I am not sure how much this is a destination site but if you are anywhere near it is certainly…read moreworth a visit. Ever since visiting the Museo Nacional de Antropología I have become to realize that Mexico is one big archaeological treasure and how much I don't know about its history. Coming here to see the ruins was interesting. However, what really stood out for me was the Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco. Built in the 1,500's it was constructed out of the stones used to build the temples that are now obviously only visible in part that make up the site. Personally, I don't believe one can look back and say this was either good or bad despite the conversation taking place in the rest of the world in 2023. Rather, it seems to symbolize a piece of the puzzle that has created the Mexico of today. It is a place I have come to love the more and more I learn about it.

So much history here! If you get a chance to come here, do it! I would have liked a brochure!…read more This archaeological site sits in the Square of the Three Cultures. The cultures are Aztec, Spanish Colonial, and the independent "mestizo" nation. There is an area with a circular temple to worship the wind god. It is about 700+ years old and was built by the Aztecs. Of course, it is in ruins. The Spanish built the nearby Church using stones from the temple. I read that this site also appeared to have been a mass grave with 49 bodies found. Our tour guide gave lots of info about this place in English. Be sure you have plenty of time to see this archaeological area as well as the Plaza de las Tres Culturas and the Cultural Center. There is also a Church called Templo de Santiago, which would be worth visiting! I think you can walk on pathways out in the ruins if you are coming from the Church.

As I'm watching the World Cup from my cozy confines back in Sacramento-I see the FIFA Fanfest in…read moreMexico City happening at the Zocalo with over 50k fans packed in the Zocalo watching on big screens their beloved home team Mexico open the World Cup 2026. During my visit to Mexico City earlier this year,I really enjoyed visiting the Zocalo.Its kind of Mexico City's version of Times Square in that it's used as a central location for many events that happen in the city-While also housing the Capital Building where the Mexican President works at on a daily basis. It also houses one of the most historic cathedrals in all of Mexico City.This church is a true must visit for anyone who spends any time in Mexico City. There are also many restaurants and bars surrounding the Zocalo-though be warned,it's pretty much a tourist trap and you will be price gouged at most of those restaurants in the Zocalo area. I remember during my trip we visited the Zocalo almost every day and the trippy part was how much it changed day to day.That trait also reminded me of Time Square-You go to bed with it looking one way and wake up and it's something else-that happens a lot at the Zocalo. Two really good memories standout about the Zocalo during my visit,The first was I got to witness firsthand the ceremony of the military taking the huge Mexican Flag down that is located in the center of the Zocalo-It's like a whole ceremony that is used to take it down each evening and felt very lucky to have been there at the right time to witness it.The ceremony starts at 6pm local time each evening-it's pretty awesome.Its free to attend and I highly recommend it. The second memory I had was I was at the Zocalo the morning that Shakira was giving her free concert at the Zocalo in Mexico City-so I got to witness for a few days watching them setup for the concert and it was a massive project-the concert later that evening set an attendance record for the Zocalo as an estimated 400k people were in attendance for the free concert. That's the kid of things that randomly happen at the Zocalo-it's a very special place and a must-visit for anyone visiting the beautiful Mexico City.

The square itself is amazing, and the history is even more so. And while the square is a great…read moreplace to walk around and there is always something happing, it's great to go to the walking street and check out all the shops. But the people watching is the best. There are many souvenir shops around and it's worth going into the churches. One could easily spend a couple of hours here, more if you find a bar and have a nice, cool drink.

If you are a Diego Riviera fan this is a must see while you're in Mexico City! At the Palacio…read moreNational you will see his largest and most comprehensive collection of murals. if I remember my tour guides speech correctly, this has 100 of his murals that took him five years of his life. Each mural depicts different ways of life at that time. The murals themselves are studied. All the colors of muted but vibrant. The colors are not vegetable that is, but actual oil put onto wet plaster. As a plaster dried, it locked in the color which has remained all these years. The interiors have multiple courtyards that are very relaxing. .. it is a very peaceful place. If you want or plan to see all the murals, I suggest you plan for at least a few hours. There's multiple levels and as I mentioned at least 100 murals of Diego's alone, as well as multiple other murals done by others.

An absolute must to see the amazing and jaw dropping work of Diego Rivera. You'll need to make…read morereservations for a mandatory guided tour.

The history in this part of Mexico City is incredible. If you're visiting, you should absolutely…read moremake time to stop at Templo Mayor--it gives you a completely different understanding of the region. Templo Mayor was the central temple of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán, which once stood in the middle of Lake Texcoco. After the Spanish conquest led by Hernán Cortés, the city was destroyed, and much of its stone was reused to build what is now the Metropolitan Cathedral and surrounding colonial structures. What's fascinating is that the ruins remained hidden for centuries. The first parts of the ruins were discovered during construction work in the 1970s and earthquakes in the 1980s revealed more of the remains. Standing here, you really feel the layers of history. Within a short walk, you can see modern Mexico City, Spanish colonial architecture like the cathedral, and the exposed Aztec ruins--all in one place. It's a powerful visual of how this city has evolved over time. If you made the trip to Mexico City, don't skip this stop. Even just walking through the area gives you a sense of history spanning from the Aztec empire, through Spanish colonization, to the present day. It's an experience that really stays with you.

Built initially in the early 14th century, Templo Mayor aka the "Main Temple" sits in the middle of…read morewhat was originally the geographic and religious center of the capital city of Tenōchtitlan, when it was still an island city in the middle of Lake Texcoco. As a sacred site for the Mexica peoples, the structures erected here were dedicated to two deities--Huitzilopochtli, god of war, and Tlaloc, god of rain and agriculture. A shrine was built for each at the top of the temple on the main pyramid. From archaeological analysis, the temple was rebuilt six times, with the largest expansion under Mocteczuma I in 1454, though in 1521 the majority of the building was destroyed by Spanish colonizers when the whole city was razed and rebuilt following Spanish occupation. Notably the Metropolitan Cathedral which stands today adjacent to this site was one of the buildings which were built over it. By the 19th century the exact location and history of this sacred precinct had been lost but toward the end of the 1800s part of the temple corner was uncovered. However there wasn't an official organized effort to excavate and preserve the site until 1978-82. In 1987 the site became listed as an UNESCO world heritage site and a museum was built to house its artifacts and findings. When I was there in January I didn't go into the museum though walked around the edges--they've done an excellent job framing it with walkways along the west side, so it's somewhat of a public park. There are a few small scale models of what the precinct would've looked like in different eras, and a dedicated viewing platform. With entry to the museum you get closer access into the site with some walkways within the site itself. The entrance to the museum is free for Mexican citizens and 95 pesos for foreigners. Three floors with eight main exhibition halls focused on the deities, rituals (including human sacrifice), the role of the temple in economics and trade of the time, and flora and fauna of past Mesoamerica. In excavations more than 7000 objects were found and work continues on the site today.

This museum is really not impressive The only thing was the…read morestaircase that they only allow you to take the picture on your way. Cost about $5 US not expensive but for me not worth it. Every description is in Spanish. The materials of the museum weren't good. I didn't learn much after the museum visit If you want to take the photo of the grand staircase for your social media then the $5 will worth it.

It's fun to learn about postal service every country has one. This building is historical and…read moreinteresting that is worth seeing. They have a lot of old equipment and stamps plus some other things to see.

The Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral is known to be the largest and oldest cathedral in Latin…read moreAmerica. It took 3 centuries to build and features baroque, neoclassical, and neo-renaissance design. With this cathedral being so massive, there are 14 chapels, numerous of alters, beautifully painted domes and stunning architecture. There is also an underground crypt (if you want to visit that, you will need to enter through the Templo Mayor Museum, north of the cathedral, or across the street from here). Because most of Mexico City was built on an emptied lakebed, the ground is sinking, which has caused for uneven ground/ structure that has caused for the cathedral to be tilted towards one side. It is free to enter this cathedral and visitors are able to take as many photos as they wish, but no flash. The cathedral is open every day from 8 am to 8 pm. You can also purchase tickets if you wish to climb stairs up to the bell towers that is offered several times a day. But please note that the tour is only offered in Spanish. Also there was a large earthquake in 2017 that caused damage to the bell towers so part of that section is not available for walking by. During our visit, we saw that two services were going on at the same time. We also saw some of the largest organs that were built during this time period in this cathedral, which really was impressive. We really wanted to check out the bell towers tour but it was not available on the day we came. I really did enjoy walking through this incredibly large cathedral and taking my time to look at everything (I also greatly appreciate the air conditioning to get a little rest from the warm weather on the day of our visit). The photos posted here really does not do justice to how gorgeous this holy and historic site is. Definitely worth a visit if you are visiting Mexico City's zocaldo, or the historic center.

When I was a kid my parents took me to Mexico City-I think I was like 5 or 6 years old.During that…read moretrip I took a picture in front of the Basilica with my mother.That picture was in the hall of every house we ever lived in ever since. Fast forward 45+ years later I'm finally making my way back to Mexico City and one of the top things I wanted to do is to try and find the place I took that picture at the historic church located near the Zocalo. Funny thing happens to your memory after 45 years and I couldn't quite locate where I took that picture,I guess on this trip I would have to settle for visiting this amazing historic religious site. When I got to the church,I was surprised how many vendors were located outside of the church,selling their wares.They were everywhere out there-I surely was tempted to pick up a few things,but I didn't as that wasn't the purpose of this visit. Once inside I was immediately taken back by the sheer size of this holy place.The grandeur of the interior of the building was breathtaking. I could've spent hours in there looking at all the artwork and statues that lined the sides of this place of worship-just reading the stories and seeing the amazing displays of saints and religious figures had me mesmerized. It took me back to the days of my youth when I was an altar boy for many years at the Catholic church in my town. This church has a connecting older church that serves as an alternate place to worship-admire art and pray-But it was under major construction when I visited,so was not able to spend much time in the connecting buildings. Upon leaving the building I was kinda torn how such a very special place has turned into such a tourist attraction-I mean there is a vendor inside the church selling crosses and candles and other things to commemorate one's visit to this church. I get why they do it,just didn't like how it made me feel seeing it. That being said-this church is truly a must visit when visiting Mexico City for anyone who loves history-loves architecture-loves Catholic churches or just wants some quiet time to pray. It truly was one of the highlights of my trip and a place I think back to fondly when I reminisce about my trip-now if I could've only found that spot I took that picture so very long ago.

This is certainly a great way to see the city from above. You get 360 degree views from either…read morebehind glass or a fence a floor above. Think the Empire State Building, Space Needle, etc. If you are being a tourist and want nice views for sunset or during the date, go for it. Of course they offer up charges for a photo and a simulator thing. There is a small snack bar at the top if you need refreshments once you get up there.

This 44 floor office building has an observation deck on the top which cost 220 Pesos which gives…read moreyou a 360 view of the city. You take an elevator to the 37th floor then take another one up to the top or if you dont want to wait you can take the stairs. BUT if you want the same or similar views for free you can just go to the restaurant which i belive is on the 39th or 40th floor. So instead of buying tickets to go to the observation deck you can just say you're going to the restaurant. Of course the prices are a little elevated but just think that you'd be spending 220 pesos per person just to go to the observation deck. So just get a drink and maybe a dessert or something. The view is really nice and you can just relax and enjoy. We had a tres leches cake which swimming in sauce, very spongy and wet and also had a layer of whipped cream, delicious! We also got the mango ice cream, it was quite a large scoop and came on top of some sort of cookie or granola crumble. It was creamy and had a nice mango flavor, most of all refreshing. But most of all you're there for the view. We went there on our last day before leaving for the airport so we were in sort of a rush. So we asked for our check multiple times but they are used to people taking their time and just enjoying the view. So we just got up and paid at the register before we left.

I've spent so much time here over the years, and my office is right across the street! I also live…read morefairly closeby six months out of the year, so you could say that this is my neighborhood. The first time that I was really introduced to this place was when Brittany Spears had a co cert here many years ago. They have wonderful shows and events here all year round. What my girlfriend and I enjoy most are the almost nightly dance get togethers in one of the side pod sections. It's just great and a lot of fun for a foreigner who didn't grow up in Mexico. Today's event was a commemoration and the military band honoring a high ranking leader. Starting tomorrow I will return to the office here, because after my first ten days back here, vacation time is over. Kinda sorta!

The place itself is mostly not a museum but more of a place where you can see the city. The views…read morefrom up there were spectacular, worth the price of admission, even though I thought this place was overpriced . The staff was kinda rude and seemed bothered if you dared asked any questions. They were not that nice most of them but not all of them . The place where Pancho Villa is buried is not accesible which is kinda weird considering they push this place as the place where you can see where he's buried . Worth coming to , overpriced , staff is mostly rude . Check it out .

Iglesia de San Francisco or Church of San Francisco is located in Centro Histórico (or the historic…read morecenter). This church has endeared many histocial events. After the Reform War (in 1861), most of the property of this church was seized by the government. Unfortunately most of the church was destroyed and demolished for construction to make room for new roads. Other parts of the old building that are still standing today are a Methodist Church and also a bakery (Panadería Ideal). The reason why these buildings are still here is because it cost the government more to demolish these buildings than to leave them standing. So to get inside the church, you have to walk down some stairs. Why you ask? Well because Mexico City is sinking. A lot of historical buildings are actually sinking. When the Spanish had conquered the Aztecs, they drained Texcoco Lake in order to use the lake bed as a foundation for the city. The lake bed is drying up (and also having the weight of buildings built on top of it doesn't help), which is why it is sinking at such a rapid rate for those that are interested to know. Anyways, for those interested in visiting this church, it is free to enter. When my husband and I visited this church a few Sundays ago, we arrived around 1:40 pm. A little before 2 pm, there was a church service that was just starting. Not sure how often services occur, but it is possible you may be lucky to see one whenever you visit. There is also a small gift shop area in case you wish to purchase religious items. And towards the outside entrance, there were some baked goods that were being sold by some of the nuns that we were told the proceeds would go to help out the church. The architecture of this church truly is beautiful and a feast for the eyes. And really is amazing that these church buildings are still standing with the paintings on the walls and the alters inside. Definitely worth a visit if you are in downtown historic center.

A visit here was an accident and a wonderful one at that. We were walking back from Zocalo to our…read morehotel when we saw this spot and decided to check it out. It's a spectacular church and has been around from 1542! Check out the pictures.