The name, Plaza de las Tres Culturas or Plaza of the Three Cultures, can be applied to many sites…read morethroughout Mexico. It's the intersection of ancient civilization, their Spanish conquerors and modern culture. In this case, the ancients are the Aztecs and the remnants of their city of Tlatelolco in these stone expansive foundations seem to be faring better than the Spanish church, built in 1610, that lords its precarious shadow like a sundial over it all. In the late 19th century, during the regime of President Porfirio Díaz, this Church of Santiago was converted to an explosives warehouse. In 1948, the building made a return as a church although it appears as if a mere firecracker could send this volcanic stone edifice crashing to the ground. This area has become known for war, protest, and death. In 1473, a war between Aztec factions of Tenochtitlán and Tlatelolco led to many deaths here. (The remains of 54 people from that war were discovered here and a couple, seen in an embrace, is referred to as the Lovers of Tlatelolco.) Hernán Cortés invaded here in 1521 and was victorious over Cuauhtémoc. Dead bodies were supposedly everywhere stacked high one upon another. The pre-Columbian era was officially over. The modern era has not immunized this area from death, either. Hundreds of student protesters were massacred here in 1968 by troops of President Gustavo Díaz Ordaz. His extreme actions to enforce order and present stability to the world on the eve of the Mexico City Olympics resulted in world-wide infamy. There are no jaw-dropping pyramids or macabre sculptures on display so architecture takes a back seat to history and, surprisingly, modern life because this area still sees protests. Nearby murals attest to that. When I walk the platforms that snake through this complex, I look up at the surrounding 20th century apartment complexes and offices towers then wonder what residents see when they look out of their windows to Plaza de las Culturas? Do they visualize a thriving pre-Columbian marketplace considered the largest in the entire valley of Mexico, an ancient bloody battleground, or a center of protest that helps define the current culture and direction of a future Mexico?

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.

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!

This is a cute little museum near the basilica. It has a couple trains outside, some cool graffiti…read moreand some exhibits in Spanish inside.

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/