Avenida Francisco Sosa
One of the prettiest and most historic streets in the city, this narrow tree-lined thoroughfare paved with stone is a delightful destination for a short stroll or (if you're feeling a bit more ambitious) as the most scenic way to walk between the historic centers of Coyoacán and San Ángel. From Jardín Centenario, it runs west for just under 2 km (a little over a mile), ending at Avendia Universidad beside the tiny and historic San Antonio de Padua Chapel. Along the route you'll pass grand 19th-century mansions hidden behind, or towering over, colorfully painted walls. The surrounding neighborhood has been home to various celebrities over the years, from Dolores del Río, Luis Buñuel, and Octavio Paz to, more recently, actor Diego Luna, singer Lila Downs, and Like Water for Chocolate novelist Laura Esquivel. The sidewalks become narrower the farther west you walk, and ancient tree roots have in places pushed up and broken the pavement to an almost comical degree (it can feel more like bouldering than walking in a couple of spots).
The plaza surrounding 16th-century Santa Catarina Chapel is especially picturesque, hung with strings of colorful papel picado and dotted with stone benches and pretty trees. Across the street, the shaded, peaceful grounds of Casa de Cultura Jesús Reyes Heroles are also lovely to walk around, and you may witness a dance or crafts class taking place in one of the cultural center's workshops. Up and down Sosa, and especially closer to Jardín Centenario, you'll pass by inviting cafés and boutiques. There are a few attractions of note on or near this street, such as Fonoteca Nacional and Museo Nacional de la Acuarela Alfredo Guati Rojo. The narrow lanes that intersect with Francisco Sosa are also quite pretty, especially the allegedly haunted and oft-photographed Callejon Aguacate, an alley lined with ivy and flowering shrubs that's reached via a quick turn south onto Calle Tata Vasco. To reach San Ángel, cross Universidad where Francisco Sosa ends and continue west on Calle Arenal and Avenida de la Paz (past Parque de la Bombilla); without stops, it's about a one-hour stroll from Jardín Centenario to San Ángel's Plaza del Carmen.
