1Ciudad Universitaria
Two kilometers south of San Ángel, the Ciudad Universitaria (University City; www.unam.mx; 
gCentro Cultural Universitario) is the main campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). With about 330,000 students and 38,000 teachers, it’s Latin America’s largest university. Five former Mexican presidents are among its alumni, as is Carlos Slim, ranked the world’s second-richest person in 2015, and Alfonso Cuarón, the first Latin-American to win a director’s Oscar (for Gravity).
Founded in 1551 as the Royal and Papal University of Mexico, UNAM is the second-oldest university in the Americas. It occupied various buildings in the center of town until the campus was transferred to its current location in the 1950s. Although it is a public university open to all, UNAM remains ‘autonomous,’ meaning the government may not interfere in its academic policies. It is Mexico’s leading research institute and has long been a center of political dissent.
An architectural showpiece, UNAM was placed on Unesco’s list of World Heritage sites in 2007. Most of the faculty buildings are scattered at the north end. As you enter from Avenida Insurgentes, it’s easy to spot the Biblioteca Central (Central Library), 10 stories high and covered with mosaics by Juan O’Gorman. The south wall, with two prominent zodiac wheels, covers colonial times, while the north wall deals with Aztec culture. La Rectoría, the administration building at the west end of the vast central lawn, has a vivid, three-dimensional Siqueiros mosaic on its south wall, showing students urged on by the people.
Across Avenida Insurgentes stands the Estadio Olímpico (
%55-5325-9000; Av Insurgentes Sur 3000, Ciudad Universitaria; gCU), built of volcanic stone for the 1968 Olympics. With seating for over 72,000, it’s home to UNAM’s Pumas fútbol club, which competes in the national league’s Primera División. Over the main entrance is Diego Rivera’s sculpted mural on the theme of sports in Mexican history.
East of the university’s main esplanade, the Facultad de Medicina (Faculty of Medicine) features an intriguing mosaic mural by Francisco Eppens on the theme of Mexico’s mestizaje (blending of indigenous and European races).
A second section of the campus, about 2km south, contains the Centro Cultural Universitario (%55-5622-7003; www.cultura.unam.mx; Av Insurgentes Sur 3000; gCentro Cultural Universitario), a cultural center with five theaters, two cinemas, the delightful Azul y Oro restaurant and two excellent museums.
To get to University City, take metrobús line 1 to the Centro Cultural Universitario (CCU) station, or go to metro Universidad and hop on the ‘Pumabús,’ a free on-campus bus. The Pumabús has limited service on weekends and holidays.
Museo Universitario Arte ContemporáneoMUSEUM
(MUAC; %55-5622-6972; www.muac.unam.mx; Av Insurgentes Sur 3000, Centro Cultural Universitario; adult/student M$40/20; 
h10am-6pm Wed, Fri & Sun, to 8pm Thu & Sat; 
p; gCentro Cultural Universitario)
Designed by veteran architect Teodoro González de León, the contemporary art museum’s sloping, minimalist-style glass facade stands in stark contrast to the surrounding 1970s buildings. Inside you’ll find cutting-edge temporary exhibitions occupying nine spacious halls with impressive lighting and high ceilings. The modern works include paintings, audio installations, sculptures and multimedia art from Mexico and abroad.
Museo Universitario de CienciasMUSEUM
(Universum; %55-5424-0694; www.universum.unam.mx; Circuito Cultural de Ciudad Universitaria s/n; adult/child M$70/60; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, from 10am Sat & Sun; 
c; gCentro Cultural Universitario)
A huge science museum offering fun-filled attractions for kids, such as a planetarium and permanent exhibits that explore biodiversity, the human brain and much more. Nearby is the university sculpture garden, with a trail leading through volcanic fields past a dozen-or-so innovative pieces. The most formidable work is an enormous ring of concrete blocks by sculptor Mathias Goeritz.
1Coyoacán
Coyoacán (‘Place of Coyotes’ in the Náhuatl language), about 10km south of downtown, was Cortés’ base after the fall of Tenochtitlán. Only in recent decades has urban sprawl overtaken the outlying village. Coyoacán retains its restful identity, with narrow colonial-era streets, cafes and a lively atmosphere. Once home to Leon Trotsky and Frida Kahlo (whose houses are now fascinating museums), it has a decidedly countercultural vibe, most evident on weekends, when assorted musicians, mimes and crafts markets draw large but relaxed crowds to Coyoacán’s central plazas.
The nearest metro stations to Coyoacán, 1.5km to 2km away, are Viveros, Coyoacán and General Anaya. If you don’t fancy a walk, get off at Viveros station, walk south to Avenida Progreso and catch an eastbound ‘Metro Gral Anaya’ pesero (Mexico City name for a colectivo) to the market. Returning, ‘Metro Viveros’ peseros go west on Malintzin. ‘Metro Coyoacán’ and ‘Metro Gral Anaya’ peseros depart from the west side of Plaza Hidalgo.
San Ángel–bound peseros and buses head west on Avenida Miguel Ángel de Quevedo, five blocks south of Plaza Hidalgo.
oMuseo Frida KahloMUSEUM
(map Google map %55-5554-5999; www.museofridakahlo.org.mx; Londres 247; adult Mon-Fri M$200, Sat & Sun M$220, student M$40, video guide M$80, camera use M$30; h10am-5:45pm Tue & Thu-Sun, from 11am Wed; 
mCoyoacán)
Renowned Mexican artist Frida Kahlo was born in, and lived and died in, Casa Azul (Blue House), now a museum. Almost every visitor to Mexico City makes a pilgrimage here to gain a deeper understanding of the painter (and maybe to pick up a Frida handbag). Arrive early to avoid the crowds, especially on weekends.
Built by Frida’s father Guillermo three years before her birth, the house is littered with mementos and personal belongings that evoke her long, often tempestuous relationship with husband Diego Rivera and the leftist intellectual circle they often entertained here. Kitchen implements, jewelry, outfits, photos and other objects from the artist’s everyday life are interspersed with art, as well as a variety of pre-Hispanic pieces and Mexican crafts. The collection was greatly expanded in 2007 after the discovery of a cache of previously unseen items that had been stashed in the attic.
Kahlo’s art expresses the anguish of her existence as well as her flirtation with socialist icons: portraits of Lenin and Mao hang around her bed and, in another painting, Retrato de la familia (Family Portrait), the artist’s Hungarian-Oaxacan roots are entangled.
Plaza Hidalgo & Jardín CentenarioPLAZA
The focus of Coyoacán life is its central plaza – actually two adjacent plazas: the Jardín Centenario, with the village’s iconic coyotes frolicking in its central fountain; and the larger, cobblestoned Plaza Hidalgo, with a statue of the independence hero. It’s the scene of most of the weekend fun when people congregate on its benches and in surrounding bars and restaurants.
The Casa de Cortés (map Google map Antiguo Palacio del Ayuntamiento de Coyoacán; %55-5484-4500; Jardín Hidalgo 1, Colonia Coyoacán; h8am-9pm; mCoyoacán), on the north side of Plaza Hidalgo, is where conquistador Cortés established Mexico’s first municipal seat during the siege of Tenochtitlán. The south side is dominated by the Parroquia de San Juan Bautista (map Google map Plaza Hidalgo; h8am-7pm; mCoyoacán) and its adjacent former monastery.
FRIDA & DIEGO
A century after Frida Kahlo’s birth, and more than 50 years after Diego Rivera’s death, the pair’s fame and recognition are stronger than ever. In 2007 a retrospective of Kahlo’s work at the Palacio de Bellas Artes attracted more than 440,000 visitors. Though attendance at the Rivera survey that followed was not so phenomenal, the show reminded visitors that the prolific muralist had been an international star in his own lifetime. The artists are inseparably linked in memory, and both artists were frequent subjects in each other’s work.
Rivera first met Kahlo, 21 years his junior, while painting at the Escuela Nacional Preparatoria, where she was a student in the early 1920s. Rivera was already at the forefront of Mexican art, and his commission at the school was the first of many semi-propaganda murals on public buildings that he was to execute over three decades. He had already fathered children by two Russian women in Europe, and in 1922 he married ‘Lupe’ Marín in Mexico. She bore him two more children before their marriage broke up in 1928.
Kahlo was born in Coyoacán in 1907 to a Hungarian-Jewish father and Oaxacan mother. She contracted polio at age six, leaving her right leg permanently thinner than her left. In 1925 she was horribly injured in a trolley accident that broke her right leg, collarbone, pelvis and ribs. She made a miraculous recovery but suffered much pain thereafter. It was during convalescence that she began painting. Pain – physical and emotional – was to be a dominating theme of her art.
Kahlo and Rivera both moved in left-wing artistic circles, and they met again in 1928. They married the following year. Frida’s mother thought Diego was too old, fat, communist and atheist for her daughter, describing the liaison as ‘a union between an elephant and a dove.’ Their relationship was definitely always a passionate love-hate affair. Rivera wrote: ‘If I ever loved a woman, the more I loved her, the more I wanted to hurt her. Frida was only the most obvious victim of this disgusting trait.’
In 1934, after a spell in the USA, the pair moved into a new home in San Ángel, now the Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo, with separate houses linked by an aerial walkway. After Kahlo discovered that Rivera had had an affair with her sister, Cristina, she divorced him in 1939, but they remarried the following year. She moved back into her childhood home, the Casa Azul (Blue House) in Coyoacán, and he stayed at San Ángel – a state of affairs that endured for the rest of their lives. Their relationship endured, too.
Despite the worldwide wave of Fridamania that followed the hit biopic Frida in 2002, Kahlo had only one exhibition in Mexico in her lifetime, in 1953. She arrived at the opening on a stretcher. Rivera said of the exhibition: ‘Anyone who attended it could not but marvel at her great talent.’ She died at the Blue House the following year. Rivera called it ‘the most tragic day of my life… Too late I realized that the most wonderful part of my life had been my love for Frida.’
Museo Nacional de Culturas PopularesMUSEUM
(map Google map %55-4155-0920; http://museoculturaspopulares.gob.mx; Av Hidalgo 289; M$13, Sun free; h10am-6pm Tue-Thu, to 8pm Fri-Sun; mCoyoacán)
The Museo Nacional de Culturas Populares stages innovative exhibitions on folk traditions, indigenous crafts and celebrations in its various courtyards and galleries.
oMuseo Casa de León TrotskyMUSEUM
(map Google map %55-5658-8732; www.museocasadeleontrotsky.blogspot.mx; Av Río Churubusco 410; adult/student M$40/20; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun; mCoyoacán)
The Trotsky home, now a museum, remains much as it was on the day when an agent of Stalin, a Catalan named Ramón Mercader, caught up with the revolutionary and smashed an ice axe into his skull. Memorabilia and biographical notes are displayed in buildings off the patio, where a tomb engraved with a hammer and sickle contains Trotsky’s ashes.
Having come second to Stalin in the power struggle in the Soviet Union, Trotsky was expelled in 1929 and condemned to death in absentia. In 1937 he found refuge in Mexico. At first Trotsky and his wife Natalia lived in Frida Kahlo’s Blue House, but after falling out with Kahlo and Rivera they moved a few streets northeast.
Bullet holes remain in the bedroom, the markings of a failed assassination attempt.
The entrance is at the rear of the old residence, facing Av Río Churubusco. Ask about free guided tours in English at the entrance.
AnahuacalliMUSEUM
(Diego Rivera Anahuacalli Museum; %55-5617-4310; www.museoanahuacalli.org.mx; Calle Museo 150, Colonia Coyoacán; adult/child under 16yr M$90/15; h11am-5:30pm Wed-Sun; p; 
dXotepingo)
Designed by Diego Rivera to house his collection of pre-Hispanic art, this museum is a templelike structure of volcanic stone. The ‘House of Anáhuac’ (the Aztec name for the Valle de México) also contains one of Rivera’s studios and some of his work, including a study for Man at the Crossroads, the mural whose original version was commissioned and destroyed by the Rockefeller Center in 1934.
In November elaborate Day of the Dead offerings pay homage to the painter, and from April to early December the museum hosts free concerts at 1pm on Sunday, which range from classical to regional folk music.
Anahuacalli is 3.5km south of Coyoacán. Admission includes entry to the Museo Frida Kahlo, and for M$130 also includes weekend round-trip transportation departing from the Casa Azul.
You can also take the tren ligero from metro Tasqueña to the Xotepingo station. Exit on the west side and walk 200m to División del Norte. Cross and continue 600m along Calle Museo.
Ex-Convento de ChurubuscoHISTORIC BUILDING
(%55-5604-0699; 20 de Agosto s/n, Colonia San Diego Churubusco; hMass 7:30am Mon-Fri, 8:30am-7pm Sun; mGeneral Anaya)
On August 20, 1847, this former convent was the scene of a historic military defeat, when Mexican troops defended it against US forces advancing from Veracruz in a dispute over the US annexation of Texas. The US invasion was but one example in a long history of foreign intervention in Mexico, as compellingly demonstrated in Churubusco’s Museo Nacional de las Intervenciones (National Interventions Museum; M$52, Sun free; h9am-6pm Tue-Sun; mGeneral Anaya). Entry into the church itself is during Mass only. From metro General Anaya, it’s a 500m walk west.
Plaza Santa CatarinaPLAZA
(map Google map mViveros)
About a block south of Coyoacán’s nursery is Plaza Santa Catarina, with the modest, mustard-colored church that gives the square its name. Across the street, the Centro Cultural Jesús Reyes Heroles (map Google map %55-5554-5324; Av Francisco Sosa 202, Colonia Coyoacán; h8am-8pm; mViveros) is a colonial-era estate with a coffee shop and lovely grounds, where yuccas and jacarandas spring from carefully tended gardens.
Viveros de CoyoacánPARK
(map Google map %55-5484-3524; www.viveroscoyoacan.gob.mx; Av Progreso 1; h6am-6pm; mViveros) 
F
A pleasant approach to Coyoacán’s central plazas is through the Viveros de Coyoacán, the principal nurseries for Mexico City’s parks and gardens. The 38.9-hectare swath of greenery, 1km west of central Coyoacán, is popular with joggers and great for a stroll, but watch out for belligerent squirrels!
From metro Viveros, walk south (right, as you face the fence) along Avenida Universidad and take the first left, Avenida Progreso.
1Cuicuilco
One of the oldest significant remnants of pre-Hispanic settlement within the CDMX, Cuicuilco echoes a civilization that stood on the shores of Lago de Xochimilco as far back as 800 BC. In its heyday in the 2nd century BC, the ‘place of singing and dancing’ counted as many as 40,000 inhabitants – at that time the Teotihuacán civilization was only just beginning to rise to importance. The site was abandoned a couple of centuries later, however, after an eruption of the nearby Xitle volcano covered most of the community in lava.
Today archaelogical works continue to reveal new sections. The area is overgrown with grass in large areas, creating a real sense of discovery. The highlight is a 23m-tall, circular, pyramid-like mound.
Zona Arqueológica CuicuilcoARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
(www.inah.gob.mx; Av Insurgentes Sur s/n; h9am-5pm; p; gVilla Olímpica) F
The principal structure here is a huge circular platform of four levels, faced with volcanic stone blocks, which probably functioned as a ceremonial center. Set amid a park with sweeping views of the area and studded with cacti and shade trees, it makes a nice picnic spot. The site has a small museum containing skulls and artifacts discovered during excavations.
1Tlalpan
Tlalpan today is what Coyoacán used to be – an outlying village with a bohemian atmosphere coupled with some impressive colonial-era architecture. The municipal seat of Mexico City’s largest delegación, Tlalpan sits at the foot of the southern Ajusco range and enjoys a cooler, moister climate. There are some fine restaurants along the arcades of the charismatic plaza. To get here take metrobús Línea 1 to Fuentes Brotantes and walk four blocks east to the main square.
Museo de Historia de TlalpánMUSEUM
(%55-5485-9048; Plaza de la Constitución 10; h2-8pm Mon-Fri, from noon Sat; gFuentes Brotantes) F
This museum hosts compelling contemporary art and historical exhibits in naturally lit galleries off the courtyard.
Casa FrisaacCULTURAL CENTER
(%55-5485-3266; Plaza de la Constitución 1; h8am-8pm; gFuentes Brotantes) F
This 19th-century estate, once the property of President Adolfo López Mateos, houses an art gallery with temporary exhibits, and a small auditorium for concerts and dance performances.
Capilla de las Capuchinas SacramentariasCHAPEL
(%55-5573-2395; Av Hidalgo 43, Colonia Tlalpan; M$200; hvisiting hours 10am-noon & 4-6pm Mon-Thu; gFuentes Brotantes)
There’s a sublime simplicity about this chapel, located inside a convent for Capuchin nuns. Designed by modernist architect Luis Barragán in 1952, the austere altar, free of the usual iconography, consists only of a trio of gold panels. In the morning, light streams through a stained-glass window made by German-Mexican artist Mathias Goeritz. Visits by appointment only.
WORTH A TRIP
PARQUE NACIONAL DESIERTO DE LOS LEONES
Cool, fragrant pine and oak forests dominate this 20-sq-km national park (%55-5814-1171; http://desiertodelosleones.mx; M$10.50; h9am-5pm Tue-Sun) in the hills surrounding the Valle de México. Around 23km southwest of Mexico City and 800m higher, it makes for a fine escape from the carbon monoxide and concrete.
The name derives from the Ex-Convento Santo Desierto del Carmen (Ex-Convento del Desierto de los Leones; %55-5814-1172; Camino al Desierto de los Leones; M$13; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun), the 17th-century former Carmelite monastery within the park. The Carmelites called their isolated monasteries ‘deserts’ to commemorate Elijah, who lived as a recluse in the desert near Mt Carmel. The ‘Leones’ in the name may stem from the presence of wild cats in the area, but more likely it refers to José and Manuel de León, who once administered the monastery’s finances.
The restored monastery has exhibition halls and a restaurant. Tours in Spanish are run by guides (garbed in cassock and sandals) who lead you through expansive gardens around the buildings and the patios within, as well as some underground passageways.
The rest of the park has extensive walking trails (robberies have been reported, so stick to the main paths). Next to El León Dorado restaurant, stairs lead down to a gorgeous picnic area with several small waterfalls and a duck pond.
Most visitors arrive in a car, but green camiones head to the ex-convento hourly from metro Viveros (in front of the 7-Eleven), or from Paradero las Palmas (map) in San Ángel, on Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 3:30pm. Monday to Friday departures are few (7:30am from Viveros; and 7:30am, noon and 3:30pm from Paradero las Palmas) and stop short in a mountain town called Santa Rosa from where you need to take a taxi.
1Tlatelolco & Guadalupe
Plaza de las Tres CulturasHISTORIC SITE
(Plaza of the Three Cultures; %55-5583-0295; www.tlatelolco.inah.gob.mx; Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas, cnr Flores Magón; h8am-6pm; p; mTlatelolco)
So named because it symbolizes the fusion of pre-Hispanic and Spanish roots into the Mexican mestizo identity, this plaza displays the architectural legacy of three cultural facets: the Aztec pyramids of Tlatelolco, the 17th-century Spanish Templo de Santiago and the modern tower that houses the Centro Cultural Universitario.
Recent archaeological finds have altered long-held views about Tlatelolco’s history. According to the conventional version, Tlatelolco was founded by an Aztec faction in the 14th century on a separate island in Lago de Texcoco and later conquered by the Aztecs of Tenochtitlán. But a pyramid excavated on the site in late 2007 actually predates the establishment of Tenochtitlán by as much as 200 years. All agree, however, that Tlatelolco was the scene of the largest public market in the Valle de México, connected by a causeway to Tenochtitlán’s ceremonial center.
During the siege of the Aztec capital, Cortés defeated Tlatelolco’s defenders, led by Cuauhtémoc. An inscription about the battle in the plaza translates as, ‘This was neither victory nor defeat. It was the sad birth of the mestizo people that is Mexico today.’
You can view the remains of Tlatelolco’s main pyramid-temple and other Aztec buildings from a walkway around them. Tlatelolco’s main temple was constructed in stages, with each of seven temples superimposed atop its predecessors. The double pyramid on view, one of the earliest stages, has twin staircases that supposedly ascended to temples dedicated to Tláloc and Huitzilopochtli. Numerous calendar glyphs are carved into the outer walls.
Recognizing the significance of the site, the Spanish erected the Templo de Santiago here in 1609, using stones from the Aztec structures as building materials. Just inside the main doors of this church is the baptismal font of Juan Diego.
Tlatelolco is also a symbol of modern troubles. On October 2, 1968, hundreds of student protesters were massacred here by government troops on the eve of the Mexico City Olympic Games. The weeks before the Olympics had been marked by a wave of protests against political corruption and authoritarianism, and president Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, anxious to present an image of stability to the world, was employing heavy-handed tactics to stop the unrest.
On that October day, helicopters hovered over the Plaza de las Tres Culturas and a massive police contingent cordoned off the protest zone. Suddenly shots rang out, apparently from the balcony that served as a speakers’ platform. Police then opened fire on the demonstrators and mayhem ensued. A government-authorized account reported 20 protesters killed, though researchers and media reports estimate the real number is closer to 300.
The generally accepted theory, though there are many, is that the government staged the massacre, planting snipers on the balcony. To this day the incident still generates a massive protest march from Tlatelolco to the Zócalo on October 2.
Along Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas, northbound trolleybuses pass right by the Plaza de las Tres Culturas.
Centro Cultural Universitario TlatelolcoMUSEUM
(%ext 49646, 55-5117-2818; www.tlatelolco.unam.mx; Flores Magón 1; adult/student M$30/15, Sun free; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun; mTlatelolco)
The events that occurred before, during and after the 1968 massacre on Plaza de las Tres Culturas are chronicled in Memorial del 68, a compelling multimedia exhibit in the Centro Cultural Universitario Tlatelolco. The cultural center has two other outstanding permanent exhibits in the Museo de Sitio.
The shiny Museo de Sitio houses more than 400 objects unearthed at the archaeological site, such as pre-Hispanic offerings and ceramic artifacts. The interactive museum continues on the 2nd floor in the tower building across the way, where you can learn about colonial-era Tlatelolco and the area’s flora and fauna. The tower’s 3rd floor is home to the Colección Stavenhagen, an extraordinary collection of more than 500 pre-Hispanic clay and stone sculptures, including amusing animal figures and phallic works.
Basílica de GuadalupeSHRINE
(www.virgendeguadalupe.org.mx; Plaza de las Américas 1, Colonia Villa de Guadalupe; h6am-9pm; mLa Villa-Basílica) F
A cult developed around this site after a Christian convert named Juan Diego claimed in December 1531 that the Virgin Mary appeared before him on the Cerro del Tepeyac (Tepeyac Hill). After numerous sightings, so the story goes, the lady’s image was miraculously emblazoned on Diego’s cloak, causing a bishop to believe the story and build a shrine in her honor. To this day the basílica remains a place of pilgrimage and worship.
Over the centuries Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe came to receive credit for all manner of miracles, hugely aiding the acceptance of Catholicism by Mexicans. Despite the protests of some clergy, who saw the cult as a form of idolatry (with the Virgin as a Christianized version of the Aztec goddess Tonantzin), in 1737 the Virgin was officially declared the patron of Mexico. Two centuries later she was named celestial patron of Latin America and empress of the Americas, and in 2002 Juan Diego was canonized by Pope John Paul II.
Today the Virgin’s shrines around the Cerro del Tepeyac (formerly an Aztec shrine site) are the most revered in Mexico, attracting thousands of pilgrims daily and hundreds of thousands on the days leading up to her feast day, December 12. Some pilgrims travel the last meters to the shrine on their knees.
Around 1700, to accommodate the faithful flock, the four-towered Basílica de Guadalupe was erected at the site of an earlier shrine. But by the 1970s, the old yellow-domed building (now called the Antigua Basílica) proved inadequate to the task, so the new Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe was built next door. Designed by Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, it is a vast, round, open-plan structure with a capacity of more than 40,000 people. The image of the Virgin, dressed in a green mantle trimmed with gold, hangs above and behind the main alter of the basílica, where moving walkways bring visitors as close as possible. Mass is performed hourly.
The rear of the Antigua Basílica is now the Museo de la Basílica de Guadalupe (%55-5577-6022; Plaza Hidalgo, Colonia Villa de Guadalupe; adult/child under 12yr M$5/free; h10am-5:30pm Tue-Sun; mLa Villa-Basílica), which houses a fine collection of colonial art interpreting the miraculous vision.
Stairs behind the Antigua Basílica climb 100m to the hilltop Capilla del Cerrito (Hill Chapel), where Juan Diego had his vision, then lead down the east side of the hill to the Parque de la Ofrenda, with gardens and waterfalls around a sculpted scene of the apparition. Continue on down to the baroque Templo del Pocito, a circular structure with a trio of tiled cupolas, built in 1787 to commemorate the miraculous appearance of a spring where the Virgen de Guadalupe had stood. From there the route leads back to the main plaza, re-entering it beside the 17th-century Antigua Parroquia de Indios (Parish of Indians).
To reach the Basílica de Guadalupe, take the metro to La Villa–Basílica station, then walk two blocks north along Calzada de Guadalupe, or you can take any ‘Metro Hidalgo–La Villa’ bus heading northeast on Paseo de la Reforma. To return downtown, walk to Calzada de los Misterios, a block west of Calzada de Guadalupe, and catch a southbound ‘Auditorio’ or ‘Zócalo’ bus.
2City Walk
Goin’ Downtown
START EX TERESA ARTE ACTUAL
END REGINA CORRIDOR
LENGTH 5KM; THREE HOURS
Nothing beats wandering to fully appreciate the rich history of the centro.
Kick things off in the slanted 17th-century 1Ex Teresa Arte Actual building. If there’s one place that can put the sinking-city phenomenon into perspective, it’s here.
As you cross the 2Zócalo, one of the world’s largest squares, stop and contemplate that the surrounding buildings sit atop Aztec temples. Some of the imposing colonial-era structures were built with materials from the pre-Hispanic ruins.
Continue west along bustling Avenida Madero to reach the 3Torre Latinoamericana skyscraper. To get a feel for just how far Mexico City’s concave valley spans, take in the view from the observation deck.
Next spend time strolling 4Alameda Central, downtown’s newly renovated park with fun fountains and a famous Diego Rivera mural at the west end.
Cut across Avenida Juárez to Calle Dolores and drop by 5El Tío Pepe, one of the city’s oldest cantinas, for a beer or tequila.
Head south on Dolores to 6Mercado San Juan, a 60-year-old market frequented by chefs and devout foodies. Look for Gastrónomico San Juan for wonderful deli treats and complimentary wine.
Exit the market on Pugibet and go west to Balderas to find 7Centro de Artesanías la Ciudadela, a large crafts market with decent prices and great variety.
Return to the heart of downtown, walking east until you hit the 8Regina corridor, a happening pedestrian thoroughfare. Rest here at one of several sidewalk mezcalerías. If you prefer, cap off the walk at a nearby pulque joint on the corner of Mesones and Callejón de Mesones, a soulful spot that’s been pouring the viscous fermented beverage for more than a century. ¡Salud!
2Activities
Boating
Isla de las MuñecasBOATING
(Island of the Dolls; Embarcadero Cuemanco, Xochimilco; boat per hour M$500)
For a truly surreal experience, head for Xochimilco and hire a gondola to the Island of the Dolls, where hundreds of creepy, decomposed dolls hang from trees. An island resident fished the playthings from the canals to mollify the spirit of a girl who had drowned nearby.
The best departure point for the four-hour round trip is Cuemanco embarcadero. To get here, go to metro General Anaya and exit the station on the east side of Calzada de Tlalpan, then walk 50m north to catch a ‘Tláhuac Paradero’ pesero. Get off at the Embarcadero Cuemanco entrance.
Cycling
On Sunday mornings Paseo de la Reforma is closed to auto traffic from Bosque de Chapultepec to the Alameda Central, and you can join the legions of chilangos who happily skate or cycle down the avenue.
BicitekasCYCLING
(map Google map http://bicitekas.org; Monumento a la Independencia; h9:30pm Wed) F
For an ambitious trek, this urban cycling group organizes Paseo Nocturno rides departing from the Monumento a la Independencia Wednesday evenings. Groups of up to 200 cyclists ride to destinations such as Coyoacán and the northwestern suburb of Ciudad Satélite. Participants must be sufficiently robust to handle excursions of up to 40km. Helmets, reflective vests and rear lights are recommended.
Kayaking
MichmaniKAYAKING
(%55-5676-6971; Embarcadero Cuemanco, Xochimilco, off Anillo Periférico Sur; per hour M$50)
Take in some of the quieter parts of the Xochimilco canals while kayaking, and do some bird-watching while you’re at it within this ecotourism park. You’ll spot ducks, egrets and herons, among many other migratory and endemic species. You can also visit the many nurseries along the shores.
To get here, go to metro General Anaya and exit the station on the east side of Calzada de Tlalpan, then walk 50m north to catch a ‘Tláhuac Paradero’ pesero. Get off at the Embarcadero Cuemanco entrance and walk about 1km to Michmani, just beyond the embarcadero.
Lago de ChapultepecKAYAKING
(map Google map Chapultepec Lake; www.chapultepec.com.mx; 2-person kayaks/paddleboats/rowboats per hour M$60/50/60; h9am-4:30pm Tue-Sun; mAuditorio)
Take a kayak, paddleboat or rowboat out for a spin with the ducks on Chapultepec Lake.
Ice-Skating
Pista de Hielo CDMXICE SKATING
(map Google map www.cdmx.gob.mx/vive-cdmx/post/pista-de-hielo-cdmx)
As part of a government program to bring fun recreational activities to the city’s poorer inhabitants, a huge ice-skating rink is installed in the Zócalo during the Christmas holiday season. Ice-skates are loaned out free of charge, but the wait can be up to an hour.
BIKE TRAILS
The ciclovía is an extensive bike trail that follows the old bed of the Cuernavaca railroad as far as the Morelos border. It extends from Avenida Ejército Nacional in Polanco through the Bosque de Chapultepec, skirting the Periférico freeway from La Feria to Avenida San Antonio, with several steep bridges passing over the freeways.
Another path follows Avenida Chapultepec along a protected median from Bosque de Chapultepec to the centro histórico, though a detour through the streets of Roma is ignored by motorists. A third route runs along Paseo de la Reforma from the Auditorio Nacional to downtown.
The CDMX-created Ecobici (map Google map %55-5005-2424; www.ecobici.cdmx.gob.mx; Campeche 175; rentals 1/3/7 days M$94/188/312; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm Sat; gCampeche) app and website are useful for routing along ciclovías, even if you aren’t an Ecobici user.
Every Sunday Paseo de la Reforma and several main downtown streets are closed off to traffic from 8am to 2pm and riders can enjoy a 26km ‘ciclotón’ route from Auditorio Nacional to the Basílica de Guadalupe.
CCourses
Plaza de DanzónDANCING
(map Google map lessons M$20-50; h10am-2:30pm & 4:30-6pm Sat; mBalderas)
If you like to dance, learn a few great steps at the Plaza de Danzón, northwest of La Ciudadela, near metro Balderas. Couples crowd the plaza every Saturday afternoon to do the danzón, an elegant and complicated Cuban step that infiltrated Mexico in the 19th century. Lessons in danzón and other steps are given.
Escuela de Gastronomía MexicanaCOOKING
(map Google map %55-5264-2484; www.esgamex.com; Coahuila 207; 3hr course incl ingredients M$950-1500; gCampeche)
Learn how to cook Mexican dishes from bilingual chefs. Popular classes include pozole (hominy soup), mole poblano (chicken in a chili and chocolate sauce) and tamales.
Centro de Enseñanza Para ExtranjerosLANGUAGE
(Foreigners’ Teaching Center; %55-5622-2470; www.cepe.unam.mx; Av Universidad 3002, Ciudad Universitaria; 6-week course M$12,000; gCiudad Universitaria)
The national university offers six-week intensive language classes, meeting for three hours daily from Monday through Friday. Students who already speak Spanish may take courses on Mexican art and culture.
TTours
Capital BusTOURS
(map Google map www.capitalbus.mx; Liverpool 155, Zona Rosa; day pass M$160-180, day trip M$650; hticket office 8:30am-6:30pm; mInsurgentes)
Take a day trip to the Teotihuacán pyramids and the Basílica de Guadalupe, or tour Mexico City with a hop-on, hop-off day pass (see website for ticket booth locations). Capital Bus also runs outings to nearby colonial towns, such as silver-making center Taxco and culinary capital Puebla.
Turibús Circuito TurísticoBUS
(map Google map %55-5141-1360; www.turibus.com.mx; adult/child 4-12yr M$140/70, themed tours M$100-900; h9am-9pm; c)
Red double-decker buses run four circuitos (routes) across the city on the one ticket: Centro (downtown), Sur (south, including Frida Kahlo museum), Hipodromo (Polanco and Chapultepec) and Basílica (north). Buses pass every 15 to 60 minutes and you can hop off and on at any designated stop. All routes stop on the west side of the cathedral.
Buy ticket-wristbands on board or at major stops. Fares are slightly higher on Saturday and Sunday.
Turibús also offers themed tours, including cantinas, lucha libre, palaces, museums and food tasting. See the website for times.
Journeys Beyond the SurfaceTOURS
(map Google map %cell 55-1745 2380; www.travelmexicocity.com.mx; group tours per person US$180-270)
Eight-hour walking tours on aspects of the CDMX experience, with an off-the-beaten-track attitude. See murals, graffiti and street art, for example. Guides are well versed in history and anthropology if you choose to visit pre-Hispanic and colonial-era sites.
Mexico Soul & EssenceFOOD & DRINK
(map Google map %cell 55-29175408; www.ruthincondechi.com; tours US$100-175, cooking courses US$300)
Ruth Alegría, one of the city’s foremost food experts, runs customized culinary and cultural excursions. She can arrange dining outings, market tours or specialized trips. She also offers an entertaining Mexican cooking course.
zFestivals & Events
oDía de MuertosCULTURAL
(Day of the Dead; hNov)
In the lead-up to Day of the Dead (November 1 and 2), elaborate ofrendas (altars) show up everywhere. The huge annual street parade, Desfile de Día de Muertos, has been held since 2016 (initially in response to the faux parade in James Bond film Spectre) with over a thousand costumed dancers and performers joining giant calavera (skeleton) puppets along Reforma to the Zócalo.
Some of the best ofrendas can be seen at Anahuacalli, Museo Dolores Olmedo, the Zócalo, Plaza Santo Domingo in el Centro (replacing Ciudad Universitaria since 2016), and in the neighborhood of San Andrés Mixquic in the extreme southeast of the Distrito Federal.
La Feria de las FloresFERIA
(Jardín de la Bombilla; hJul; c) F
This major flower festival explodes with color in the Jardín de la Bombilla. The weeklong cultural festivities include the display and sale of myriad varieties of plants, family activities, performances, and botany-related painting and sculpture. The festival has pre-Hispanic origins, when followers of Xiuhtecuhtli (Lord of Flowers) would make floral offerings in return for abundant crops.
Grito de la IndependenciaFIREWORKS
(Palacio Nacional; hSep 15; mZócalo)
On September 15, the eve of Independence Day, thousands gather in the Zócalo to hear the Mexican president’s version of the Grito de Dolores (Cry of Dolores), Hidalgo’s famous call to rebellion against the Spanish in 1810, from the central balcony of the Palacio Nacional at 11pm. Afterward there’s a fireworks display.
Festival del Centro Histórico de CDMXCULTURAL
(www.festival.org.mx; hMar/Apr)
Across two weeks the centro histórico hosts music, theater, dance and culinary events featuring talent from Mexico and abroad – it’s the city’s biggest cultural bash of the year.
Día de Nuestra Señora de GuadalupeRELIGIOUS
(Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe; Basílica de Guadalupe; hDec; mLa Villa-Basílica)
At the Basílica de Guadalupe, the Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe caps 10 days of festivities that honor Mexico’s religious patron. The number of pilgrims reaches millions by December 12, when groups of indigenous dancers perform nonstop on the basilica’s broad plaza.
Foundation of TenochtitlánDANCE
(Plaza de las Tres Culturas; hAug 13; mTlatelolco)
Held on August 13 to celebrate the foundation of the Mexican capital, this is a major summit for Concheros (Aztec dancers) on Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Tlatelolco.
Semana SantaRELIGIOUS
(hMar/Apr)
The most evocative events of Holy Week are in the Iztapalapa district, 9km southeast of the Zócalo, where a gruesomely realistic passion play is enacted on Good Friday.
4Sleeping
Mexico City overflows with lodging options. The most reasonably priced places are in the centro histórico. Midrange lodgings abound in the Alameda and Plaza de la República areas, though often trade character for neutral modern comfort. In trendy Roma and Condesa offerings are mostly chic boutique hotels, with a few budget hostels. Cultural Coyoacán is a tranquil escape. Luxurious accommodations, including international chains, are concentrated in Polanco, the Zona Rosa and Reforma.
4Centro Histórico
As a frequent destination for both Mexican and foreign visitors, the CDMX offers everything from no-frills guesthouses to top-flight hotels. Some of the most reasonably priced places are in the centro histórico. Ongoing renovations of its infrastructure and preservation of its numerous historic edifices have boosted the zone’s appeal, and it remains one of the more affordable areas.
More luxurious accommodations, including branches of some major international chains, are concentrated in Polanco and the Zona Rosa. In the trendy Roma and Condesa neighborhoods, the offerings are mostly chic boutique hotels, with a few budget hostels.
Midrange lodgings abound in the Alameda and Plaza de la República areas, though they tend to trade character for neutral modern comfort. (Note that places with the word ‘garage’ on the sign, or listing an hourly rate, generally cater to short-term guests.)
oCasa San IldefonsoHOSTEL$
(map Google map %55-5789-1999; www.casasanildefonso.com; San Ildefonso 38; dm/d M$300/800, s/tw without bathroom M$520/690, all incl breakfast; 
n
i
W; mZócalo)
A 19th-century building that most recently served as a storage facility for street vendors has been transformed into a cheerful hostel off a pedestrian thoroughfare. Unlike most downtown hostels, the high-ceiling dorms, private rooms and common areas here get wonderful sunlight. Guests have breakfast in a tranquil courtyard with a fountain, singing canaries and the gremlin-esque mascot Delfina. There’s a tiny single room for M$330.
Hostal ReginaHOSTEL$
(map Google map %55-5434-5817; www.hostalcentrohistoricoregina.com; Calle 5 de Febrero 53; d/q without bathroom M$450/1050, ste M$1300, all incl breakfast; niW; mIsabel La Católica)
Off the lively Regina corridor, this 18th-century historic building makes a great base to explore downtown. On offer are private rooms with wooden floors, high ceilings and shared bathrooms, and a two-story ‘suite’ that comfortably sleeps four. Guests socialize at the rooftop bar.
Mexico City HostelHOSTEL$
(map Google map %55-5512-3666; www.mexicocityhostel.com; República de Brasil 8; dm/tw incl breakfast M$190/600, tw without bathroom M$480; niW; mZócalo)
Steps from the Zócalo, this colonial-era structure has been artfully restored, with original wood beams and stone walls as a backdrop for modern, energy-efficient facilities. Spacious dorms have four or six sturdy bunk beds on terracotta floors. Immaculate bathrooms trimmed with azulejo (painted ceramic tiles) amply serve around 100 occupants.
Hotel CastropolBUSINESS HOTEL$
(map Google map %55-5522-1920; http://hotelcastropol.com; Av Pino Suárez 58; s/tw/tr M$500/550/600; nW; mPino Suárez)
Minimalist, spacious rooms for peso watchers are hard to come by when the Zócalo is in sight at the end of the street. Here you not only get loads of cleanliness, marble and a flat-screen TV, but also a handy budget restaurant and the bar-filled Regina corridor kicking it nearby.
Hotel IsabelHOTEL$
(map Google map %55-5518-1213; www.hotel-isabel.com.mx; Isabel La Católica 63; s/d/tr M$420/570/800, r without bathroom M$280-400; niW; gRepública del Salvador)
A longtime budget-traveler’s favorite, the Isabel offers large, well-scrubbed rooms with old but sturdy furniture, high ceilings and great (if noisy) balconies, plus a hostel-like social scene. Remodeled rooms cost a touch more. Single rooms with shared bathrooms are good value for the area.
Hostel Mundo Joven CatedralHOSTEL$
(map Google map %55-5518-1726; http://mundojovenhostels.com; República de Guatemala 4; dm M$230, d with/without bathroom M$640/550, all incl breakfast; niW; mZócalo)
Backpacker central, this HI affiliate is abuzz with a global rainbow of young travelers. Dorms are tidy and guests love the rooftop bar, but it’s not the quietest of hostels. ‘Quirky’ bonuses include a free 10-minute massage.
Chillout FlatB&B$$
(map Google map %55-5510-2665; www.chilloutflat.com.mx; Bolívar 8, Apt 102; s/d incl breakfast from M$950/1000; niW; mAllende)
Chill with other travelers in one of two downtown apartments that have been converted into colorful guesthouses with hardwood floors. Street-facing rooms in this lovely 1940s historic building have double-pane windows for noise reduction. Reservations a must.
Hotel CatedralBUSINESS HOTEL$$
(map Google map %55-5518-5232; www.hotelcatedral.com; Donceles 95; r incl breakfast M$1140-2000; pniW; mZócalo)
This comfortable lodging clearly benefits from its prime location in the heart of the centro histórico. Well-maintained rooms have flat-screens, desks, dark-wood furnishings and firm mattresses. For cityscape views, order a drink on the rooftop terrace.
Hotel GillowHOTEL$$
(map Google map %55-5518-1440; www.hotelgillow.com; Isabel La Católica 17; s/d/tw/ste M$840/900/1080/1140; niW; mAllende)
In a historic building, Hotel Gillow has friendly, old-fashioned service and remodeled rooms done up with faux-wood floors and flat-screen TVs. If available, request a double room with a private terrace.
Gran Hotel Ciudad de MéxicoHOTEL$$$
(map Google map %55-1083-7700; www.granhoteldelaciudaddemexico.com.mx; Av 16 de Sepiembre 82; r/ste incl breakfast from M$2275/3420; pn
aiW; mZócalo)
The Gran Hotel flaunts the French art nouveau style of the pre-revolution era. Crowned by a stained-glass canopy crafted by Tiffany in 1908, the atrium is a fin de siècle fantasy of curved balconies, wrought-iron elevators and chirping birds in giant cages. Rooms do not disappoint in comparison. Weekend brunch (M$250) is served on a terrace overlooking the Zócalo.
Breakfast deals and tour packages are available on the website. The hotel features in the James Bond film Spectre.
Hampton Inn & SuitesHOTEL$$$
(map Google map %55-8000-5000; www.hamptonmexicocity.com; Calle 5 de Febrero 24; r/ste incl breakfast from US$120/140; naiW; gIsabel La Católica)
This well-maintained historic gem underwent an elaborate makeover to preserve its facade and Talavera-tiled walls. Well-appointed rooms with contemporary furnishings surround a six-story atrium with a stained-glass ceiling. A good seafood restaurant shares the property.
Hotel Historico CentralHOTEL$$$
(map Google map %55-5130-5138; www.centralhoteles.com; Bolívar 28; d incl breakfast M$2916; pnaW; mAllende)
Occupying a restored 18th-century building in the historic center, this colonial-style hotel gives you plenty of bang for your buck. All of the well-appointed rooms come with complimentary breakfast as well as free sandwiches and coffee at the 24-hour on-site cafe. Nearby sister property Zocalo Central offers more affordable digs but without the free grub.
4Alameda Central & Around
Boutique offerings continue to spring up within strolling distance of the park and Bellas Artes to compete with a few international chain hotels along revitalized strips. By day the neighborhood bustles with shoppers, but after dark on weekdays it can feel a little too quiet in the backstreets.
Hotel MarloweHOTEL$$
(map Google map %55-5521-9540; www.hotelmarlowe.com.mx; Independencia 17; s/d/tw/ste M$900/1050/1130/1400; pniW; mSan Juan de Letrán)
Marlowe stands across from Chinatown’s pagoda gate. The lobby says modern, but the narrow, low-ceilinged rooms have brown-carpeted retro charm with marble bathrooms. Grab a suite for a larger, brighter room with small balcony. Fitness fans will appreciate the gym with a view.
ChayaBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(map Google map %55-5512-9074; www.chayabnb.com; Dr Mora 9, 3rd fl; d/tw/ste US$130/155/225; nW; mHidalgo)
Like a secret at the edge of Alameda Central, diminutive Chaya nestles on the top floor of an exquisite art deco building. Rooms exude utilitarian chicness, making slabs of gray, wood and cream look good. Plush beds and terrific Mexican breakfasts add to the feeling of escape within the city. Being so central brings occasional weekend noise from the park and bar below.
4Plaza de la República & Around
Further away from the Zócalo, the area around the Monumento a la Revolución is awash with hotels, with a number of dives interspersed amid the business-class establishments. The semi-residential zone offers glimpses of neighborhood life.
Hostel Suites DFHOSTEL$
(map Google map %55-5535-8117; www.facebook.com/hostelsuitesdf; Terán 38; dm M$240, d M$620-720, all incl breakfast; niW; gPlaza de la República)
Near the Monumento a la Revolución, this small HI-affiliated hostel offers pleasant common areas and a great central location that leaves you within walking distance of downtown. Dorm beds lack privacy curtains but have individual power points and bathrooms are spacious and clean.
Casa de los AmigosGUESTHOUSE$
(map Google map %55-7095-7413; www.casadelosamigos.org; Mariscal 132; dm/s/d without bathroom M$150/300/400; niW; mRevolución) 
S
The Quaker-run Casa is a guesthouse popular with NGO workers, activists and researchers, but it welcomes walk-in travelers too. Breakfast (M$35) is available and on Tuesday and Thursday guests can take free yoga or Spanish classes. You’re not allowed to smoke or drink alcohol in the house.
Plaza Revolución HotelHOTEL$$
(map Google map %55-5234-1910; www.hotelplazarevolucion.com; Terán 35; d/ste M$920/1100; pniW; gPlaza de la República)
On a quiet street four blocks east of Plaza de la República and Monumento a la Revolución, this glossy establishment is a stylish option in an area where cut-rate hotels are the norm. Modern rooms with wooden floors are done up in neutral colors and kept impeccably clean.
Palace HotelHOTEL$$
(map Google map %55-5566-2400; www.palace-hotel.com.mx; Ramírez 7; s/d/tw M$600/670/730; pniW; gPlaza de la República)
Run by gregarious Asturians, the Palace has large, neat rooms, some with broad balconies giving terrific views down palm-lined Ramírez to the domed Monumento a la Revolución. Request a street-facing room if you want brighter digs.
El Patio 77B&B$$$
(%55-5592-8452; www.elpatio77.com; Garcia Icazbalceta 77, Colonia San Rafael; ste incl breakfast from US$140; niW; mSan Cosme) S
Stay in a 19th-century mansion with eight tastefully appointed rooms, each decked out with crafts from a different Mexican state. Like that Huichol bead art or Oaxacan black ceramics in your room? Take them home with you – guests can purchase basically anything in the house that’s not bolted down. A daily-changing breakfast is served in the ecofriendly B&B’s pleasant patio.
4Zona Rosa & Around
Foreign businesspeople and tourists check in at the upscale hotels in this international commerce and nightlife area. Less-expensive establishments dot the quieter streets of Colonia Cuauhtémoc, north of Reforma, and Juárez, east of Insurgentes.
oCapsule HostelHOSTEL$
(map Google map %55-5207-7903; www.capsulehostel.com.mx; Hamburgo 41; dm/d without bathroom M$225/545; naW; gHamburgo)
This poshtel is less Japanese capsule hotel and more boutique hospital ward (with a similar level of cleanliness). Curtains wrap around the large dorm beds for privacy. Modern furnishings and surprisingly quiet rooms (request one away from the street) provide an excellent budget option (finally) near the embassies and action of Zona Rosa.
oCasa GonzálezGUESTHOUSE$$
(map Google map %55-5514-3302; https://hotelcasagonzalez.com; Río Sena 69; d/tw/ste M$1095/1695/1395; pnaiW; gReforma)
A family-run operation for nearly a century, the Casa is a perennial hit with travelers seeking peace and quiet. Set around several flower-filled patios and semiprivate terraces, it’s extraordinarily tranquil. Original portraits and landscapes decorate some rooms, apparently done by a guest in lieu of payment.
Hotel María CristinaHOTEL$$
(map Google map %55-5703-1212; www.hotelmariacristina.com.mx; Río Lerma 31; d/ste from M$995/1375; pnaiW; gReforma)
Hotel BristolBUSINESS HOTEL$$
(map Google map %55-5533-6060; www.hotelbristol.com.mx; Plaza Necaxa 17; d/ste M$1260/1670; pnaiW; gReforma)
A good-value option in the pleasant and central Cuauhtémoc neighborhood, the Bristol caters primarily to business travelers. Carpeted rooms are done in soothing colors and there’s an above-average restaurant.
Hotel GeneveHOTEL$$$
(map Google map %55-5080-0800; www.hotelgeneve.com.mx; Londres 130; d/ste incl breakfast from M$3600/3980; pnaiW; mInsurgentes)
This Zona Rosa institution strives to maintain a belle epoque ambience despite the globalized mishmash around it. The lobby exudes class, with dark-wood paneling, oil canvases and high bookshelves. Rooms in the hotel’s older rear section get a more pronounced colonial treatment, especially the ‘vintage suites.’
Hotel Cityexpress EBC ReformaBUSINESS HOTEL$$$
(map Google map %55-1102-0280; www.cityexpress.com.mx; Havre 21; d/tw incl breakfast M$1800/1925; pnaiW; gHamburgo)
The Cityexpress emphasizes functionality, providing a comfortable bed, desk, safe, black-out blinds and an on-site gym, but the decor and warm lighting here outshine the neutral-modern look favored by most hotels in this price category. It’s conveniently next to a shopping plaza, Zona Rosa bars and Reforma’s embassies.
Hotel Suites AmberesAPARTMENT$$$
(map Google map %55-5533-1306; www.suitesamberes.com; Amberes 64; d/tr/q M$1800/2250/2610; pnW; mInsurgentes)
Sure to please families and small groups, the suites here are basically large one- and two-bedroom apartments with fully equipped kitchens, dining rooms and sofa beds. Street-facing rooms have the added plus of balconies. On the top floor you’ll find a sun deck, gym and sauna room.
4Condesa
Thanks to the recent appearance of several attractive lodgings, this neighborhood south of Bosque de Chapultepec makes an excellent leafy base with plenty of after-hours restaurants, bars and cafes.
oGaelHOSTEL$
(map Google map %55-5919-1437; www.gaelcondesa.com; Nuevo León 179, Colonia Condesa; dm incl breakfast M$270-290; mChilpancingo)
In fancy Condesa, budget digs of this quality are hard to come by. Helpful English-speaking staff are quick to point out the co-working space for digital nomads and the rooftop terrace. The small neat dorms have individual privacy curtains and provide a tranquil rest. It’s in a safe area near the metro and ample eating options.
Stayinn Barefoot HostelHOSTEL$
(map Google map %55-6286-3000; www.facebook.com/stayinnbarefoot; Juan Escutia 125; dm/d incl breakfast from M$340/990; nW; mChapultepec)
On the edge of Condesa, this artfully designed hostel is a breath of fresh air for a neighborhood lacking in budget accommodations. The cheerful lobby is done up in colorful mismatched tile floors and vintage furniture, while upstairs guests have use of a rooftop terrace. The Barefoot’s welcoming mezcal bar seals the deal.
oRed Tree HouseB&B$$$
(map Google map %55-5584-3829; www.theredtreehouse.com; Culiacán 6; s/d/ste incl breakfast from US$115/150/175; nW; gCampeche)
Condesa’s first B&B has all the comforts of home, if your home happens to be decorated with exquisite taste. Each of the 17 bedrooms and suites is uniquely furnished, and the roomy penthouse has a private patio. Downstairs, guests have the run of a cozy living room and lovely rear garden, the domain of friendly pooch Abril.
The Red Tree also has five pleasant rooms in a house located a half-block away on Citlaltépetl.
oVilla CondesaBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(map Google map %55-5211-4892; www.villacondesa.com.mx; Colima 428; r incl breakfast from US$208; nW; mChapultepec)
You can say adiós to hectic Mexico City from the moment you set foot in the Villa’s leafy lobby. The 14 rooms in this striking historic building combine classic touches (each has a piece of antique furniture) with the modern trappings of a first-rate hotel. Reservations required; children under 12 not allowed. Guests have free use of bicycles.
oCasa ComtesseB&B$$$
(map Google map %55-5277-5418; www.casacomtesse.com; Benjamín Franklin 197; r incl breakfast from M$1245; pniW; gEscandón)
Run by an amiable French owner, this 1940s historic building houses eight rooms adorned with tasteful art and furnishings and a parquet-floored dining area where guests mingle over exceptionally good breakfasts that include quality pastries and fruit. Staff go out of their way to look after guests, helping plan an itinerary or affordable tours to the Teotihuacán ruins, or organizing mezcal tastings in the small bar.
The Casa also has a graphic-arts gallery with interesting works by Mexican artists.
4Roma
Most of the places to stay in Roma are in the thick of things, with a slew of galleries, sidewalk cafes and bars within walking distance, and with more-upmarket Condesa conveniently nearby, you’ll find more than enough late-night distractions.
oHostel HomeHOSTEL$
(map Google map %55-5511-1683; www.hostelhome.com.mx; Tabasco 303; dm incl breakfast M$250, r without bathroom M$600; niW; gDurango)
Housed in a fine porfiriato-era building and managed by easygoing, English-speaking staff, this 20-bed hostel is on the narrow tree-lined Calle Tabasco, a gateway to the Roma neighborhood.
Hostel 333HOSTEL$
(map Google map %55-6840-6483; www.hostel333.com; Colima 333; dm incl breakfast M$220-250; iW; gDurango)
Guests revel in fiestas, barbecues and occasional gigs on a pleasant rooftop patio flanked by potted plants. Opt for neat dorm rooms or private digs with shared bathrooms at this renovated hostel with a clean shared kitchen. Sociable staff will point you toward the best local taco joints and bars, and may even join you.
Hotel MilánHOTEL$$
(map Google map %55-5584-0222; www.hotelmilan.com.mx; Álvaro Obregón 94; s/d M$685/715; pnaiW; gÁlvaro Obregón)
Sitting on the main corridor of bohemian Roma, the Milán goes for minimalist decor and contemporary art in its lobby. Well-maintained, small rooms come with quality bedding and feature bright bathrooms. One of the best-value modern options in the area.
Hotel StanzaBUSINESS HOTEL$$$
(map Google map %55-5208-0052; www.stanzahotel.com; Álvaro Obregón 13; r/ste from M$1690/2140; pnaiW; gJardín Pushkin)
At the east end of Álvaro Obregón, the Stanza has its own restaurant and gym and makes a cushy base on the edge of Roma’s hip restaurant and bar scene.
Casa de la CondesaAPARTMENT$$$
(map Google map %55-5584-3089; www.casadelacondesa.net; Plaza Luis Cabrera 16; ste incl breakfast from M$1400; naW; gÁlvaro Obregón)
Right on delightful Plaza Luis Cabrera, the Casa makes a tranquil base for visitors on an extended stay, offering ‘suites’ that are more like studio apartments with kitchens. If the colorful furnishings and family-owned paintings feel too much like grandma’s house, opt for the chic minimal penthouse. Call for weekly rates.
La CasonaBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(map Google map %55-5286-3001; www.hotellacasona.com.mx; Durango 280; r incl breakfast US$150; naW; mSevilla)
This stately mansion has been restored to its early-20th-century splendor to become one of the capital’s most distinctive boutique hotels. Each of the 29 rooms is uniquely appointed with stylish wallpaper, ornate furniture and decorative musical instruments and artworks to bring out European charm.
4Polanco
North of Bosque de Chapultepec, Polanco has excellent business and boutique hotel accommodations, but very little to offer if you’re pinching pesos.
Casa CastelarAPARTMENT$$$
(map Google map %55-5281-4990; www.casacastelar.com; Av Castelar 34; ste incl breakfast from US$184; niW; mAuditorio)
An affordable option by Polanco standards, the large comfy suites give you plenty of bang for your buck with minimalist designer furniture and quality plush bedding. The well-maintained Castelar has no common areas, but breakfast is served to your door. Chapultepec park’s main sights are within walking distance.
Hábita HotelBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(map Google map %55-5282-3100; www.hotelhabita.com; Av Presidente Masaryk 201; d incl breakfast from US$280; pnaW
s; mPolanco)
Architect Enrique Norten turned a functional apartment building into a smart boutique hotel. Decor in the 36 rooms is boldly minimalist and the most economical digs measure 20 sq meters (call them cozy or just plain small). The rooftop bar, Área, is a hot nightspot.
W Mexico CityDESIGN HOTEL$$$
(map Google map %55-9138-1800; www.wmexicocity.com; Campos Elíseos 252; r US$230-570; pnaiW; mAuditorio)
One of the four sentinels opposite the Auditorio Nacional, this 25-floor designer business hotel is determined to break away from the stodginess of its neighbors. Cherry- and ebony-colored rooms feature silken hammocks hanging in the shower area. Rates drop considerably on Friday and Saturday.
4Xochimilco
MichmaniCAMPGROUND$
(%55-5489-7773, cell 55-5591 4775; www.facebook.com/parqueecoturisticomichmani; Embarcadero Cuemanco, off Anillo Periférico Sur; campsites per person incl tent M$150, cabin M$650; p) S
In Xochimilco, the ecotourism center Michmani arranges stays at La Llorona Cihuacoatl campground, which sits on a peaceful off-grid chinampa. The center rents out tents, but you’ll have to bring a sleeping bag, or you can stay in a tiny rustic cabin with two beds. Also available are barbecue grills and temascals (steam baths; M$250).
To get here, go to metro General Anaya and exit the station on the east side of Calzada de Tlalpan, then walk 50m north to catch a ‘Tláhuac Paradero’ pesero. Get off at the Embarcadero Cuemanco entrance and walk about 1km to Michmani, just beyond the embarcadero. From there a boat will take you to La Llorona.
4Coyoacán & Ciudad Universitaria
The southern community has limited budget options but several appealing guesthouses. Check with the Coyoacán tourist office about short-term homestays.
Hostal Cuija CoyoacánHOSTEL$
(map Google map %55-5659-9310; www.hostalcuijacoyoacan.com; Berlín 268; dm/d incl breakfast M$260/900; niW; mCoyoacán)
This lizard-themed (for the roaming critters in the garden) HI hostel offers a clean and affordable base to check out Coyoacán’s nearby sights. The house has pleasant common areas, but don’t expect the smallish dorms and private rooms to wow you.
El Cenote AzulHOSTEL$
(%55-5554-8730; Alfonso Pruneda 24, Colonia Copilco el Alto; dm M$250; nW; mCopilco)
This laid-back hostel near the UNAM campus has six neatly kept four- or two-bed rooms sharing three Talavera-tiled bathrooms. The downstairs bar of the same name is a popular hangout for university students. It’s tucked away off Privada Ezequiel Ordoñes. Monthly deals are available.
oChalet del CarmenGUESTHOUSE$$
(map Google map %55-5554-9572; www.chaletdelcarmen.com; Guerrero 94; s/d/ste from M$875/1175/1475; nW; mCoyoacán) S
Run by a friendly Coyoacán native and his Swiss wife, this ecofriendly house strikes a warm blend of Mexican and European aesthetics. On offer are five rooms and two suites with antique furnishings and brilliant natural lighting. Guests have use of a kitchen and bicycles. Reservations a must.
Hostal FridaGUESTHOUSE$$
(map Google map %55-5659-7005; www.hostalfridabyb.com; Mina 54; d/tr M$650/870; nW; mCoyoacán)
Don’t let the ‘hostal’ tag fool you: this family-run place has well-appointed rooms more along the lines of a guesthouse. Each of the six wooden-floored doubles occupies its own level in adjacent structures, and three come with kitchens. Wi-fi is fast. Monthly rates available.
4Airport
Hotel AeropuertoHOTEL$$
(%55-5785-5318; www.hotelaeropuerto.com.mx; Blvd Puerto Aéreo 388; d/tw M$1000/1200; pnaW; mTerminal Aérea)
Although there are several upscale hotels linked to the terminals, this affordable hotel across the street serves just fine for weary travelers. The only nonchain in the zone, it has helpful reception staff and neutral modern rooms, some overlooking the airport runway through soundproof windows.
Turn left outside the domestic terminal, and past the metro take a left onto Blvd Puerto Aéreo crossing the pedestrian bridge.
5Eating
The capital offers eateries for all tastes and budgets, from soulful taco stalls to gourmet restaurants. Most of the hottest venues for contemporary cuisine show up in Roma, Condesa and Polanco.
Though places on the perimeter of the Alameda cater to tourists, head down Luis Moya or along Ayuntamiento, south of the Alameda, for pockets of the neighborhood’s rustic heritage in the form of torta (sandwich) stands and chicken-soup vendors. Mexico City’s modest Barrio Chino (Chinatown) covers a single paper-lantern-strung block of Calle Dolores, one block south of the park, but its mediocre restaurants are best avoided.
While the Zona Rosa is packed with places to eat and drink, with few exceptions the area is dominated by uninspiring ‘international’ fare and fast-food franchises, though increasingly there are excellent Korean and Japanese options here. North of Paseo de la Reforma, many new restaurants, good cafes and bars are cropping up in the Colonia Cuauhtémoc.
La Condesa has dozens upon dozens of informal bistros and cafes – many with sidewalk tables – competing for business along several key streets. The neighborhood’s restaurant zone is at the convergence of Michoacán, Vicente Suárez and Tamaulipas; many good establishments ring Parque México.
5Centro Histórico
oLos CocuyosTACOS$
(map Google map Bolívar 54; tacos M$12-18; h10am-6am; mSan Juan de Letrán)
Suadero (beef) tacos abound in the capital, but this place reigns supreme. Follow your nose to the bubbling vat of meats and go for the artery-choking campechano (mixed beef and sausage taco). For the more adventurous eater, there are ojo (eye) or lengua (tongue) tacos; for vegetarians, there are nopales.
Café El PopularCAFE$
(map Google map %55-5518-6081; Av 5 de Mayo 52; breakfast M$43-68; h24hr; 
v; mAllende)
So popular was this tiny round-the-clock cafe that another more amply proportioned branch was opened next door. Fresh pastries, café con leche (coffee with milk) and good combination breakfasts are the main attractions.
Los VegetarianosVEGETARIAN$
(map Google map %55-5521-6880; www.facebook.com/losvegetarianosdemadero; Av Madero 56; set lunch M$75-95; h8am-8pm; v; mZócalo)
Despite its austere entrance, this is a lively upstairs restaurant where a pianist plinks out old favorites. The meat-free menu includes a variations on Mexican standards, such as chile en nogada (stuffed green chilies) filled with soy meat, and there are vegan options as well.
Mercado San CamilitoMARKET$
(map Google map Plaza Garibaldi; pozoles M$65-80; h24hr; p; mGaribaldi)
This block-long building contains more than 70 kitchens preparing, among other items, Jalisco-style pozole (a broth brimming with hominy kernels and pork) served with garnishes such as radish and oregano – specify maciza (meat) if pig noses and ears fail to excite you.
oHostería de Santo DomingoMEXICAN$$
(map Google map %55-5526-5276; http://hosteriasantodomingo.mx; Belisario Domínguez 72; chile en nogada M$220, mains M$90-230; h9am-10:30pm Mon-Sat, to 9pm Sun; W; gRepública de Chile)
Whipping up classic Mexican fare since 1860, Mexico City’s oldest restaurant has a festive atmosphere, enhanced by live piano music. The menu offers numerous dishes, but everyone comes here for the chile en nogada (an enormous poblano chili pepper stuffed with ground meat, dried fruit and bathed in a creamy walnut sauce). Beware: rumor has it the building is haunted.
Al AndalusMIDDLE EASTERN$$
(map Google map %55-5522-2528; m_andalus171@yahoo.com.mx; Mesones 171; mains M$80-220; h9am-6pm; mPino Suárez)
In a superb colonial-era mansion in the Merced textile district, Al Andalus caters to the capital’s substantial Lebanese community with old standbys such as shawarma, falafel, baba ganoush, vine leaves, baklava and thick coffee.
Café de TacubaMEXICAN$$
(map Google map %55-5521-2048; www.cafedetacuba.com.mx; Tacuba 28; mains M$100-280, 4-course lunch M$275; h8am-11:30pm; W; mAllende)
Before the band there was the restaurant. Way before. A fantasy of colored tiles, brass lamps and oil paintings, this Mexican icon has served antojitos (snacks such as tacos and sopes – corn tortillas layered with beans, cheese and other ingredients) since 1912. Lively estudiantinas (student musical groups) entertain the dinner crowd Wednesday through Sunday.
Casino EspañolSPANISH$$
(map Google map %55-5521-8894; www.cassatt.mx; Isabel La Católica 29; 4-course lunch M$165, mains M$134-295; h1-6pm Mon-Fri, restaurant also 8am-noon daily; W; mZócalo)
This old Spanish social center, housed in a fabulous porfiriato-era building, has a popular mesón (cantina-style eatery) downstairs, where the courses keep coming, and an elegant restaurant upstairs, which features classic Spanish fare such as paella valenciana (paella Valencia-style).
oEl CardenalMEXICAN$$$
(map Google map %55-5521-8815; www.restauranteelcardenal.com; Palma 23; breakfast M$75-95, lunch & dinner M$130-250; h8am-6:30pm Mon-Sat, from 8:30am Sun; pW; mZócalo)
Possibly the finest place in town for a traditional meal, El Cardenal occupies three floors of a Parisian-style mansion and has a pianist playing sweetly in the background. Breakfast is a must, served with a tray of just-baked sweet rolls and a pitcher of frothy, semi-sweet chocolate. For lunch the house specialty is the pecho de ternera (oven-roasted veal breast).
The latest branch, El Cardenal San Ángel (map Google map %55-5550-0293; Av de la Paz 32; breakfast M$75-95, lunch & dinner M$130-250; h8am-8pm Mon-Sat, 8:30am-6:30pm Sun; pW; gLa Bombilla), is in the south.
Azul HistóricoMEXICAN$$$
(map Google map %55-5510-1316; www.azul.rest; Isabel La Católica 30; mains M$160-330; h9am-11:30pm; pW; mZócalo)
Chef Ricardo Muñoz reinvents traditional Mexican recipes such as pescado tikin xic (a grouper dish from the Yucatán with plantain and tortilla strips). This branch is in a beautiful complex of converted buildings and diners eat in an inner-courtyard among trees and romantic lighting, enclosed by stone archways.
Los GirasolesMEXICAN$$$
(map Google map %55-5510-0630; www.restaurantelosgirasoles.com.mx; Tacuba 7, Plaza Tolsá; mains M$175-239; h8:30am-9pm Sun & Mon, to 10:30pm Tue-Sat; pW; mAllende)
La Casa de las SirenasMEXICAN$$$
(map Google map %55-5704-3345; www.lacasadelassirenas.com.mx; República de Guatemala 32; mains M$240-310; h11am-11pm Mon-Sat, to 7pm Sun; W; mZócalo)
Housed in a 17th-century relic, Sirenas has a top-floor terrace that looks toward the Zócalo via the Plaza del Templo Mayor. It’s an ideal perch to enjoy regional dishes prepared with contemporary flair, such as chicken bathed in pumpkin seed mole.
AROUND MEXICO ON A PLATE
Pasillo de Humo (map Google map www.facebook.com/pasillodehumo; Av Nuevo León 107, Colonia Condesa; appetizers M$76-128, mains M$102-258; h9am-7pm; v; gCampeche) If you can’t make it to culinary capital Oaxaca, here’s your chance to delve into authentic traditional cuisine from the region. You might try the sopa oaxaqueña (a delectable bean soup), molotes istemeños (plantain balls in mole sauce) or tlayudas (large tortillas filled with cheese, beans and aromatic herbs). The lovely dining area gets plenty of natural light. The restaurant is on the 2nd floor of upscale food market Parián Condesa.
Coox Hanal (map Google map %55-5709-3613; Isabel La Católica 83, 2nd fl; mains M$65-135; h10:30am-6:30pm; pW; mIsabel La Católica) Started in 1953 by boxer Raúl Salazar, this establishment prepares Yucatecan fare just as it’s done in don Raúl’s hometown of Mérida. The sopa de lima (lime soup with chicken), papadzules (tacos stuffed with chopped hard-boiled egg and topped with pumpkin seed sauce) and cochinita pibil (pit-cooked pork) are top-notch. Tables are set with the obligatory four-alarm habanero salsa.
Los Tolucos (%55-5440-3318; Hernández y Dávalos 40, cnr Bolívar, Colonia Algarín; pozoles M$65-80; h10am-9pm; p; mLázaro Cárdenas) A popular local favorite for some of the best pozole (hominy and pork stew) in Mexico City. The Guerrero-style green pozole here has been drawing people from far and wide for more than four decades. It’s three blocks east of metro Lázaro Cárdenas.
Yuban (map Google map www.yuban.mx; Colima 268; appetizers M$80-120, mains M$180-270; h1:30-11pm Mon-Thu, to midnight Fri & Sat, to 6pm Sun; W; gDurango) Savor Oaxaca-inspired, elevated flavors such as exquisite moles and tlayudas (large tortillas folded over chorizo and cheese), chapulin tacos and some darn-good mezcals. An adjoining venue stages plays and screens Mexican indie flicks.
La Polar (%55-5546-5066; www.lapolar.mx; Guillermo Prieto 129, Colonia San Rafael; birria M$130; h7am-2am; p; mNormal) Run by a family from Ocotlán, Jalisco, this boisterous beer hall has essentially one item on the menu: birria (spiced goat stew). La Polar’s version of this Guadalajara favorite is considered the best in town. Spirits are raised further by noisy mariachis and norteña combos who work the half-dozen salons here.
Tamales Chiapanecos María Geraldine (map Google map %55-5608-8993; Plaza Hidalgo, Coyoacán; tamales M$35; h10am-10pm Sat & Sun; mCoyoacán) At the passageway next to the arched wing of San Juan Bautista church, look for these incredible tamales by Chiapas native doña María Geraldine. Wrapped in banana leaves, stuffed with ingredients such as olives, prunes and almonds, and laced with sublime salsas, they’re a meal in themselves.
5Alameda Central & Around
El HuequitoTACOS$
(map Google map www.elhuequito.com.mx; Ayuntamiento 21; tacos al pastor M$17; h8am-10pm; gPlaza San Juan)
These old pros have been churning out delectable tacos al pastor (marinated pork roasted on a spit) since 1959, thus the higher than average asking price. Several downtown Huequito branches offer the sit-down experience, but for some reason the tacos are better here at the original hole-in-the-wall location.
El CuadriláteroSANDWICHES$
(map Google map %55-5510-2856; Luis Moya 73; tortas M$72-95; h7am-8pm Mon-Sat; gPlaza San Juan)
Owned by wrestler Super Astro, this torta joint features a shrine to lucha libre (Mexican wrestling) masks. The mother of all tortas, the 1.3kg cholesterol-packed Torta Gladiador (egg, sausage, bacon, beef, chicken and hot dog) is free if you can gobble it in 15 minutes – only 99 people have managed it in over two decades. If the torta defeats you, it costs M$255.
Mi FondaSPANISH$
(map Google map %55-5521-0002; López 101; paella M$75; h11am-5pm Tue-Sun; gPlaza San Juan)
Working-class chilangos line up for their share of paella valenciana, made fresh daily and patiently ladled out by women in white bonnets. Jesús from Cantabria oversees the proceedings.
oEl 123ASIAN$$
(map Google map %55-5512-1772; www.123comidatienda.com; Artículo 123; mains M$110-220; h9am-11pm Mon-Sat, to 9pm Sun; Wv; mJuárez)
Good Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese food like this is rare in el centro. Equally so, this cafe-restaurant-gift shop’s cool antique-store design, which reveals its relationship to the sister Mog Bistro restaurant in Roma. The same dependable sushi, green curry and green-tea mochi (glutinous rice cake) ice creams stand out here. Cash only.
oEl Lugar Sin NombreMEXICAN$$$
(map Google map Luis Moya 31; mains M$175-200; h7pm-midnight Tue-Sat)
Too good to keep hidden, the ‘restaurant with no name,’ next to mezcalaría Bósfaro, prepares handcrafted Mexican, slow-food dishes such as conejo encacahuatado (biodynamic rabbit in peanut salsa with sweet potato) and pulpo en morita (grilled squid with fruity smoked chilies) in earthenware cookware. Select ingredients are sourced from across Mexico and the industrial-chic atmosphere is just as charming. Spread the word. There is no phone number, website or reservations.
5Plaza de la República & Around
Gotan RestauranteARGENTINE$$
(map Google map %55-5535-2136; www.gotan.com.mx; Baranda 17, Colonia Tabacalera; mains M$70-220; h10am-8:30pm Mon-Fri; W; gPlaza de la República)
One of the best and most authentic Argentine restaurants in town, owned by a kind Buenos Aires native and her Mexican husband. It’s all about the details here: bread is baked daily and the meats and other key ingredients are imported from Argentina. Don’t leave without trying the postre de la nonna, a delightful caramel custard.
5Zona Rosa & Around
oCafé NiNFRENCH$
(map Google map %55-5207-7605; www.rosetta.com.mx; Havre 73, Colonia Zona Rosa; snacks/mains from M$10/130; h7am-11pm Mon-Sat, 7:30am-5pm Sun; Wv; mInsurgentes)
This golden cafe-restaurant looks plucked from belle epoque Paris with glorious patisserie and bakery treats as part of the Rosetta Panadería empire by day. The bar is great for coffee, sandwiches or solo egg brunches. A newer food menu brings European fusion to pork belly with plantains and cilantro or green curry grouper fish. Save room for the grapefruit panna cotta.
Yug VegetarianoVEGETARIAN$
(map Google map %55-5333-3296; www.lovegetariano.com; Varsovia 3; buffet lunch M$105-120, mains M$67-80; h7:30am-9pm Mon-Fri, 8:30am-8pm Sat & Sun; Wv; mSevilla)
The mostly Mexican menu is taste-bud heaven for vegetarians and vast enough for most carnivorous folk to find something they fancy. Choose from specialties such as squash-flower crepes, or gorge on the buffet lunch (1pm to 5pm) upstairs, with all-you-can-eat simple mains, salads, soup and sugarless drinks. Yug’s old-world decor attracts an unpretentious local crowd.
Carnitas El AzulMEXICAN$
(map Google map El Capote; www.facebook.com/tacoselazul; Av Chapultepec 317, btwn Genova & Amberes, Colonia Juárez; tacos M$7-12, tortas M$18; h9am-5pm Mon-Sat, to 4pm Sun; mInsurgentes)
Blink an eye and you’ll walk right past this nondescript carnitas joint. El Azul (real name Rubén) has been slinging tacos de carnitas (pork simmered in lard) for more than 35 years and he has drawn praise from some of Mexico City’s top chefs. Try the costilla (rib) tacos.
WanWan SakabaJAPANESE$$
(map Google map %55-5514-4324; www.facebook.com/wanwansakaba; Londres 209; set lunch M$130-190, mains M$95-290; h1-11pm Mon-Sat; av; mInsurgentes)
The city’s most authentic Japanese izakaya (pub-eatery) is casual enough to tuck into ramen at the bar (no tables here) with the mostly Japanese diners. Set lunches include perfectly simple grilled salmon, while the gyoza (pork dumplings) and the sake (rice wine) are Tokyo-good.
RokaiJAPANESE$$$
(map Google map %55-5207-7543; www.edokobayashi.com; Río Ebro 87, Colonia Cuauhtémoc; tasting menu M$1200-1800; h1-4:30pm & 7-10:30pm Mon-Sat, 1pm-5:30pm Sun; W; mInsurgentes)
Rokai takes Japanese food to a new level in Mexico City. Opt for the ‘omakase,’ a changing tasting menu consisting of meticulously prepared dishes, including fresh sushi and sashimi. Each course (there are up to nine) leaves you wanting more. The same owners run ramen restaurant Rokai Ramen-Ya next door if you’re looking for something cheaper (ramen M$185). Reserve ahead.
TezkaINTERNATIONAL$$$
(map Google map %55-9149-3000; www.tezka.com.mx; Amberes 78; mains M$155-420, tasting menu M$560; h1-5pm & 8-11pm Mon-Fri, 1-6pm Sat & Sun; pW; mInsurgentes)
Specializing in contemporary Basque cuisine, elegant but bistro-relaxed Tezka ranks among Mexico City’s finest restaurants. The regularly changing menu features elaborate dishes such as lamb glazed in coffee with potatoes in a vanilla sauce, and duck puff-pastry stuffed with raspberries. Or dabble in the four-course tasting menu (two appetizers, a main dish and dessert).
Don AsadoSTEAK$$$
(map Google map www.donasado.com.mx; Río Lerma 210; mains M$160-280; h1-11pm Tue-Sat, to 7:30pm Sun; W; mSevilla)
One of the best and most reasonably priced steakhouses in town. Uruguayan-owned Don Asado rocks a large wood-burning grill to cook juicy cuts such as its popular vacio con piel (tender flank steak with a crispy outer layer of fat) or bife de chorizo (New York strip steak). Vegetarian options include handmade pasta and empanadas (turnovers).