Mexico City: The Hub of Mexico
Mexico City, Mexico’s largest city and also its capital, is a bustling urban centre that is the largest city in Central America. Famous for its fast pace of life, Mexico City is the heart and soul of Mexico. The sheer scale of Mexico City is staggering, and the city’s panoramas seem to be never ending. Home to a good 17 million people and spread over a 2700 square km, Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the world both in terms of population and land area. A vibrant and colourful city with a likable mixture of modern and colonial architecture, Mexico City is also within the vicinity of sites of great historical significance. The city’s hectic lifestyle and sheer size are perhaps the most inviting of the many Mexico City tourist attractions.
Places to Visit in Mexico
Mexico City is home to a large number of significant and noteworthy buildings and structures, the beauty of which is only enhanced by the city’s wide avenues and extensive road system. Mexico City is a beautiful city and is home to some of the best colonial structures in North America.
Some of the more prominent Mexico City tourist sights include practically every nook and corner of the city’s old district (Centro Historico).
More to Mexico City are:
- Plaza de la Constitucion
- City Hall
- La Catedral
- Angel de la Independencia
- Basilica de Guadalupe
- Ciudad Universitaria
- Coyoacán
- Plaza Garibaldi-Mariachi
- Ciudadela
- Alameda
- Paseo de la Reforma
- Cineteca Nacional
- Torre Latinoamericana
- Torre Mayor
- Mexico City National Cemetery
- Chapultepec Park and Zoo
- Xochimilco
- Parque Mexico
- Parque España
- Viveros de Coyoacán
- National Museum of Anthropology
- Plaza de las Tres Culturas
- Museum of Modern Art
- Dolores Olmedo Museum Xochimilco
- Palacio de Bellas Artes
- Rufino Tamayo Museum José Luis Cuevas Museum
- National History Museum
- Papalote
- Casa Mural Diego Rivera
- National Palace
- San Idelfonso Museum
- Franz Meyer Museum
- Mexico City’s Museum
- Templo Mayor Museum
- San Carlos Museum
- National Art Museum
- National History Museum
- Frida Khalo Museum
- Anahuacalli Museum
- Leon Trotsky Museum
Mexico- Travel tips, languages spoken, cuisine
Mexico City has a high crime rate and though it is safe for tourists, it is very much advisable that certain rather necessary precautions be taken including avoiding certain areas after dark, keeping valuables out of sight, etc. Mexico City is beautiful and the city’s eclectic mix of historical buildings and modern architecture is simply seen to be believed. Besides having some of the best avenues and buildings in the world, Mexico City also boasts a very vibrant and very good nightlife. The city is home to a multitude of restaurants, cafes, nightclubs, bars, discos, etc.
Mexico City is also home to some of the best malls and resorts in the country. Spanish is the official language of the country; however, English is sparsely understood by many. The local currency is Mexican peso (MXN). The local cuisine draws influences from a variety of cuisines and has its own unique and distinct flavour. What’s more, it is freely available at very affordable prices. Mexico City has a large number of eateries catering to all types of cuisines and suited to all types of budgets; it is also home to some of the country’s best and most prolific restaurants.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Mexico City is from October to May.
Best way to reach
- By Air: Mexico City is one of the region’s most important travel hubs, and is connected to most major destinations in the world via regular flights.
- By Rail: Mexico City is the most important railway station in the Mexican rail network, and forms the terminating or origin point for many inter-city trains. For intra-city transport, there is an extensive metro network, a large suburban rail system, a decent-sized tram system and a new light rail line.
- By Road: Mexico City is well connected to all national and regional destinations and popular attractions. Further, Mexico City is also one of the major centres of Mexico’s road transport system and as such offers comfortable transport options for almost all of the nearby Mexico attractions. The city is the hub of intra-country bus travel in Mexico. The road network within the city is rather good but prone to congestion. The city’s extensive bus transportation system and the new bus rapid transit system are particularly useful and noteworthy.
Accommodation
The Mexico City accommodation scene is very active and wide enough to cater to all budgets and needs. Mexico City is home of some of the finest hotels in the continent. Further, many local and international tour operators offer Mexico City vacation package tours. These tours cover most of the Mexico City tourist destinations, but do not carry the element of risk and adventure that going solo does. One might even miss out on the many hidden attractions and surprises Mexico City may hold.