3 Best Sights in Coyoacán, Mexico City

Officially this 96-acre swath of greenery is a nursery that was developed in 1913 to grow tree seedlings to be transplanted to the forests in and around Mexico City, but today Viveros functions for visitors as a glorious park (it has, in fact, been an official national park since 1938). A 2.2-km (1.4-mile) gravel walking and jogging trail laces the perimeter of the property, and a series of narrow trails crisscross the park, each one lined with specimen trees that are planted around the city: acacia, sweet gum, jacaranda, cedar, and so on. There are five entrances around the park: the southwest one is closest to Viveros metro, but the northeast one is better if you're walking over from elsewhere in Coyoacán or from the Coyoacán metro stop. Each entrance is staffed by security, and although admission is free, the gates shut to the public promptly at 6 pm and don't reopen until the next morning at 6 am. This is one of the most enjoyable (and popular) spots in the city for jogging, but throughout Viveros you'll also find benches, rows of ornamental plants, hundreds of colorful and friendly black and gray squirrels, swatches of grass to set up picnic blankets, and a central plaza that's often the site of small groups informally practicing fencing, yoga, dancing, and the like. Unless you glimpse the unfortunately bland Torre Mítikah, which was completed in 2021 on the neighborhood's northern border, you can easily imagine that you're miles from urban civilization while relaxing in this enchanting urban sanctuary. Near the northeast entrance, an actual nursery sells plants, flowers, and garden statuary and gifts of every imaginable kind.

Offering a small oasis of calm only a few blocks from Coyoacán's joyfully frenetic main plazas, this green space of topiaries, life-size bronze statues of Frida and Diego, and a central fountain with three vertical streams of water has a relaxing ambience. Open only during the day, the narrow, fenced-in park prohibits pets, skates, bikes, and sporting equipment. For this reason, it's a lovely place to read, catch your breath, and listen to songbirds chirping in the trees overhead. It's diagonally across the street from Plaza de La Conchita, with its historic chapel.

This less-visited but beautiful little park is in the San Diego Churubusco neighborhood, just steps from the excellent Museo Nacional de las Intervenciones. The 1.5-acre patch of lush gardens is fenced in (and open only during the day). There's a central kiosk and fountain, a huge statue of Cortés, stone and brick paths, a couple of children's playgrounds, and plenty of benches to relax on. The tranquil oasis is a perfect spot to sip coffee and munch on pastries (Pastelería Caramel is right on the way if you're making the 15-minute walk here from the center of Coyoacán).