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Mexico City
Mexico’s capital and one of
the world’s largest cities, Mexico City (Distrito Federal)
combines sophistication and modern conveniences with rich
culture and thousands of years of history, making it one of
the country’s most popular tourist cities.
Located in the south center of
the country equidistant from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts,
Mexico City is connected by a modern subway system, communicated
with other Mexican cities by a network of superhighways and
can be reached directly by air from Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New York, Washington D.C., Toronto and many
other North American cities.
The longest continuously-inhabited
city in the Western Hemisphere, Mexico City sits atop the
lake basin where the Mexica Indians founded their empire in
1325 and were defeated by the Spanish under Hernan Cortes
two centuries later. The immense, volcano-dotted valley in
which Mexico City sits harbors a population approaching 23
million. The traveler can spend two weeks in the city and
still not experience all the major attractions it has to offer.
A perfect place to begin a tour
of Mexico City is the zocalo, or main plaza, the world's third-largest
town square. Located right in the middle of the city’s
main historical district, the zocalo is bordered on its north
side by the Metropolitan Cathedral, which is constructed of
stones taken from the Mexica’s Great Temple (Templo
Mayor), the remains of which can be toured at the cathedral’s
northeast end. On its west side lie several hotels, among
them the Majestic Hotel and the Holiday Inn Zocalo, from which
the square can be admired in all its splendor. The area around
the zocalo is dotted with palaces, mansions and churches in
baroque, neoclassical and other styles.
Other areas not to be missed
are the southern colonial neighborhoods of San Angel, Coyoacan
and Tlalpan that used to be on the outskirts of Mexico City
but have become enveloped in the expanding metropolitan area.
The trendy Condesa and up-and-coming Roma neighborhoods northwest
of the center were built in the French and art deco styles,
while the residential and commercial district of Polanco sports
many upscale restaurants and shops, particularly along Mazaryk
Avenue. In the extreme south, a tour by colorfully decorated
rafts (trajineras) through the canals of Xochimilco with its
floating plots of land offers a glimpse into what the valley
looked like when Cortes gazed upon it for the first time.
The impressive pyramids of Teotihuacan, meanwhile, lie just
one hour north of the city.
Mexico City boasts a wealth of
museums containing everything from prehispanic artifacts and
colonial treasures to handicrafts and modern art. Some of
the most outstanding include the National Museum of Anthropology,
the History Museum in Chapultepec Castle, the Modern Art Museum,
the Museum of Natural History, the Rufino Tamayo (Art) Museum,
the El Papalote Children’s Museum, the Mexico City Museum,
the National Art Museum and the Frida Kahlo Museum.
One can buy virtually anything,
from antiques to handicrafts to the latest fashions, in Mexico
City. Interesting places for traditional Mexican handicrafts
include the Bazaar del Sabado, a Saturday-only bazaar in San
Angel’s Jacinto Plaza; the open-air market alongside
Coyoacan’s main square; and downtown’s Mercado
de la Ciudadela (Balderas, between Ayuntamiento and Dolores).
Fonart stores (Juarez 89, downtown; and Patriotismo 691, Mixcoac;
tel. 5521-0171), part of a national fund for the promotion
of Mexican handicrafts, offer the best handicrafts from all
over Mexico, including black pottery from Oaxaca and silver
from Taxco. And the colorful Mercado de Sonora (corner of
Fray Servando Teresa de Mier and San Nicolas) sells everything
from magic potions to herbal teas.
To purchase hand-blown glassware
and watch the items being made, head downtown to the Carretones
glass factory (Carretones 5 near the La Merced subway stop,
tel. 5550-4439, open Wednesday through Sunday from 11AM to
7PM). For traditional Mexican sweets, from candied figs to
coconut bars, the nearby Dulceria de Celaya (Cinco de Mayo
39, tel. 5521-1787) is sure to satisfy. Paintings, sculptures
and jewelry by world-famous Mexican artist Sergio Bustamante
can be found in the Zona Rosa shopping district (Amberes 13,
tel 5525-9059) as well as the Nikko and Camino Real hotels
in Polanco. Famous silver stores include Ballesteros and Tane
on Mazaryk Avenue in Polanco. Uriarte, one of Puebla City's
most prestigious makers of Talavera pottery, also displays
and sells its wonderful pieces in its Polanco showroom (Alejandro
Dumas 77, tel. 5282-2849).
Mexico’s cosmopolitan capital
offers a wealth of restaurants including everything from regional
specialties to international delicacies. Restaurant El Lago,
overlooking Chapultepec Lake, serves up the best Sunday brunch
in the city. Other typical restaurants include El Cicero,
El Gallo Centenario and El Candelero, adorned with Mexican
antiques and serving Mexican delicacies. For the more budget-conscious,
the restaurant chains VIPs and Sanborn’s, scattered
throughout the city, offer a wide variety of dishes at excellent
prices. The Sanborn’s Casa de Azulejos (Madero 4 --
about one block from the Fine Arts Palace) is located in a
beautiful colonial building whose outside walls are covered
in tiles and interior decorated with murals. The Condesa district
offers a wealth of different cuisines to satisfy any taste
and budget.
As one of the world’s great
cosmopolitan capitals, Mexico City offers visitors an extensive
variety of hotels, many operated by leading Mexican and international
hotel chains. Rooms total more than 44,000, with 4,000 in
the five-star range. A number of the hotels are housed in
beautifully preserved historic buildings, while others feature
the latest in contemporary architecture and design. New hotels
include the towering Sheraton Centro Historico, part of a
recent movement to restore and beautify the historic downtown
area; as well as the first Latin American outpost of the prestigious
W Hotel.
Mexico’s bustling
capital also offers the visitor all sorts of entertainment
possibilities during the day and at night. Many nightspots
are located on or near Insurgentes Avenue, one of the longest
avenues in the world and Mexico’s main north-south axis.
A drink at Bellini’s at the top of Mexico’s World
Trade Center offers a spectacular view from above of the city.
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