Mexico City: what to see

Mexico City, known as the ‘Capital en Movimiento’ is a vibrant and ever changing city and one of the most interesting cultural centers in the world. As the oldest American metropolis it is fast becoming one of the most popular tourist destinations, impressing visitors with its bubbling street life and abundant array of cultural offerings. Not only does it have a plethora of cultural activities, but its year-round warm climate and stunning surrounding volcanoes Popocatetl and Iztacchihuatl make it an even more attractive destination to explore.

History is omnipresent throughout Mexico City, with much of the modern area having been built on top of past incarnations, you will often stumble upon the old and the new living harmoniously side-by-side. The Historic city centre is focused around the ‘Plaza de la Constitución’, the largest square in Latin America, and a hub of artistic and cultural activity.

Formerly known as “La Ciudad de los Palacios”, the city is brimming with fascinating and grand palaces. Perhaps the one of most significance is the Palacio Nacional, which houses the awe-inspiring 1,200 square feet of vivid-painted murals entitled ‘The Epic of the Mexican People’ which represents 2 millennia of Mexican history as imagined by its artist Diego Rivera. Palacio de Bellas Artes, is another beautiful building that contains an exquisite display of Mexican art.

Not only is there an abundance of Palaces in Mexico City, but it also boasts more museums than another other city in the world, so there is sure to be a museum to suit everyone’s tastes! From the Museo Nacional de Historia, the Museo Franz Mayer- a carefully restored 16th century building that houses colonial-era art and other rare items- to the Museo del Niño- one of the largest and most technologically advanced interactive museums covering art, science and technology.

If you’d rather be in the outdoors, Mexico City still has plenty to offer, there are some beautiful parks to explore. The Chapultepec Park, the largest park within a city in the entire world, is full of life and attractions including a zoo and the Museo Nacional de Antropologia as well as mime acts and magic shows. The Xochimilco Ecological Park, also known as the “Venice of Mexico” is an extensive network of canals that can be accessed aboard ‘trajineras’, wooden boats decorated with flowers.

Mexico City really does present a mosaic of fascinating cultural scenes. If the language as well as the culture interests you, then why not learn Spanish in Mexico too! Like the multitude of museums in Mexico City, there are a wide range of Spanish schools in Mexico to choose from- the options are truly endless, as is the fun to be had!