole Day

Teotihuacán: Situated 50km (30 miles) north of Mexico City is the archaeological zone of Teotihuacán. This site is thought to date from around 300-600 BC but the identity of those who built the ‘place of the gods’ still remains a mystery. Teotihuacán was not just a ceremonial centre – there is evidence it was a functioning city and one of the largest of the pre-industrial world. It was also one of the more politically dominant cities, owing to its strategic location in the Valley of Mexico, which provided easy access to trade routes and communication. In the seventh century AD, a fire and subsequent looting caused a great exodus of its inhabitants and Teotihuacán was left abandoned.

There are three main site areas: the Ciudadela (Citadel), Pirámide del Sol (Pyramid of the Sun), Pirámide de la Luna (Pyramid of the Moon) – all connected by the Calzada de los Muertos (Avenue of the Dead). It takes between five and eight hours to see the site properly and it is open daily 0800-1700. There is and admission charge except on Sundays. Buses marked ‘Los Pirámides’ depart from Gate 8 of the Terminal del Norte and take about an hour. The bus-tour operators listed in the Tours of the City section also offer organised excursions to the site, some including a stop at the Villa de Guadalupe en route.

Tula: To reach further back into Mexican history visit the remains of the Toltec city of Tula, just and hour and a half bus ride from the Terminal del Norte (Autobuses del Valle de Mezquital), then a cab from Tula de Allende, the modern town will take you to the entrance. The most famous image of Tula is of the giant basalt figures standing on top of the Templo Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli or the Temple of the Morning Star. Known as the Atlantes they represent Quetzalcoatl as the morning star dressed as a Toltec warrior.

Sport

Mexico City’s temperate climate is ideal for outdoor sports and recreation. Football and bullfighting are two national passions. The Mexico City football team, América, nicknamed Las Aguilas (the Eagles) is the Mexican favourite. Each year, El Clasico, a match between América and Guadaljara (the biggest club outside Mexico City), draws huge crowds of 100,000 and packs the impressive Estadio Azteca, Calzada de Tlalpan 3465 (tel: (55) 5617 8080 or 3330 or 3391) to capacity. The football calendar is divided into two seasons – a torneo de invierno (winter season) from August to December and a torneo de verano (summer season) from January to May.

The Monumento Plaza México, Rodin 241 (tel: (55) 5563 3961), is one of the largest bullrings in the world, holding up to 48,000 spectators. From mid-October to mid-April, corridas (bullfights) take place every Sunday at 1600.

Golf: Most golf clubs are private but some hotels offer guest privileges. Bella Vista Golf Club (tel: (55) 5360 3501/7), an 18-hole course off Queretaro Highway 57, is available to guests staying at the Sheraton Maria Isabel Hotel and the Camino Real Hotel. Tuesday-Friday green fees are US$95; Saturday and Sunday, US$120.

Health clubs: Club San Francisco, Panuco 207 in Cuauhtemoc (tel: (55) 5525 0936), offers aerobics, weights, a sauna (men only) and massage. Sport’s City, Miguel de Cervantes Saabedra 397 in Irrigacion, near Polanco (tel: (55) 5395 3570), has a pool and offers weights, aerobics, karate and steam baths. One day membership costs M$410.

Swimming: Many hotels have pools. The public pools are all far from the city centre.

Shopping

Mexico City offers everything from upmarket department stores and trendy boutiques to shopping malls to street hawkers. Fixed prices prevail in the upmarket shops and department stores, but it is commonplace to bargain in the markets. Favourite shopping areas include the Centro Histórico, La Zona Rosa and in recent years Polanco. Shop opening hours are generally 0900/1000-2000/2100. The larger department stores remain open late into the evening. Smaller stores often close between 1400 and 1600, then reopen until 2000. Mexico City adds VAT (Value Added Tax) at 15%, which cannot be claimed back by visitors.

The largest department stores are Sanborns, Liverpool and Palacio de Hierro. The original stores are in the Centro Histórico but all have branches in suburban shopping malls. Particularly interesting is the Casa de Azulejos (House of Tiles), between Avenida Cinco de Mayo and Avenida Madero (tel: (55) 5512 9820), a beautiful building, dating from 1596 and covered in handmade blue and white tiles. On the inside, it sports a mural by Orozco and a Sanborns department store and restaurant. Centro Santa Fe, Vasco de Quiroga 3800, in the western part of the city, is the largest shopping centre in Latin America and boasts 285 shops, with department stores, boutiques, restaurants, play areas for children and 10 cinemas, although there is no metro nearby.

There are a number of markets selling Mexican artesanías (handicrafts). The Bazar Sábado (Saturday Bazaar), Plaza San Jacinto 11, in San Angel, is a showcase for some of Mexico’s finest handicrafts, although prices are high. The National Fund for the Development of Arts and Crafts (Fonart) (website: www.fonart.gob.mx), with outlets at Avenida Patriotismo 691, (tel: (55) 5563 4060), Avenida Paseo de la Reforma No. 116 (tel: (55) 5328 5000) and Avenida Juarez 89 (tel: (55) 5521 0171), is a government initiative to preserve folk art traditions among indigenous peoples. All of the work, from colourful hand-painted crockery to innovative blown glass, is made by regional artisans in poor communities.

Artisans display their crafts every Saturday 1000-1900. Mercado de Curiosidades Mexicanos San Juan (San Juan Market of Mexican Curiosities), at Ayuntamiento and Dolores in the Centro Histórico, is a handicraft venue open Monday-Saturday 0900-1900 and Sunday 0900-1600. Nearby, the Mercado la Ciudadela, on the corner of Balderas and Dondé (tel: (55) 5512 5064), is a covered market with a wide variety of artesanía from all over Mexico. Prices are fair but expect to bargain; open daily 1030-1830.

For more unusual fare, the national pawnshop, the Monte de Piedad (Mountain of Compassion), Avenida Cinco de Mayo (tel: (55) 5535 3373/4341; website: http://dns.montepiedad.com.mx), opposite the Catedral Metropolitana, is also worth a look. It was opened in 1775 as a charitable organisation and still helps finance school construction and retirement homes with its profits.

Culture

Mexico has a rich cultural heritage – from vibrant Pre-Hispanic folk-art to the works of the great muralists of the 20th century, there is a colourful art tradition as well a thriving music and literature scene. Tiempo Libre (www.tiempolibre.com.mx), a comprehensive listings guide to all cultural events taking place in the city, comes out every Thursday. The monthly programme, Guía de Programación, is available free from the Bellas Artes bookshop and tourist offices. The excellent government website Conaculta: (www.conaculta.gob.mx) has detailed listings of all cultural events in th city. Ticketmaster (tel: (55) 5325 9000; website: www.ticketmaster.com.mx) sells tickets for most major events in Mexico City and publishes the monthly entertainment guide, ¿Qué hacemos? (‘What shall we do?’).

Music: The Orquesta Filarmónica de la Ciudad de México (OFCM) (Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra) has its own concert hall, the Sala Silvestre Revueltas, Periferico Sur 5141 (tel: (55) 5606 8191 or 6089; website: http://ofcm.df.gob.mx). The state-owned Auditorio Nacional, Paseo de la Reforma 50 (tel: (55) 5280 9250; website: www.auditorio.com.mx), is the biggest music and entertainment venue in Mexico City. Perhaps the most typical Mexican music is the mariachi, where roaming groups of trumpeters, violinists, guitarists and a singer peddle their tunes (see Live Music in Nightlife for venues).

Theatre: There are plenty of theatres to choose from, although virtually every play staged in Mexico City is in Spanish. Alternatively, there are a number of Teatro-Bars, which offer a more informal environment and content for the non-Spanish speaker, as they stage lively variety shows and cabarets with singers, dancers, comedians, ventriloquists and magicians. La Planta de Luz, Plaza Loreto, in San Angel (tel: (55) 5616 4761), has such shows from Monday to Thursday, complemented by La Bodega, Popocatépetl 25, in Condesa (tel: (55) 5511 7390), on Fridays and Saturdays. The avant-garde El Hábito, Madrid 13, in Coyoacán (tel: (55) 5659 6305), has Thursday and Friday has social and political satirical shows based on current events. The Teatro La Blanquita, Avenida Lázaro Cárdenas Sur 16 (tel: (55) 5511 7390), has nightly performances - worth looking out for are the Lebanese-born cabaret artist Astrid Haddad, who packs in the crowds, and the irreverent satirist Jesusa Rodriguez, who makes for an entertaining night out.

Dance: Colourful traditional indigenous dances are an important part of many Mexican regional fiesta. The Palacio de Bellas Artes is home to the Ballet Folclórico de México, a bright and spectacular performance of Mexican music and dance from all over the country, which takes place every Wednesday and Sunday. The Auditorio National, Reforma, Chapultepec Park regularly hosts national and international dance artists, while Ollin Yoliztli, Tlalpan, Periferico is another venue for dance and classical music. From the end of Feb to April Mexico’s National Dance Company performs its famed interpretation of Tschaikowsky´s Swan Lake outdoors on a small island in Chapultepec Park.

Film: American and other foreign films (with the exception of animations) are shown in their original language with Spanish subtitles. Cineteca Nacional, Avenida México, Coyoacán (tel: (55) 5688 3272; website: www.cinetecanacional.net), Cinemanía, Plaza Loreto in San Angel (tel: (55) 5616 4837), and Centro Cultural Universitario, Avenida Insurgentes Sur 3000 (tel: (55) 5665 0709), all screen classic and art-house films. For art blockbusters, Cinemex Casa de Arte, Avenida Presidente Masaryk 393 (website: www.cinepolis.com.mx) is a modern multi-screen cinema in the Plaza Masaryk.

Mexican cinema has recently experienced a revival, with Amores Perros, directed by Iturbide Gonzalez, nominated for an Oscar for best foreign film in 2001, while Y Tu Mama Tambien, directed by Alfonso Cuaron, became the Mexican hit of 2002.

Cultural Events: The Zócalo is a centre of cultural activity with live music and theatre taking place regularly. The three-week Festival del Centro Histórico in March is a celebration of classical and popular music, dance, exhibitions and other cultural events, attracting performers from all over Mexico and events are staged in the plazas and theatres throughout the Centro Histórico. Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is celebrated on November 2 and is a day when the souls of the dead are believed to return to the earth. It is a fabulously colourful and cheerful celebration. Families build altars in their homes and lay decorous garlands on the graves of their loved ones. Semana Santa over the Easter weekend sees more colourful celebrations all over the city with processions, mock crucifixions and the famous Passion Plays in the suburb of Itzapalapa.

Literary Notes: Pre-Hispanic poems and history have survived in the form of codices, colourful inscriptions painted on skin or bark paper, but History of the Conquest of New Spain is considered to be the first work of Mexican literature. Written by Bernal Díaz del Castillo, one of Cortés’ lieutenants, it is an eyewitness account of the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. Mexico boasts a number of internationally acclaimed writers including the late Octavio Paz, a Nobel Prize winner and essayist who wrote an in-depth examination of Mexican myths and the Mexican character, The Labyrinth of the Solitude (1950). Carlos Fuentes is Mexico’s most famous writer – his book, Where the Air is Clear (1958), is set in Mexico City and follows the lives of a number of its inhabitants through the decades after the Mexican Revolution. Laura Esquivel is the author of a more contemporary hit, Como Agua para Chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate, 1990); the film based on the novel also became an instant international success. The Plumed Serpent (1926) by DH Lawrence is a disturbing novel looking back to the ancient Gods and attempts to revive the cult of Quetzalcoatl.

Nightlife

The nightlife in Mexico City is as lively and varied as everything else the city has to offer. From gentle supper clubs with floorshows to loud, brash nightclubs, and from piano bars to antros (or disco-bars) and bars that offer traditional Mexican music – all tastes are catered for. The most popular districts are Polanco, San Angel, Coyoacán and, more recently, Condesa (a residential neighbourhood just south of La Zona Rosa). La Zona Rosa is still a popular nightspot but has lost ground to Polanco and Condesa in recent years. The exception is the Centro Histórico, which is surprisingly quiet at night. Nightlife starts late in Mexico and ends late. There are no licensing hours but many bars and nightclubs are closed on Sundays. Prices of drinks and admission vary enormously depending on the area. When drinking alcohol, it is worth remembering that, because of the high altitude, one drink in Mexico City can have the effect of two at lower altitudes. The minimum age for drinking in Mexico is 18 years old. In the popular districts, thieves are rife, so remember to keep your wallet well guarded.

Tiempo Libre (website: www.tiempolibre.com.mx), published every Thursday, is the weekly listings magazine (in Spanish only) and can be bought at newspaper-stands. The English-language newspaper, The News, has a brief what’s-on guide at the weekend.

Bars: In the Centro Histórico, La Opera Bar, Avenida Cinco de Mayo 10, is a late 19th-century establishment with a lively atmosphere. Look out for a bullet hole in the ceiling, said to have come from Pancho Villa’s revolver. For another Mexican speciality, head for La Casa de las Sirenas, Guatemala 32, a bar and restaurant offering over 250 varieties of tequila.

Rioma, Insurgentes Sur 377, Condesa is one of the trendiest bars at the moment there is a very strict entrance policy but if you do get past the doormen expect a mix of electronic lounge music with louder techno sounds as the evening progresses. Another popular bar is the rooftop bar of the Hotel Habita, Avenida Presidente, Msasaryk 201: this minimalist bar in Polanco is a magnet for young media types. It’s not cheap but the view from over the city makes it worth the price.

Across the way, Cosmo is a younger and noiser alternative with a DJ and exotic cocktails. Less hip but more relaxed is the Bar Euro, Avenida Presidente Masaryk 134, with indoor and outdoor seating. Mezzanote, also located in Plaza Zentro, Avenida Presidente Masaryk 407, is a lively restaurant and bar, with disco music Thursday to Saturday. The nostalgic ex-pat Shelty, Avenida Campos Eliseos 204 (facing Chapultepec Park), is a wood-panelled English pub in the Nikko Hotel.

In Coyoacán, the popular Hijo del Cuervo, Jardín del Centenario 17, attracts a youthful mix of Mexicans and foreigners and occasionally features live music.

Barracuda, Nuevo Leon 4, is a hip, chilled bar offering food and cocktails and jazz. Rexo, Saltillo 1, is another bar/restaurant popular with young professionals, as is Cinna on Nuevo Leon, below the cinema. In nearby Zona Rosa, Bar Milan, Milan 18 is ever popular especially on Thursdays and Fridays with an eclectic mix of music from rock to hip hop.

For a more Mexican experience, the Centenario cantina, Michoacan 42, is always packed and has live musicians, guaranteeing a good night out.

Casinos: Casinos are illegal in Mexico.

Clubs: The Colmillo, Versailles 49, in a colonial house in the Juárez district, was founded by two English men and remains one of the hottest clubs in Mexico City, with DJs playing acid jazz upstairs and techno below.

In the bohemian Roma district, Avant-Garde, Puebla 310, pumps hardcore techno to a devoted crowd, while the Living Room, Orizaba 146, in a delightful high-ceilinged colonial mansion, is one of the most popular gay clubs in town. Also in Roma is the fun Mama Rumba, Queretaro 230, an institution with salsa lovers, who groove the night away to live bands.

Mauna Loa, Avenida San Jeronimo 240, is a popular Polynesian nightclub with live music for dancing and a Polynesian floorshow. Restaurant Chez’ar in Hotel Aristos, Paseo de la Reforma 276, has a band playing live dance music, from the rumba to the fox trot, while Antillanos, Francisco Pimentel 78, is the place to go for salsa dancing, with its large dance floor and enthusiastic crowd. Acanto, Chapultepec Park at El Lago restaurant hosts the city’s most exclusive club overlooking a lake and fountain.

Live Music: Mexico City attracts big-name international rock and pop acts. The main venues are Auditorio Nacional, Paseo de la Reforma 50, Teatro Metropólitan, Indepencia 90, and the Palacio de los Deportes, corner of Avenida Río Churubusco and Añil. Hard Rock Live, Campos Eliseos, 290 Polanco hosts well known international as well as Spanish-language bands in an intimate state-of-the-art venue. New Orleans Jazz, Avenida Revolucion 1655, San Angel, is classic jazz bar. For something a bit different Adonis Homero 424, Polanco, has a club upstairs from the restaurant with belly dancing and a Middle Eastern band.

Bar Jorongo, in the Sheraton Maria Isabel Hotel, Paseo de la Reforma 325, has been one of the city’s popular nightspots for more than 25 years, where big-name mariachis play Mexican music. Alternatively, visit Plaza Garibaldi, on Eje Central between Republica de Honduras and Republica de Peru. This square, lined with bars and restaurants, comes alive from about 2000-2400 when the mariachi bands gather, dressed in black, silver-studded suits and large hats. Café Tenampa is a long-standing institution on the square, where clients are serenaded by mariachis and can test their virility with a popular electric shock game.

City Statistics

Location: Estado de México, Mexico.
Country dialling code: 52.
Population: 8.705,100 million (Distrito Federal); 21,503,700 million (Mexico City region).
Time zone: GMT - 6 (GMT - 5 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 110-120 volts; 60Hz US-style two-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temperature: 20ºC (68ºF).
Average July temperature: 25ºC (77ºF).
Annual rainfall: 660mm (25.7 inches).

Special Events

Festival del Centro Historico, a three-week festival of classical and popular music, dance, exhibitions and other cultural events attracting performers from all over Mexico, March, Centro Historico
Semana Santa (Holy Week), re-enactment of the crucifixion; hooded penitents hobble on bloodied knees flagellating themselves with thorny whips to Church, 20-26 Mar, Taxco
Día del Trabajo (Labour Day), 1 May
Día de la madre (Mother’s Day), 10 May
Día de la Independencia (Independence Day), commemoration of the start of Mexico’s war with Spain for independence; people gather to hear the president recite the Grito de Dolores (Cry of Dolores) and ring the ceremonial Bell of Dolores, 16 Sep, Zócalo
Día de la Raza, commemoration of Columbus’ discovery of the Americas, 12 Oct
Día de los angelitos (Day of the Angels) and Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), when the souls of the dead return to the earth; families build extravagant altars, decorated with candles, flowers and skull-shaped candy and bread; offering a feast for their dead relatives of their favourite food and drink, 1 and 2 Nov, Zócalo and suburb of Mixquic where the graveyard is lit up by waist-high candles and huge bouquets of flowers in traditional style
Día de la Revolución, anniversary of the 1910 Mexican Revolution, 20 Nov
Día de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Patron Saint’s Day), 12 Dec, La Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe

Cost of Living

Mexican Nuevo Pesos are actually demarcated with a $ sign, so to distinguish from the US Dollars (US$) that are also in use, especially in areas frequented by tourists, the symbols M$, N$ or NP are found. It is worthwhile keeping the current exchange rate in mind, as some establishments offer better deals when paying in Dollars rather than Pesos and vice versa.

1 Mexican Nuevo Peso (M$1) = £0.05; US$0.09; C$0.11; A$0.12; ¬0.08
Currency conversion rates as of October 2005