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Mexico City Travel & Sightseeing Guide

January 10, 2008 |

A trip to Mexico City

Mexico’s sprawling capital is home to one of the largest urban populations in the world. Aside from the massive amount of people living here, there are an equal number of things to keep visitors occupied. The city is at the same time cosmopolitan and historical, with aspects of its lengthy history, from the ancient Aztec to the colonials, on display. The city also boasts a great number of green spaces at which to escape the concrete jungle.

Flights to Mexico City
Passengers arriving by air will land at Benito Juarez International Airport, which is six kilometres east of the city centre. The airport is well linked with many international destinations, not only in Central and Latin America, but in North America, Asia and Europe as well. There are no less than 25 direct flights from North America with Mexico’s two largest airlines, AeroMexico and Mexicana. If you are looking for a cheap flight to Mexico try Ebookers.

Once on the ground, transport will not match the efficient experience you’ve had getting through the airport. There are taxis to take you to the city centre and around the city. There are two main rail companies that seem to be in competition as to who can go out of business quicker than the other, meaning the trains here aren’t worth the bother most of the time. For getting out of town, taking the bus is the best option.
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Sightseeing in Mexico City
Mexico City is far too old and important not to be filled with historical sights chronicling the evolution of a city on the rise. The focal point is the Cento Historico, which was constructed on the ruins of the original Aztec city. The main square is the Plaza de la Constitucion, where politics and religion share the attention of the people crossing the square.

The Palacio de Bellas Artes is where some of Mexico’s finest art can be found, from national icons like Frida Kahlo to more contemporary works. Alameda Central is a great park in which to get out of the traffic and into nature.

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Fun by night –eating, drinking and partying
Put aside any preconceived notions you may have about finding nothing but tacos and enchiladas in Mexico (though there is no shortage of those dishes). The capital is like any other world capital, with every kind of international cuisine available, including Japanese and Chinese, French and Italian.

There are many places to drink and party in Mexico City. The clubs and bars could be anywhere in the world, but for a truly Mexican experience head to a cantina. Here you pay for the drinks and in true Spanish style there is free food to munch on while you crown your tequila or cerveza. The cantinas stay open until midnight; after that options include hitting the clubs. Rock, pop and electronic figure most prominently around the city, and while most clubs close around 03:00, some stay open until 07:00.

Fun by day –shopping and activities
A credit card smashing shopping spree is certainly possible in Mexico City. Pretty much everything you’d find in any other capital city is here in some form or another. The big question will be if you can resist buying an oversized sombrero or not.

Aside from the many sights and attractions in the city, there are some excellent historical sights within striking distance of the capital, like the ruins of Xochimilco and Teotihuacan.


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