Mexico City is the third largest city in the world after Tokyo and Seoul with nearly 20 million inhabitants with an area of over 60km in diameter. Mexico City, capital of Mexico, was originally built on an island in Lake Texcoco by the Aztecs in 1325 and was known as Tenochtitlan. Tenochtitlan was completely destroyed in 1521 by the Spanish army and then redesigned and rebuilt by the Spanish wanted, without taking into account that the city was on a lake that had dried the Aztecs. In 1524 the name of the city changed and it was in 1585 when the city was renamed Mexico City.

Photography by aginorz

The story of the creation of Tenochitlan comes from the god of the Aztecs, Huitzilopochtli, who predicted that the Aztecs had to be nomadic and find where to establish their city until they saw the divine sign: an eagle eating a snake on a cactus ( cactus). And this miraculous moment they saw the Aztecs in the island in Lake Texcoco. Between 1325 and 1521 Tenochtitlan became one of the largest cities in the world at that time with 200,000 inhabitants and the Aztecs dominated many other civilizations in Mexico (from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico) until the arrival of Spanish invaders.

Sightseeing in Mexico City:

If you arrive by plane to Mexico City will recommend that the last hour flight you attentive to the «landscape» as the Mexico City airport is located in the center of the city and this means over the city for a long time . This gives a sense of the extent of the Mexico City Federal District.

To get started we suggest you visit the city start with the great Zocalo plaza (or Constitution Square) where you’ll adjacent to the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Presidential Palace and the seat of federal government. The Metropolitan Cathedral is a spectacular building, both for its size and the problems you are experiencing given the location of Mexico City on a former lake. The result means that the Cathedral has serious problems with its foundations because of the Spanish architects who did not take into account where it was situated in the city. In the Presidential Palace is where you can see the murals of Diego Rivera and his tour is free.

Photography by Kevin Hutchinson

A 15 minute walk from the Zocalo Square Park and near the malls is the Palacio de Bellas Artes, the stunning Opera House and National Theatre in Mexico City designed by Italian architect Adamo Boari and constructed entirely of marble, has problems with the foundations also from the date of its construction, given the weight of the structure on the wet ground on which was built in 1910. The exterior of the building is Neoclassical and Art Nouveau and Art Deco interior is mainly.

Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City:

Take a tour (about 30 minutes) inside the Palace of Fine Arts is an experience in art, the explanation that the guides do is basic but interesting though. Another curious element is the backdrop of the theater, which unlike most of curtains at the theater of operations in the world is not made with any material, but with a material that is not incendiary. The designer of the Palace of Fine Arts saw that most of the world’s opera houses were burned because of their fabric curtains, so I made a custom house in New York Tyffany to make a curtain with precious metal. In the spectacular backdrop of 24 tons of weight you can see the Mexican volcanoes Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl.

Photography by mdanys

Mariachis in Plaza Garibaldi

Another interesting place in town is the Plaza Garibaldi, where mariachis are many every day and night waiting to be hired by people who want to party with mariachis or listen to a song in the same plaza. Garibaldi Square is a popular place for tourists, so it can be somehow a dangerous place for tourists’ wallets. Be careful though not be afraid.

If you want to see wrestling in Mexico City, then you should go to the Arena Coliseo, where each Tuesday and Friday fight the masked wrestlers. The Arena is considered the cathedral of lucha libre in Mexico. This arena has seen combat fighters as mythical as «The Saint» or «Mil Mascaras.

Arena Coliseo in Mexico City:

If what you want is to walk through markets with second-hand items, books or clothing it is best to go to market Lagunilla very close to Plaza Garibaldi. Another interesting market is the Tianguis Poplar in the Guerrero and only open on Saturdays until 17h. There you can find items related to music, discos and the latest trends in Mexican punk music. In the center you can also find perfume where you can design your own custom perfume or buy counterfeit perfumes.

Photography by Avodrocc

Xochimilco is another fabulous places and kitsch you can find in Mexico City. Almost 30 km south of the city is Xochimilco, also known as the Venice of Mexico City. Xochimilco is a large expanse of canals that allowed control risks in the fields that were near the city. However, today Xochimilco is what is left of the lake that was formerly in this area, yet maintains its traditions with its colored trajineras (craft) covered with flowers that take visitors back for a while through the channels while listening to music or eat something.

Xochimilco boats

La Casa Museo de Frida Kahlo is the house where he was born, lived and died the famous Mexican painter. The museum is located in Calle Londres 247, Colonia Coyoacan. In the Blue House also lived her husband Diego Rivera twice, but during her second marriage they lived in separate rooms. In the house-museum you can see many personal items of Frida Kahlo and many of his works, as well as a collection of pre-Columbian art of Diego Rivera. Although most of his works are in the Museo Diego Rivera-Anahuacalli Coyoacán in the same colony.

Photography by bradleyolin

Another place you should not miss to see the Anthropology Museum in Mexico City where there are wonderful Mayan ruins, Aztec and other pre-Hispanic cultures of Mexico.

A little more than an hour from Mexico City found the Aztec ruins of Teotihuacan with its spectacular pyramids. You do not have to lose up the Pyramid of the Sun and the Moon at Teotihuacan.

Where to eat in Mexico City?

One of the most famous cities of central Mexico City Café Tacuba is where you can eat traditional food of central Mexico. The place is so special for its food but for the building, the clothing of staff and classrooms.

Quesadilla and guacamole:

In Mexico City, one also can walk through that call, the street of the street taquerias Francisco Fernandez del Castillo de la Colonia Villa de Cortés, and also the most famous, Plutarco Elias Street, which intersects with the street Francisco Fernandez del Castillo. If you like the «tacos and carnitas» try not to lose these wonderful quiet neighborhood streets to eat delicious tacos.

How to get around Mexico City?

Another of the most spectacular attractions in Mexico City is the gauge that can get around most neighborhoods in the city. The most amazing thing is the constant underground passage of vendors trying to sell almost everything. Some are equipped with small screens that play the DVD’s they sell, with speakers to listen to the music they offer, others sell pens, glue, among many other things. The funny thing is that this transport is for women only cars, so you should be careful.

Taxis in Mexico City:

Beetle taxis, taxis are small (3 places), usually without front seat, this is priced cheaper than regular taxis.

Photography by stevecadman

We can only say … successful journey to Mexico City!