Mexico City- Impressions?
 

I was curious to find - what were your favorite passtimes in Mex City? I only had a few days there, stayed in the Catedral area. I used my time for a day trip to some pyramids, a day at El Castillo and environs, and a day for a few museums, eves at restaurants or festivals. I did not really get out and explore Zocolo or Pink Zone. What do you recommend for a return trip? And what are would you choose for your hotel?

It hardly seems possible that a month ago at this hour, I was just getting out of the cab and entering the hotel lobby.

Some of my other favorites are the Cathedral, government palace and other buildings around the Zocalo; the various Frieda and Diego museums, especially the blue house, the murals museum, and the Dolores Olmedo hacienda; the Bazaar Sabado; and the Basilica area. The Zocalo area has many interesting and beautiful buildings. The Pink Zone has grown a little frayed at the edges, and is full of tourist shops and guides hustling for business. The restaurants are all a little tired, IMHO.

For a hotel, I recommend the Hotel Catedral, which must be near where you stayed the first time. And for dinner you simply have to eat at the Hostería de Santo Domingo, which is a couple blocks from the Hotel Catedral.

The Pink Zone was fine --- a decade or two ago, but as Marilyn points out, it is frayed, worn out, and touristy beyond reason. The area around the Catedral and Zocalo is the real Ciudad de Mexico.

When in Mexico City I like to go to:

Coyoacan, you can see the house of Frida Kahlo and the museum of popular arts. The gardes around the area are really pretty.

Museo de Antrolopogia, you can see old pieces recovered from different sites of Mexico, including the Templo Mayor and Teotihuacan.

Templo Mayor, at one side of the Cathedral , has a really good museum with pieces found during the excavation of the zone.

Xochimilco, you have to ride in one of the trajineras while you eat flor de calabaza o huitlacoche quesadillas.

Lucha libre (wrestling match!) at the Arena Mexico on Friday night. Fun and cheap, a real taste of Mexico.

Grab some mexican bread and a coffee in Cafe Tacuba (on the namesake street) like 5 blocks from the Zocalo. Really tasty food.

Garibaldi, if you want to listen to mariachi music. You have to go to El Tenampa, a real mexican cantina .

The Pink Zone I would not recommend. Is for tourists, not for travellers.

Marilyn1- thank you for all your help before I left- your replies helped me realize I had too many destinations!

I guess when I return, Zocolo and day trips will make a good visit.
CastleBlanca- thanks for the tips, I actually stayed at Hotel Catedral. Isela- you gave me a lot of good specifics- I actually covered some on this trip. Just wondered how much more there was to explore right in the city, without the day trips, so I can gauge how much time I may need.

If you need more information, just let me know. It depends how intrepid you are. I a Mexican girl that likes to travel solo, and I have tried a lot of crazy things ...and I am still in one piece.

Saludos

Isela

I'd say just wander the back streets around rhe Zócalo. You will be amazed at what you find.

The Palacio de Bellas Artes is stunning. Check out the murals there.

I was mega disappointed to find that an advetised concert there was cancelled - but you might be lucky.

Isela and chimani- that's exactly what I was looking for . I wanted to know if I returned if there would be enough to explore.
Chimani - curious, what was the concert? I lucked out with a spring festival free drama of the life of Frida Kahlo with some famous local musicos, and 2 street performers who were phenomenal. I wan\sn't in towm on a Friday to catch l Lucha Libre, tho. Isela, I AM intrepid -suggest away!

You need to visit the zocolo and the zona rosa is fine, someone said that it is for tourists, but that is what you are. I would recommend a few day trips to towns surrounding the city. Cuernavaca, tejupilco, taxco, san miguel de allende, toluca, and many others offer some great vistas and experiences. Same may require a stay over night, but most can be a day trip. If you are brave try a place called tepito, it is the biggest tent store in the city, it covers blocks and sells everything and anything. You will not see it on a map but I think there is a metro stop there or any taxi driver will take you. Keep your money close to you there and only go in the daylight hours but it is fun. I like to take the metro to an out of the way stop and get out and eat at the street vendors, the food is great.

thanks- keep the ideas coming!

Nina,

It was a free concert to be given by a symphony orchestra - forgive me, I can't remember the details. A Mexican orchestra, anyway.

But you're right, most of the time it's what you come across unexpectedly that adds the biggest flavour to a trip. I passed through Veracruz last November. It was a weekend and there was a sort of mini festival on. Not of the religious vaiety, but a stage set up in the Zocalo hosting music and dancing.

I've only been to DF once. I was there for 3 full days. In addition to just wandering, and the Zocalo, and Archaeological Museum, and Palacio de BA, what I enjoyed most was a visit to Coyoacan. You can get there by metro/collectivo or walk from the Metro station. There's the Blue House, but also on a Sat a market, and a great bakery, and it's worth looking inside the church. It was beautifully decorated and filling up for a wedding when I was there.

If you want a trip out of the city and have time for an overnight then Queretaro is well worth it. You can get there easily by bus.

As for somewhere to stay. I chose Casa Gonzalez because I wanted somewhere with outdoor areas (it has a garden), and it was great.

It's in Colonia Roma, within easy walking distance of Zona Rosa - which I didn't like much, but which was useful for cheap and cheerful (and one reasonably good) meal.

Cheers.

chimani- you are a fountain of information. thank you!