Sunday, 25 July 2021

Visit Mexico City: a multi-cultural city

Mexico City is the largest city in the world, walking around it one is surprised to discover a mixture of pre-Columbian, colonial and American cultures. There are many neighborhoods to visit, and countless museums. Here is a selection of what stood out to me the most during my visits as well as my advice for visiting Mexico City.

Chapultepec Park

Chapultepec Park is a woodland of some 600 hectares in the heart of Mexico City. The museums, the botanical garden, the zoo, the lake and many other attractions make it a very pleasant place to walk around without worrying about the city moving a few meters away.

It is also an important historical place. It is indeed on the hill of Chapultepec that the Aztecs settled in the 13th century before founding Tenochtitlan, which later became Mexico City. The colonists built there Chapultepec Castle, located at the top of the hill. During the war against the United States a famous battle in Mexico gave rise to the legend of the child heroes of Chapultepec.

At the edge of the park is the National Anthropology Museum which allows you to discover the pre-Columbian civilizations since the arrival of man on this continent until today.

Between relaxation and culture, this park should therefore be a must on your visit to properly visit Mexico City.

Visiter Mexico: El Zocalo

El Zocalo is the main square in the historic center of Mexico City. We find there the multicultural aspects of the country and the city. The huge cathedral in the Spanish style recalls the colonies while a few meters further is the archaeological site of the major temple. This temple is the great pyramid of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, which was updated during works in 1978.

In the center of the square, the huge flag of Mexico flies in the wind. This flag is a great pride for Mexicans. On the side of the square we can see the National Palace and going a little further we find some pedestrian streets that can lead us to the Palace of Fine Art which recalls the passion of the former president Porfirio Dias for France at the beginning. of the twentieth century.

Relaxation in Mexico City

To properly visit Mexico City you should spend a few days there as there are so many places to see. To escape the hustle and bustle of the city, you can walk in the parks or in quieter neighborhoods. It is very pleasant to walk in Coyoacan for example, it is a colonial district, it almost feels like a Spanish village.

Thanks to the climate of the region, there are many flat roofs, which makes it possible to have terraces of cafes in height. Ideal for forgetting the cars for a michelada, these very refreshing Mexican beers with lemon.

And finally, the Condesa district, you can stroll along the less frequented boulevards and therefore more pleasant than the main avenues like Reforma. You will find all kinds of restaurants there, I believe that not one type of cuisine is lacking in this area!

If you love Mexico, discover Oaxaca and its region.