Why Go?Much-maligned Mexico City is cleaning up its act these days. Revamped public spaces are springing back to life, the culinary scene is exploding and a cultural renaissance is flourishing. And here’s the kicker: by somehow managing to distance itself from the drug war, the nation’s capital has emerged as a ‘safe haven’ of sorts.

Remember that Mexico City is, and has ever been, the sun in the Mexican solar system. A stroll through the buzzing downtown area reveals the capital’s storied history, from its pre-Hispanic underpinnings and colonial-era splendor to its contemporary edge. Organized chaos rules in this high- octane megalopolis, yet rest assured that the city offers plenty of escape valves in the way of old-school cantinas, in-triguing museums, dramatic murals and boating excursions along ancient canals. With all that and so much more going on, you just might be swayed to scrap those beach plans.

%55 / PoP 20.1 million / ElEv 2240m

Mexico City

When to Go

Late Mar–Apr Vacationing chi-langos clear out for Easter, leaving the city remark-ably calm.

Mar The centro’s streets become lively stages for cultural events during the Festi-val de México.

Nov Rainy season ends and the month begins with colorful Day of the Dead festivities.

F DNOSAJJMAMJ

Mexico City°C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm

0/32

10/50

20/68

30/86

40/104

0

8/200

16/400

24/600

Best Places to Eat¨¨ Pujol (p116)

¨¨ El Hidalguense (p114)

¨¨ maximo Bistrot local (p115)

¨¨ los Cocuyos (p108)

¨¨ Hostería de Santo Domingo (p109)

Best Places to Stay¨¨ Red Tree House (p105)

¨¨ Casa San ildefonso (p102)

¨¨ villa Condesa (p106)

¨¨ Casa Comtesse (p105)

¨¨ Chalet del Carmen (p107)

Sights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65Activities . . . . . . . . . . .100Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100Festivals & Events . . . 101Sleeping . . . . . . . . . . . 101Eating . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108Drinking & Nightlife. . 118Entertainment . . . . . . 123Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . 127Information . . . . . . . . .129Getting There & Away . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132Getting Around. . . . . .136

©Lonely¨Planet¨Publications¨Pty¨Ltd

63

6666

666666

6

1 1

1 1

1 1

1 1

1

1

1

1

6666

1

1

1

66666666666666

6666

#ä

#æ

#

#

#

â

â

â

CountryClub

CiudadUniversitaria

(UNAM)

Bosque deTlalpan

ReservaEcológica

del Pedregal

Bosque deChapultepec1a Sección

Viverosde Coyoacán

Bosque deChapultepec2a Sección

Cuevas

Av del Imán

Av C

uauh

tém

oc

Av U

nive

rsid

ad

Av San Anto n

io

Calz Ermita Iztapalapa

Av Azt

ecas

Av Tasqueña

Av P

resi

dent

e C

alle

s

Av División del N

orteViaducto Miguel Alemán

Av Miguel Ángel de Quevedo

Av

Mol

ina

Enri

que z

Ani

llo

Peri férico

Av R

evol

ucío

n

Río Mixcoac

Av Copilco

Av In

surg

ente

s Su

r

Av Cana l de M

iramontes

Paseo de la Reforma

Henríquez Ureña

Av Marina Nacional

Av Insurgentes Sur

Anillo Periférico

Calz de Tlalpan

Cal

z de

Tla

lpan

Av Constituyentes

Cuicuilco

MuseoUniversitario

del Chopo

Museo del Juguete Antiguo México

Anahuacalli

BibliotecaCentral

Museo UniversitarioArte Contemporáneo

ROMANORTECONDESA

JUÁREZ

CUICUILCO

CENTROHISTÓRICO

VILLAOLÍMPICA

SANÁNGEL

ZONAROSA ROMA

ROMA SUR

TACUBAYA

ALAMEDACENTRAL

COYOACÁN

POLANCO

#â

#1

PalacioNacional

Museo Nacionalde Antropología

#4

ArenaMéxico

#3

#5 MuseoFridaKahlo

#7

#6

Palacio deBellas Artes

PlazaGaribaldi

#÷

See Alameda Central,Plaza de la República& Around Map (p76)

See Bosque de Chapultepec& Polanco Map (p90)

See Centro HistóricoMap (p66)

See Coyoacán Map (p114)

See Roma & Condesa Map (p84)

See San ÁngelMap (p96)

See Zona Rosa Map (p110)#2

TemploMayor

#e 0 2 km0 1 mile

DBasílica deGuadalupe (4km)

D Xochimilco

(4.5km)

D

Parque NacionalDesierto de losLeones (23km)

Mexico City Highlights1 Study Diego Rivera’s tableau of Mexican history at Palacio Nacional (p70)

2 Marvel at Aztec ruins in the heart of downtown at Templo Mayor (p70)

3 Cheer on the masked heroes at the lucha libre bouts of Arena México (p126)

4 Gaze upon the Aztec sun stone and other superb pre-Hispanic relics at Museo Nacional de Antropología (p83)

5 Share Frida’s pain at her birthplace, Casa Azul in Coyoacán, now home to the Museo Frida Kahlo (p93)

6 Sing along to mariachi ballads in the soulful Plaza Garibaldi (p74)

7 Feast your eyes on colorful murals and folkloric dance performances at Palacio de Bellas Artes (p77)