Area in close walking distance to the Frida Kahlo Museum, and the renowned churro place…read more We left the hotel early, got dropped off with one hour before our ticket admitting us in so we walked to a Panera that Doc spotted on the ride there. We entered a church, had lunch in the area and did some shopping. Doc bought a bracelet I liked from a vendor and a T-shirt from a man across the street from the museum for me. I bought some bracelets and pouches from a man on the street. He could speak English and said his family was Aztec. He made the bracelets and his grandmother made the pouches. Many locals with their dogs and tourists were enjoying the nice warm weather. We saw people being blessed with special smoke or sage. Many shops and eateries on nice streets. There was one two story restaurant that looked very pretty and romantic with couples eating on the outdoor balcony.

Fun, lively area! Came on a Sunday and there were tons of people outs and about…read more Pros: -many restaurants to choose from -vendors galore where you can buy souvenirs -there are a few free Wi-Fi spots in this area -we saw performers dancing near the church Cons: -none

Voladores are dancer who dance to the gold. They do a spin around the pole 56 times which represent…read morea new year every 56 based on the Aztec calendar. Something like that. My tour guide told me. The pole is quite high. Its definitely entertaining to watch. This one is located in front of the Museum of Anthropology in Chapultepec park. Cool

The voladores are fliers who dance in the air upside down from ropes secured to a pole that stands…read moreabout 120 feet high. Slowly revolving around the pole, the ropes slowly descend the fliers to the ground. A man sitting atop the pole revolves, too, and he plays a flute to represent a singing bird. These poles are now metal but, originally, they were tree trunks and the role of the dance is to appease the primary rain god, Xipe Totec, a visually scary looking character attired in flayed human skin. This is a highly-choreographed dance where the voladores circle the pole 13 times each; a total of 52, the number of years in the Aztec calendar. There are variations on this ritual that is at least 450 years old but the hypnotic revolutions of the dance is a core feature. The most well-known voladores appear in the town of Papantla, in Veracruz, near the ruins of El Tajin. Conveniently, you don't have to trek there because dancers also perform here in Chapultepec Park a few steps from the anthropology museum.

Definitely check this area out when in the city! It has many unique shops, good Asian food choices,…read moreand desserts. We walked by late at night so everything was closed down but the neon lights were on making it look so cool.

Wow best serendipitous find our first night in Mexico City. We were in search of a taco place for…read moredinner 7 blocks or a 15 minute walk from our hotel. We walked past broken uneven sidewalks, men sprawled out on the sidewalk, garbage in the road. Lots of padlocked gateways then behold!!! Bright red lanterns, good luck cat figurines with waving paws or bobbing heads, a couple lafufu vendors, lots of Chinese restaurants. The throngs of crowds was unbelievable. The vibe was exciting, bright, a harpsichord player walking playing Italian music, It was like we followed the Pied Piper in by choice. We walked straight through til the end of the area. Hmm, just by chance we turned left and passed a restaurant filled with people. We walked past but took a double take and entered the best choice for our first meal in Mexico City.

Paseo de la Reforma is a famous street in Mexico City, most notable for being closed to cars each…read moreSunday and being open to walkers, runners, and bikers. It stretches about 9 miles and has a variety of landmarks throughout: Ángel de la Independencia, Chapultepec Park, Diana the Huntress Fountain, and others. It's surrounded by various skyscrapers including but not limited to luxury hotels, office buildings, and banks. The street stretches along those modern aspects of the city as well as with the historic aspects of the Chapultepec Castle. We specifically went on a Sunday to see all the runners and bikers and it was so cool to see that this is just routine for them and just another day for a bike or a run. I wish more cities had car-free streets like this!

After a quick fuel, we were off for the Paseo de la Reforma, (one of the principal avenues in the…read morecity), which is closed on Sundays for walkers, cyclists and runners. It was an awesome and unique experience to be able to cycle on such a typically busy street, and see how many people were out and about enjoying the wonderful spring weather. Halfway through our ride along the avenue, we stopped to listen to our guide, Símon, talk about the lost 43 students that vanished in 2014. It was a very sobering history about the dark relationship between the Mexican government and cartels, but I'm glad Simon shared it with us, and we were able to view the faces of the victims as we continued our bike ride. https://traveltimewitht.com/2026/03/21/la-ciudad-de-mexico/

Sooo you told your friends you were going to Mexico City, and everyone wanted you to bring them…read moreback a souvenir. Never fear, Plaza de la Ciudadela is here for you! This admittedly tourist-driven market is a one-stop shop for any souvenirs, clothing, or art you might want to take back home. We just ended up buying a simple (fairly cheap) souvenir shot glass for a friend while here. However, even after our official shopping obligation was done, it was a lot of fun to just wander through the stalls and admire the arts and crafts on display. There are even some vendors selling various food items if that's the kind of souvenir you're into (I sure am!). I really appreciated how the vendors were not very pushy about forcing their wares on you, or in your face about luring you into their stores to take a look--this is always my least favorite part of shopping at markets in most countries. This, no doubt, contributed to the pleasantness of my experience here. There was a free dance performance by students from a local dance school while I was here, so that was fun to watch for a little while. There's also a restaurant in the middle of the market if you need some fuel to get you through your shopping spree.

If your travels take you to Mexico City, and you won't get the opportunity to visit other regions…read moreof this wonderfully diverse country, be sure to take some time out of your busy touring schedule (I'd say at least 2-3 hours or more) to explore every nook and cranny of this awesome crafts market. Even if you don't buy a thing (impossible!!) you'll feel like you've taken a whirlwind tour of some of the most beautiful and artistically productive areas of the country... I love the colors, the feel of "discovering" a great bargain or a unique piece of craftwork. It may seem like there's a lot of repetition here (and there is...) but if you take the time, and really check out all the hidden nooks and crannies, you're bound to find a true, one of a kind gem (or twelve...)!! I could spend a week in here!! There's a cafe mid way through the market, and restrooms toward the back. Don't miss the non-craft (foods, spices, etc.) vendors around the perimeter, don't waste too much time trying to bargain/heckle, as most of the prices are super reasonable (though some vendors will give you great deals for volume buying) and one of your purchases before leaving CDMX might just be another suitcase (or three!) to bring home all your WONDERFUL finds here at the Ciudadela Market!! ANIMO!!! Shop here, DON'T wait til you're leaving at the airport, and see lesser-quality work for 3x the price!!

The square itself is amazing, and the history is even more so. And while the square is a great…read moreplace to walk around and there is always something happing, it's great to go to the walking street and check out all the shops. But the people watching is the best. There are many souvenir shops around and it's worth going into the churches. One could easily spend a couple of hours here, more if you find a bar and have a nice, cool drink.

Plaza de la Constitución is the current official name of this central square located in Mexico…read moreCity's historic district, with centuries of history, and formerly known by many other names. It's evolved from a site for early Aztec rituals to a venue for modern independence celebrations, concerts, protests and parades, with varied uses in between. Today it's known as "El Zócalo", Spanish for "base" referring to the base of a monument to independence that was never finished in this square. Instead a single flagpole stands in the middle. Built over the ceremonial center of the Aztec city Tenochtitlan previously located in the same spot, you can visit the city's teocalli (sacred precinct) called Templo Mayor in today's vernacular. This is directly north east of the square. To the direct north is the Catedral Metropolitana de la Ciudad de México (Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral), to the east is the Palacio Nacional (National Palace), to the south are city government offices including the City Hall and Supreme Court close by. Over the centuries it's functioned as a public square, makeshift or formal market place, park, gathering place for political uprisings and other major historic events. Nowadays it's still a popular gathering place, there are buskers, organized performances, cultural and civic activities, including the Day of the Dead annual parade. When I was there a few weeks ago there was a city sponsored art exhibit of cactus statues, looked to be designed, and painted/embellished/decorated by local artists. There were around 100 different cacti spread out in the central section around the flagpole. Entrance was free though the exhibition area was fenced with police monitoring the entry points, I suppose to prevent any malicious activity toward the public art. So many designs stood out, I posted some pics of my faves--what talented artists!

I am sad bc I was looking forward to coffee, but they do t open at 8am. So sad I think that they…read morehave to update hours of operation

Great specialty coffee with lots of beans and roasting methods to choose from and friendly…read morebaristas. It's a little hard to find because it's in the middle of a produce and meat market, but it's worth it.