Mexico City captivates with its mix of ancient history, colonial grandeur and contemporary flair, offering world-class museums, fine dining and an energy that rewards both first-time and returning travellers.
In the heart of the city, extraordinary Aztec ruins provide the Zócalo’s most compelling attraction, the Templo Mayor, around which stand a great wealth of colonial buildings.
West of the Zócalo, the centro histórico stretches through the main commercial district past the National Art Museum to the Palacio de Bellas Artes with its gorgeous Art Deco interior.
Art lovers should head to the Frida Kahlo Museum. Kahlo was born and spent most of her life in the appropriately named Blue House, sporadically with husband Diego Rivera.
Be sure to visit the towering pre-Hispanic pyramids at Teotihuacán a little outside the city, built centuries before even the Aztecs arrived in central Mexico.
Another must is the National Museum of Anthropology, arguably the country’s finest museum, with displays on all of Mexico’s major pre-Columbian cultures.
Built on the ruins of Tenochtitlán, the Aztec capital founded in 1325, Mexico City is one of the world’s mega-cities, where centuries overlap in the most compelling ways. In the Zócalo, the heart of the modern city, excavated Aztec ruins sit alongside grand colonial buildings, a vivid reminder of the city’s layered past. Beyond, Teotihuacán – the country’s largest pre-Hispanic site – stands as a testament to an even earlier civilisation, its Pyramids of the Sun and Moon best experienced at dawn with a private guide.
Culture flourishes throughout the city, from the Frida Kahlo Museum in Coyoacán to the world-renowned National Museum of Anthropology. The Palacio de Bellas Artes, with its Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture, hosts performances and houses murals by Mexico’s great artists.
Alongside this cultural depth, visitors discover a cosmopolitan dining scene, luxury hotels with exemplary service, leafy neighbourhoods perfect for strolling, and a climate that makes exploring a true pleasure year-round.
Set in the leafy Polanco district, The Alest is an intimate boutique hotel where European flair meets Mexican artistry. With elegant, design-led suites, personalised service, a refined bistro and a discreet, cosmopolitan charm, it’s an ideal base for exploring Mexico City in style.
A tranquil escape from the bustle of the capital, this hacienda-style luxury hotel boasts spacious rooms and suites set around an inner courtyard, easy access to the trendy neighbourhoods of Condesa and Polancoa, a relaxing rooftop pool and – in Fifty Mils – one of Mexico City’s coolest cocktail bars.