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Jardin Centenario Review

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Jardín Centenario

Fodor's Review:

The Centenary Gardens are barely separated from the Plaza Hidalgo by a narrow slow-moving road; both squares are referred to as Coyoacán's zócalo. The Jardín, with its shading trees, a fountain with two snarling coyotes, and a fringe of outdoor cafés, is the place to sit and people-watch. On weekends from 11 AM until about 10 PM it morphs into a lively, hippie-ish handicrafts market, complete with drummers and palm readings. The larger Plaza Hidalgo hosts children's funfairs, amateur musical and dance performances, clowns, bubble blowers, cotton candy, and balloon sellers on weekends and national holidays. It's studded with an ornate old bandstand and the impressive Templo de San Juan Bautista, one of the first churches to be built in New Spain. It was completed in 1582, and its door has a baroque arch. On the afternoon of September 15, before the crowds become suffocating at nightfall, this delightful neighborhood zócalo is probably the best place in the capital to enjoy Independence Day celebrations.

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