Beautiful and worth a visit!!…read more Incline to enter the castle was something else so be sure to take your time and wear comfy shoes!

The castle sits on top of a hill inside Chapultepec Park, so you get some great views of the city…read moreonce you reach the top. The walk up is a bit of a hike, but it's worth it. The building is well maintained, and the rooms are filled with historical displays, artwork, and furnishings that give you a glimpse into Mexico's history. It can get crowded, especially on the weekends, so going earlier in the day can make the visit stress free.

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

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 must while visiting Mexico City. It was on my list and one of the only reasons i visited…read moreMexico City. There are 2 pyramids here; The pyramid of the sun and Pyramid of the Moon. You are no longer allowed to climb on the Pyramid of the Sun (the larger of the 2) and only half way up on the Pyramid of the moon. The stairs are kind of steep so i suggest climbing down sidewards and leaning into the pyramid or walking down backwards. Its very cool and the place is large with other structures to see. There are also many different exit and entrances; just inside exit 5 there is a museum which i think explains much of the history of it. so you can probably skip a guide and just look in there and read a bit about it. Make sure to walk past the Pyramid of the sun (opposite the pyramid of the moon) to see the Temple of Quetzalcoatl. Most people miss it. There are people selling idols made of obsidian (volcanic glass) which was what knives were made of to sacrifice people. You can always haggle with them, the price is not set and there are many vendors so you can probably get a pretty good price. I was very impressed with the scale and size of the place. I'm always blown away with how old things are and how large and detailed things were. You realize how skilled they were back then. Very impressive. Tips: They tear the corner of your ticket when you enter and give it to you to keep in case you exit the wrong place and need to go back in (there are multiple exits and entrances). The place is hot and there is very little shade so bring sun screen, a large hat or umbrella and water. And as in most places in Mexico there may not be toilet paper in the bathrooms and they may charge for it as you enter so 1. bring loose change in case they charge, 2. take the roll of toilet paper from your hotel room and stash it in your backpack. Sundays are most crowded because it's free for locals. Mondays are also crowded because the museums are closed. So Tuesday thru Friday are the best days to go. While taking an Uber around in the city we asked how much it would be to take us to Teohihuacan and back the next day. Its much better than taking a tour bus that stops at each hotel picking up multiple people. If you do so you also have to leave when the bus leaves and it might be too long or too short a time. If you hire an Uber you can leave whenever you want.

The space is massive, with multiple pyramids and open areas to explore, so plan ahead to spend a…read moregood amount of time walking around. It can get very hot, so bring a hat and sunglasses for protection. I also recommended bringing water to stay hydrated throughout the visit. There are vendors near the entrance selling souvenirs and snacks, which is convenient if you want to grab something.

Es El museo mas lujoso que he visto en mi vida es la oficina de Correos de la ciudad de Mexico hoy…read moreme toco Algo muy especial que se llama noches de museos en esta occasion fue un concierto de coros infantiles total Mente gratis la entrada es a las 6 pm es Algo muy especial El poder seguir birndoncosas tan Hermosa y con accesibilidad hay mucho jente formada El Lugar exajeradamete decorado con colores dorados como El Oro es Algo alusinante solo en entrar the sientes en Otra epoca y como si fuera Rica

It's fun to learn about postal service every country has one. This building is historical and…read moreinteresting that is worth seeing. They have a lot of old equipment and stamps plus some other things to see.

If you are a Diego Riviera fan this is a must see while you're in Mexico City! At the Palacio…read moreNational you will see his largest and most comprehensive collection of murals. if I remember my tour guides speech correctly, this has 100 of his murals that took him five years of his life. Each mural depicts different ways of life at that time. The murals themselves are studied. All the colors of muted but vibrant. The colors are not vegetable that is, but actual oil put onto wet plaster. As a plaster dried, it locked in the color which has remained all these years. The interiors have multiple courtyards that are very relaxing. .. it is a very peaceful place. If you want or plan to see all the murals, I suggest you plan for at least a few hours. There's multiple levels and as I mentioned at least 100 murals of Diego's alone, as well as multiple other murals done by others.

An absolute must to see the amazing and jaw dropping work of Diego Rivera. You'll need to make…read morereservations for a mandatory guided tour.

When I was a kid my parents took me to Mexico City-I think I was like 5 or 6 years old.During that…read moretrip I took a picture in front of the Basilica with my mother.That picture was in the hall of every house we ever lived in ever since. Fast forward 45+ years later I'm finally making my way back to Mexico City and one of the top things I wanted to do is to try and find the place I took that picture at the historic church located near the Zocalo. Funny thing happens to your memory after 45 years and I couldn't quite locate where I took that picture,I guess on this trip I would have to settle for visiting this amazing historic religious site. When I got to the church,I was surprised how many vendors were located outside of the church,selling their wares.They were everywhere out there-I surely was tempted to pick up a few things,but I didn't as that wasn't the purpose of this visit. Once inside I was immediately taken back by the sheer size of this holy place.The grandeur of the interior of the building was breathtaking. I could've spent hours in there looking at all the artwork and statues that lined the sides of this place of worship-just reading the stories and seeing the amazing displays of saints and religious figures had me mesmerized. It took me back to the days of my youth when I was an altar boy for many years at the Catholic church in my town. This church has a connecting older church that serves as an alternate place to worship-admire art and pray-But it was under major construction when I visited,so was not able to spend much time in the connecting buildings. Upon leaving the building I was kinda torn how such a very special place has turned into such a tourist attraction-I mean there is a vendor inside the church selling crosses and candles and other things to commemorate one's visit to this church. I get why they do it,just didn't like how it made me feel seeing it. That being said-this church is truly a must visit when visiting Mexico City for anyone who loves history-loves architecture-loves Catholic churches or just wants some quiet time to pray. It truly was one of the highlights of my trip and a place I think back to fondly when I reminisce about my trip-now if I could've only found that spot I took that picture so very long ago.

The official name is the Catedral Metropolitana de la Asunción de la Bienaventurada Virgen María a…read morelos cielos (The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven), though it's commonly known as the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, and functions as a chapter of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico. The cathedral is sits on the edge of El Zócalo, the central square in the historic district of Mexico City, immediately west of Templo Mayor and covering part of the sacred precinct. When the Spanish conquered the Tenochtitlan, they tore down most of the prior structures in 1521 and built a church. In the decades later from 1573 to 1813 various sections were constructed surrounding it then later replacing the initial building, becoming what it is today. It's considered the first cathedral built in the Americas, with materials scavenged from destroyed pyramids and stone structures, its style influenced by Spanish Gothic cathedrals incorporating Baroque and Neoclassical elements considering its extensive period of construction. Much time spent was due to the sinking ground and dropping water tables of the land beneath the site, with the soft soil (being on a former island in a lake) causing varied foundational stability as the building also sat over the uneven surfaces of pre-existing structures. Visiting on a January weekday morning around 10am, it wasn't crowded though there were a fair amount of tourists and closer to 11am more people arrived. Entrance is free and there are a few areas open to the public--the main cathedral building and the Metropolitan Tabernacle (to its right), connected by a hallway. There is a crypt in the basement housing the remains of quite a few historical figures, though from what I could gather a pre-booked tour is required. Aside from a few main altarpieces, there are 16 side-chapels in the cathedral, of which 14 are open to the public. If you take your time you could probably spend an hour though I was there about 30 minutes. There are descriptions of the altarpieces and some placards with information on the layout and history of the church though most were in Spanish. For more info: https://mexicocity.cdmx.gob.mx/venues/metropolitan-cathedral/?lang=en https://catedralmetropolitana.mx

The history in this part of Mexico City is incredible. If you're visiting, you should absolutely…read moremake time to stop at Templo Mayor--it gives you a completely different understanding of the region. Templo Mayor was the central temple of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán, which once stood in the middle of Lake Texcoco. After the Spanish conquest led by Hernán Cortés, the city was destroyed, and much of its stone was reused to build what is now the Metropolitan Cathedral and surrounding colonial structures. What's fascinating is that the ruins remained hidden for centuries. The first parts of the ruins were discovered during construction work in the 1970s and earthquakes in the 1980s revealed more of the remains. Standing here, you really feel the layers of history. Within a short walk, you can see modern Mexico City, Spanish colonial architecture like the cathedral, and the exposed Aztec ruins--all in one place. It's a powerful visual of how this city has evolved over time. If you made the trip to Mexico City, don't skip this stop. Even just walking through the area gives you a sense of history spanning from the Aztec empire, through Spanish colonization, to the present day. It's an experience that really stays with you.

Built initially in the early 14th century, Templo Mayor aka the "Main Temple" sits in the middle of…read morewhat was originally the geographic and religious center of the capital city of Tenōchtitlan, when it was still an island city in the middle of Lake Texcoco. As a sacred site for the Mexica peoples, the structures erected here were dedicated to two deities--Huitzilopochtli, god of war, and Tlaloc, god of rain and agriculture. A shrine was built for each at the top of the temple on the main pyramid. From archaeological analysis, the temple was rebuilt six times, with the largest expansion under Mocteczuma I in 1454, though in 1521 the majority of the building was destroyed by Spanish colonizers when the whole city was razed and rebuilt following Spanish occupation. Notably the Metropolitan Cathedral which stands today adjacent to this site was one of the buildings which were built over it. By the 19th century the exact location and history of this sacred precinct had been lost but toward the end of the 1800s part of the temple corner was uncovered. However there wasn't an official organized effort to excavate and preserve the site until 1978-82. In 1987 the site became listed as an UNESCO world heritage site and a museum was built to house its artifacts and findings. When I was there in January I didn't go into the museum though walked around the edges--they've done an excellent job framing it with walkways along the west side, so it's somewhat of a public park. There are a few small scale models of what the precinct would've looked like in different eras, and a dedicated viewing platform. With entry to the museum you get closer access into the site with some walkways within the site itself. The entrance to the museum is free for Mexican citizens and 95 pesos for foreigners. Three floors with eight main exhibition halls focused on the deities, rituals (including human sacrifice), the role of the temple in economics and trade of the time, and flora and fauna of past Mesoamerica. In excavations more than 7000 objects were found and work continues on the site today.

An icon of the city and a truly must see-I mean really would you leave NYC without seeing the…read moreStatue of Liberty or leave Paris with visiting the Eiffel Tower?Well you can't leave Mexico City without visiting this beautiful statue. It's located pretty close to Chapultepec Park,in fact you can see the statue from the main entrance to the park-it's a short walk to this statue. When you get to the park they direct traffic so that pedestrians can walk up to the statue and sit on the steps below it,be sure to follow traffic laws though as it's a crazy busy intersection and would hate for anyone to get hit by a car trying to get to the statue. That's all-if u find yourself in Mexico City-get yourself to this statue-it's a beauty.

The Ángel de la Independencia is one of the most iconic landmarks of Mexico City, representing…read moreMexico's independence from Spain. It's a tall column with a gold statue of the Greek goddess Nike on top. It's located in the middle of a roundabout of Paseo de la Reforma, one of the city's most popular streets. There are steps at the base and you'll often find people just sitting there hanging out.