Things to do in  Mexico City

Known as the City of the Gods, Teotihuacán was the metropolis of a mysterious Mesoamerican civilization who believed that the gods were created here. This ancient Mesoamerican city, which covered about 5.4 square miles, reached its zenith around AD 100. Once the largest city in central Mexico but abandoned centuries before the arrival of the Aztecs, the pre-Columbian archaeological site of Teotihuacán boasts towering pyramids and stone temples with detailed statues and intricate murals.

Known as the Blue House (La Casa Azul) for its bold blue façade, the Frida Kahlo Museum (Museo Frida Kahlo) was the birthplace and childhood home of the well-known Mexican artist. Inside, the fascinating collection of personal items, furnishings, sketches, and paintings offer insight into both the life and art of Frida Kahlo.

With its brightly painted flat-bottomed boats called trajineras, traditional chinampas (floating gardens), and network of flower-perfumed canals, Xochimilco—the "Flower Garden"—is the kind of place that will have you reaching for your camera at every turn.

Among the most visited Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world, the Shrine of Guadalupe atop Tepeyac Hill in Mexico City honors the legendary 16th-century appearance of the Virgin Mary to Juan Diego, a local peasant. The shrine, also known as the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe), is devoted to the patron saint of Mexico.

Coyoacán, one of Mexico City’s oldest districts, is alive with color and culture. Centered around twin plazas perfect for people watching—Plaza Hidalgo and Jardín Centenario—Coyoacán is characterized by museums, quaint cobblestone streets, and roadside churro vendors.

As Mexico City’s major cultural center, the Palacio de Bellas Artes hosts art exhibitions and a range of live events, including music, dance, theater, and opera. The building is a mix of art nouveau, art deco, and baroque architectural styles referred to as Porfiriano, after Mexican President Porfirio Diaz who commissioned the project.

Mexico City’s Plaza de la Constitución, better known as the Zócalo, is the cultural and historic heart of the city. This large open-air square in the Centro Historico is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the city's top attractions, including Metropolitan Cathedral, National Palace, and Great Temple archaeological site and museum.

Chapultepec Castle is the only palace on the continent and one of the most iconic in all of Latin America. It sits more than 7,000 feet (2,133 meters) above sea level in Mexico City’s Chapultepec Park. It has housed royalty, served as a military academy, and was even an observatory. In 1996, stage directors and set designers transformed the castle into Capulet Mansion for the movie Romeo + Juliet starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Considered one of the world’s most comprehensive natural history museums, the National Museum of Anthropology (Museo Nacional de Antropología) is the most visited museum in Mexico City. Its collection includes notable historical items such as the Aztec Stone of the Sun, the giant carved heads of the Olmec people, and the Aztec Xochipilli statue.

Built on the site of the ancient Aztec city of Tenochtitlán, the Centro Historico is both the historical heart and the modern epicenter of Mexico City, dating back to 1325. The 6-square mile (9.7-square kilometers) is centered on the grand Zócalo—Plaza de la Constitución— and is preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, full of historic monuments, museums, parks, and hotels.

Built on Aztec temple ruins, no building better exemplifies the history of Mexico City than the Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana). The vast stone edifice blends architectural styles and building innovations across four centuries. Highlights include the gilded Altar of Forgiveness and the painted canvases lining the sacristy.

What remains of the Aztecs’ Great Temple (Templo Mayor) sits right in the middle of Mexico City, but many tourists miss it. In 1978, a massive, 8-ton (7,000-kilogram) stone depicting Coyolxauhqui (the Aztec goddess of the moon) was unearthed, marking the location of the temple, a gathering place sacred for the Aztecs during the 1300s and 1400s.

Once the largest lucha libre venue in Mexico, Arena Mexico remains one of the most atmospheric places to attend a Mexican wrestling spectacular. Three nights a week, watch the goodies face off against the baddies during this sporting-slash-entertainment event unique to Mexico, cheer for your masked luchador of choice, and suspend disbelief as the wrestlers work through a series of acrobatic bouts at Arena Mexico.

The National Palace (Palacio Nacional) has served as the seat of the Mexican federal government since the age of the Aztecs. Although it’s a working building with many offices that are off limits to visitors, there’s still plenty to explore and admire, including Diego Rivera’s famous panoramic mural, The History of Mexico.

Chapultepec Park, named for the Aztec word chapoltepec (at the grasshopper’s hill), is one of the world's largest city parks. The green space spans 1,695 acres (686 hectares) and is dissected by walking paths connecting quiet ponds, monumental buildings, and museums, including the Museum of Anthropology and the Rufino Tamayo Museum.