Jardín Centenario

Jardín Centenario Review

The Centenary Gardens are barely separated from the Plaza Hidalgo (aka Jardín 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.

The larger Plaza Hidalgo hosts children's fun fairs, 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.