Sightseeing in Mexico City

The best starting point to soak in the teeming life of Mexico City is the Centro Historico, where the capital’s rich Aztec and colonial cultures collide with the modern-day bustle of a megalopolis. At the heart of the historic center is the Plaza de la Constitución, or Zócalo, one of the largest public squares in the world. There you’ll find the excavated ruins of the ancient city of Tenochtitlan just steps from a massive cathedral built by the Spanish at the height of their power.

In a city this big, there's plenty to explore outside the Zócalo as well. For art lovers, visiting the Frida Kahlo Museum in Coyoacán is practically mandatory. Along with artwork by Kahlo and her husband, Diego Rivera, it's chock full of personal items and photos from her lifetime.

More things to do in Mexico City

First-timers

Templo Mayor Archeological Site and Museum
Rediscovered in the late 1970s, this was one of the main temples built by the Aztecs in their capital city of Tenochtitlan, which later became Mexico City.
Seminario 8
Centro Historico
4040 5600

Palacio Nacional
Inside this historic government building, Diego Rivera's murals tell the story of Mexican history from pre-Hispanic times to the future.
Plaza de la Constitución
Centro Historico
3688 1261

Catedral Metropolitana
Built over a period of 250 years, this is the oldest and largest Roman Catholic cathedral in the Americas.
Plaza de la Constitución
Centro Historico
5510 0440

Local Favorites

Frida Kahlo’s house
The home where surrealist painter Frida Kahlo was born and died is preserved as a museum with many personal artifacts.
Londres 247
Coyoacán
5554 5999

Chapultepec Castle
Built in the late 18th-century, the palace later served as the home of Emperor Maximilian I, who briefly ruled Mexico under the Austrian Empire.
Bosque de Chapultepec
Miguel Hidalgo
5061 9217

Museo Nacional de Antropologia
A treasure trove of pre-Columbian artifacts of the Aztec, Olmec and Mayan civilizations, including the famous stone Aztec calendar.
Avenida Paseo de la Reforma and Calle Mahatma Gandhi
Miguel Hidalgo
4040 5300

Teotihuacan
No one knows who built this majestic ancient city, whose temples were abandoned before the time of the Aztecs.
San Juan de Teotihuacan
State of Mexico
30 miles northeast of Mexico City
4956 0052

Xochimilco
Family and friends can ride in colorful gondola-like boats in some of the last remaining canals that once surrounded Mexico City. Other attractions include horses and handicrafts.
Parque Ecologico Xochimilco
Xochimilco
5673 7890

Self-Guided Tours

Mexico City is vast, but if you stick to the Centro Historico, Coyoácan or La Condesa you should have no problem seeing its many highlights on foot. If you prefer, you can grab a ride on the "Turibús" to see the center or southern parts of the city. For more info, check out www.visitmexico.com.

Views

El Mayor
A rooftop restaurant that boasts some of the best views of the Zócalo, along with contemporary Mexican food & excellent margaritas.
Republica de Argentina 15
Entrees about $10
Centro Historico
5704 7580

Bellini Restaurante Giratorio
This rotating restaurant offers amazing views, but note that prices are high and the food average.
Dinner $30 to $80
Montecito 38
World Trade Center
45th Floor
Nápoles

Torre Latinoamericana
The 44th floor observation deck of this 1950s skyscraper is open to the public for 60 pesos for adults ($4.60), 50 for children. Restaurant and museum also on site.
Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas and Francisco I. Madero
Centro
5518 7423

Chapultepec Castle
Situated atop a hill in Chapultepec Park, the 18th-century castle where Emperor Maximilian once lived has sweeping views of the city below.
Bosque de Chapultepec
Miguel Hidalgo
5061 9217