Mexico City

Mexico City (Spanish: México, Ciudad de México, or D.F. (pronounced deh eh-feh)) is Mexico's capital.

The city is built on the ruins of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan, and later came to be the capital of New Spain, which included much of North America. The city has grown fast in the 20th century, and is today North America's largest city (and the world's largest Spanish-speaking city) with 8.9 million inhabitants in the city proper, and more than 20 million in the urban area.

The city is administratively divided into 16 delegaciones (boroughs) which are in turn subdivided into colonias (neighborhoods), of which there are around 2150; however, it is better to think of the city in terms of districts to facilitate the visitor getting around. Many older towns like Coyoacán, San Angel and Tlalpan got merged into the urban sprawl, and each of these still manages to preserve some of their original and unique characteristics.

Other areas of Mexico City include:

• La Villa de Guadalupe - In the borough of Gustavo A. Madero in the northern part of the city. Home to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, perhaps the holiest Catholic site in the Americas. Draws a large crowd of pilgrims from around the world every day.
• Ciudad Satelite - Residential and shopping area north of the city.
• Interlomas - Residential and shopping area at the West of the City
• Azcapotzalco - Mainly residential area in the Northwest of the City. Home to the Parque Bicentenario, built in a former oil refinery, and the Arena Ciudad de México, a modern concert and sports venue.
• Iztapalapa - Largely impoverished borough home to the Cerro de la Estrella National Park and archeological site. Famous for its Easter procession. Also contains former towns now engulfed by the urban sprawl, such as Culhuacán with its former convent. The main wholesale market of food for Mexico City, the Central de Abastos, is in Iztapalapa.
• Milpa Alta - Rural borough in the southeast of Mexico City. Famous for its Mole production and festival, Nopal cactus fields and the San Andrés convent in Mixquic.
• Tláhuac - A former island between the Lakes of Xochimilco and Chalco. Now famous for its production of pottery and an alternative embarkation point to see the ancient gardens and canals that used fill the Valley of Mexico.

[[Mexico City/La Villa de Guadalupe|La Villa de Guadalupe]] - In the borough of Gustavo A. Madero in the northern part of the city. Home to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, perhaps the holiest Catholic site in the Americas. Draws a large crowd of pilgrims from around the world every day.

[[Mexico City/Ciudad Satelite|Ciudad Satelite]] - Residential and shopping area north of the city.

Interlomas - Residential and shopping area at the West of the City

Azcapotzalco - Mainly residential area in the Northwest of the City. Home to the Parque Bicentenario, built in a former oil refinery, and the Arena Ciudad de México, a modern concert and sports venue.

Iztapalapa - Largely impoverished borough home to the Cerro de la Estrella National Park and archeological site. Famous for its Easter procession. Also contains former towns now engulfed by the urban sprawl, such as Culhuacán with its former convent. The main wholesale market of food for Mexico City, the Central de Abastos, is in Iztapalapa.

Milpa Alta - Rural borough in the southeast of Mexico City. Famous for its Mole production and festival, Nopal cactus fields and the San Andrés convent in Mixquic.

Tláhuac - A former island between the Lakes of Xochimilco and Chalco. Now famous for its production of pottery and an alternative embarkation point to see the ancient gardens and canals that used fill the Valley of Mexico.

The greater Mexico City metropolitan area is one of the world's largest and the largest city in North America, with a 20.1 million people living in the metropolitan area as of the 2010 census. It is situated in the Valley of Mexico and shaped roughly like an oval of about 60 km by 40 km with large parts of it built on the dry bed of Lake Texcoco, and surrounded on three sides by tall mountains and volcanoes such as the Ajusco, the Popocatepetl and the Iztaccihuatl. Mexico City proper (with an estimated population of between 8 and 9 million) is the country's capital, and since 2016 has been a "federal entity" with the same powers as the states of Mexico, though still separate from the states. Confusingly, the rest of the metropolitan area extends beyond Mexico City into the State of Mexico, which surrounds Mexico City on the West, North and East, and Hidalgo further North. Legally and practically speaking, Mexico City refers to the city proper and is the area where tourists will spend all or most of their time.

Mexico City is divided up into 16 boroughs similar to those in New York, which in turn are divided into colonias (neighborhoods), of which there are about 2150. Knowing what colonia you're going to is essential to getting around, and almost all locals will know where the main colonias are (there are some colonias with duplicate or very similar names). As with many very large cities, the structure is relatively decentralized, with several parts of the city having their own miniature downtown areas. However, the real downtown areas are Centro, the old city center, and Zona Rosa, the new business and entertainment district.

The city center is 2230 m above mean sea level, while some areas reach up to 3000 m. Some people have breathing difficulties at high places and have experienced difficulty when breathing. The altitude is equivalent to more than 7,200 ft. This is far higher than any metropolitan area in the United States. If you live closer to sea level, you may experience difficulty breathing due to altitude and pollution. Air quality has, however, been improved in the last few years.

Mexico City's night life is like all other aspects of the city; it is huge. There is an enormous selection of venues: clubs, bars, restaurants, cafes, and variations and combinations thereof to choose from. There is incredible variation, from ultramodern lounges in Santa Fe and Reforma, to centuries-old dance halls in Centro and Roma. There are also pubs in Tlalpan and Coyoacán and clubs of every stripe in Insurgentes, Polanco, Condesa and the Zona Rosa.

Also, when going out, check the date, since this is an important indicator of how full places will generally be and how long you might have to wait to get in. Salaries are usually paid twice per month: the 30th/31st-1st and the 14th-15th. On or soon after these dates is when most Mexicans will go out, especially if payday coincides with a weekend. In the more expensive places, people might leave for Acapulco or vacations farther afield during the summer and long weekends. Mexican weekends, in the sense of when it is common to go out drinking, are Thursday night to Sunday morning and sometimes throughout Sunday.

The origins of Mexico City date back to 1325, when the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlan was founded and later destroyed in 1521 by Spanish conqueror Hernan Cortes. The city served as the capital of the Vice-royalty of New Spain until the outbreak of the Independence War in 1810. The city became the capital of the Mexican Empire in 1821 and of the Mexican Republic in 1823 after the abdication of Agustin de Iturbide. During the Mexico-US war in 1847, the city was invaded by the American army. In 1864 the French invaded Mexico and the emperor Ferdinand Maximilian of Habsburg ruled the country from the Castillo de Chapultepec and ordered to build Avenue of the Empress (today's Paseo de la Reforma promenade).

Porfirio Díaz assumed power in 1876 and left an outstanding mark in the city with many European styled buildings such as the Palacio de Bellas Artes and the Palacio Postal. Diaz was overthrown in 1910 with the Mexican Revolution and this marked a radical change in the city's architecture. The 20th century saw the uncontrolled growth of the city beyond the Centro Historico with the influx of thousands of immigrants from the rest of the country. In 1968, the city was host to the Olympic Games, which saw the construction of the Azteca Stadium, the Palacio de los Deportes, the Olympic Stadium and other sports facilities. In 1985 the city suffered an 8.1 Magnitude earthquake. Between 10,000 and 40,000 people were killed. 412 buildings collapsed and another 3,124 buildings were seriously damaged in the city.

Mexico City ranks 8th in terms of GDP size among 30 world cities. More than a third of the total Mexican economy is concentrated here. The size of its economy is US $315 billion, that's compared to $1.1 trillion for New York City and $575 billion for Chicago. Mexico City is the wealthiest city in all of Latin America, with a GDP per capita of $25,258. Mexico City's poverty rate is also the lowest in all of Mexico, however, Mexico is only about the 65th richest country in the world out of 184 countries. Mexico City's Human Development Index (2009-MHDI) is the highest in Mexico at 0.9327. It is home to the Mexican Stock Exchange. Most of the large local and multinational corporations are headquartered here, mainly in the Polanco and Santa Fe districts.

Mexico City weather is divided in two seasons, dry season, from November to April, and the rainy season from May to October. Spring months are warm, while the summer months can vary from light to heavy rains especially in the late afternoon. Dawn in the autumn and winter get really cold, but with an amazingly clear sky. Temperatures range from 0°C in late October, November, December and January mornings, to 32°C in March, April and May during mid-day highs.

Many prospective travelers will be aware of Mexico City's somewhat dated notoriety for having terrible air pollution. The city sits in a valley surrounded by mountains and volcanoes, which results in poor air circulation and a tendency for air pollutants to stagnate over the city. Due to the extremely rapid pace of urbanization in the 20th century, little consideration was given to environmental planning. By 1987, air quality had deteriorated so much that one day thousands of birds appeared dead on the sidewalks of the city. Environmentalists attributed this to air pollution. This shocking event encouraged authorities to implement measures to improve air quality. Most heavy industries (glass, car and steel factories) and oil refineries were relocated outside of the city and unleaded vehicle fuels were introduced.

Today, the air quality is much better. Ozone and carbon dioxide levels are falling, and for most visitors, air pollution is no longer a major concern. For more detailed coverage of Mexico City's air pollution, see the "Stay safe" section. There still is a noticeable difference in air quality between the dry season (November to March) and the rainy season from June to September, with air quality being best during rainy season.

With a population of more than 20 million in the greater metropolitan area, you can expect to find all kinds of people in Mexico City, in terms of racial, sexual, political, cultural and wealth diversity. Citizens are mostly Mestizo (people of mixed European and Amerindian racial background) and white. Amerindian people constitute less than one percent of the city's population, but there are some who are still moving to the city in search of opportunities. There are significant minorities of descendants of immigrants from Latin America, the Middle East and East Asia, as well as smaller ones from other regions. As elsewhere in Latin America, socioeconomic status tends to be highly correlated with ethnicity in Mexico City: by and large, the upper and middle classes have more European ancestry than the poor and the lower middle classes.

The city, as the rest of the country, has a very unequal distribution of wealth that can be characterized geographically, generally speaking, as follows: the middle and upper classes tend to live in the west and south of the city (concentrated in the delegaciones of Benito Juarez, Miguel Hidalgo, Coyoacan, Tlalpan, Cuajimalpa and Alvaro Obregon). The east of the city, most notably Iztapalapa (the most populous delegacion) is much poorer. The same applies to municipalities of greater Mexico City (Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, Chalco, Chimalhuacán). Although there are pockets of poverty everywhere (and often side by side with the shiny-glitzy condos of the nouveau riche, like in Santa Fe in Cuajimalpa) and pockets of wealth in the East (such as Lomas Estrella in Iztapalapa), it is easily noticeable that as one travels east the buildings begin to look more shabby and the people look increasingly browner—a testimony to Mexico's heritage of racial and socioeconomic inequality.

Since it is a big city, it is the home of large foreign communities, like Cubans, Spaniards, Americans, Japanese, Chilean, Lebanese, and more recently Argentines and Koreans. Mexico City has a number of ethnic districts with restaurants and shops that cater to groups such as Chinese and Lebanese Mexicans. It is the temporary home to many expats too, working here for the many multinational companies operating in Mexico. Foreigners of virtually any ethnic background may not get a second look if they dress conservatively and attempt to speak Spanish.

Mexico City is one of the most liberal cities in Latin America. Contrary to other Latin American capitals, it has a political orientation far to the left of the rest of the country. The centre-left PRD has governed the city continuously since its citizens were allowed to elect its mayor and representatives since 1997. It has liberal laws on abortion, prostitution, euthanasia and was the first jurisdiction in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriage (in December 2009). As such, this is generally a gay friendly city, particularly in the Zona Rosa District, and is generally friendly to foreigners and immigrants.

Although Mexico City is considered an expensive city by Mexican standards, your trip budget will depend on your lifestyle and way of traveling, as you can find cheap and expensive prices for almost everything. Public transportation is very cheap and there are many affordable places to eat. On the other hand, you can find world-class hotels and fancy restaurants with higher prices. A daily backpacker budget for transportation and meals should range between M$150 and 300 (pesos) a day, using public transport and eating at street stands, while a more comfortable budget should range between M$300 and 500 a day using private taxis (taxi de sitio) and eating at decent sit-down restaurants. For those with more expendable cash, you can find plenty of outlets for your dollars, euros, pounds, yen, etc.

The address system is fairly simple and has the street name, house number, colonia (neighborhood), borough, city, state and postal code. Many are confused by the fact that the house number comes after the street name, unlike in the US and many other countries where the number precedes the street. Sometimes addresses are instead given based on an intersection ("esquina de/con ..."), or on a street where a place is located and the two streets between which it is located ("... entre calles ... y ..."). It is good to point out that streets can frequently change names, long avenues are split into sections (such as Insurgentes into Insurgentes Norte, Centro and Sur), and street numbering is not always in order, especially in poorer neighbourhoods.

In Mexico City, streets within a neighbourhood often follow a certain theme, such as Latin American countries in the Centro Histórico, European cities in the Zona Rosa or intellectuals in Polanco. A typical address could be something like this: Colima 15, Colonia Roma Norte, Delegación Cuauhtémoc, México, Distrito Federal, 06760. Here, "México" refers to the city and not the country. The order is pretty standard except for the position of the postal code.

For the avid photographer, there are a few pointers to keep in mind. The city is paranoid about cameras and especially about tripods. You might be asked to delete pictures, even if they were taking from a public space. You are not allowed to use a tripod in any ticketed place, such as museums, the metro stations, and architectural ruins. You will be politely asked to hold your camera in your hands. Apparently, it has something to do with being a professional.

Memory cards can easily be found at several locations, including at Radio Shack, Office Depot, Office Max, Best Buy or Wal-Mart. Prices tend to be on the high end, but they are still affordable. You could also try some of the places that are dedicated to selling photographic equipment, they are easily identifiable by the street signs for well known brand names. It is not unusual, however, for high-end camera retailers to offer few if any accessories.

You can print your photos at most of the major pharmacy chains around town, look for Farmacias Benavides, Farmacias Guadalajara or Farmacias del Ahorro (with a white 'A' inside a red circle). Prices differ from store to store. Also, while near the Zocalo on the street Republica de Brasil, many people standing on the side of the sidewalk will verbally advertise "imprentas." They are offering stationery printing services, not photographic printing.

For people who love to do street photography, a good place to start is in front of the Bellas Artes square, during afternoons. There is a smörgåsbord of faces cutting across the square and perching on one of the benches for an hour that will easily give you access to photography fodder. Many urchins and ethnic street dwellers have learned to ask for money before allowing you to shoot them. Sympathize and accept it as it is worth it.

Some museums, like the Museum of National History in the Chapultepec, charge an extra fee for those with video cameras. Also in most museums, flash photography is not permitted.

Downtown Mexico City has been an urban area since the foundation of Tenochtitlán in 1325, and the city is filled with historical buildings and landmarks from every epoch since then. It is also known as the City of Palaces, because of the large number of stately buildings, especially in the Centro. Mexico City has three World Heritage Sites: the Centro Histórico and Xochimilco, the house of architect Luis Barragán and the University City campus of UNAM. In addition, Mexico is one of the cities with the largest number of museums in the world.

• Plaza de la Bellas Artes. Commonly known as Palace of Fine Arts or Cathedral of Arts in Mexico, host of art events and art exhibitions.
• Plaza de la Constitución. Commonly known as Zócalo in the Centro Historico (Historic Downtown) is one of the largest squares in the world, surrounded by historic buildings, including the City Hall and the Cathedral.
• La Catedral. The biggest in the Americas. Containing many altars, its principal altar is made from solid gold.
• Angel de la Independencia. A monument in Reforma Avenue and Florencia Street, near Zona Rosa. This monument celebrates Mexico's independence in 1810.
• Basílica de Guadalupe. Catholicism's holiest place in the Americas, and the destination of pilgrims from all over the world, especially during the yearly celebration on the 12th of December. Located at La Villa de Guadalupe, it is the shrine that guards the poncho of Juan Diego that contains the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and is in the northernmost part of the city.
• Ciudad Universitaria. — The main campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Located on Insurgentes Sur Avenue, it is one of the world's largest universities, with more than 270,000 students every semester. In 2007 it was declared a UNESCO world heritage place.
• Coyoacán. Historic Colonial Arts district which was home to Frida Kahlo, Leon Trotsky, and Diego Rivera, among others.
• Plaza Garibaldi-Mariachi. The square is surrounded by cafés and restaurants much favored by tourists, and in these and in the square itself groups of musicians play folk music. Most of these groups are "mariachis" from Jalisco, dressed in Charro costume and playing trumpets, violins, guitars and the guitarrón or bass guitar. Payment is expected for each song, but it is also possible to arrange for a longer performances. People set up lemonade stand style bars in the evening to sell you cheap cocktails while you listen. A visit to Mexico is not complete until you experience the fantastic Mariachi Bands, but the neighborhood is a bit sketchy.
• Ciudadela crafts market. The Ciudadela is a Mexican crafts market where cultural groups from around Mexico distribute their crafts to other parts of the country and the world.
• Alameda and Paseo de la Reforma. The Alameda is the main park in the Downton area of Mexico City, Paseo de la Reforma ("Reform Avenue") is a 12 km long grand avenue in Mexico City. It was built for the Emperor Maximilian's wife in the 19th century. Its name commemorates the liberal reforms of Mexican President Benito Juarez.
• Cineteca Nacional. It was the first to screen art films, and is known for its forums, retrospectives and homages. It has four screening rooms, a video and a film library, as well as a cafeteria.
• Torre Latinoamericana. Observation Deck hours, 9AM- 10PM. For stunning views of the city. Its central location, height (183 m or 597 ft; 45 stories), and history make it one of Mexico City's most important landmarks.
• Mexico City US National Cemetery, Virginia Fabregas 31 (Colonia San Rafael, +52 55 5546 0054. Daily 08:00-17:00, closed 25 Dec and 1 Jan. The cemetery is the final resting place for 750 unknown American soldiers lost during the Mexican-American War between 1846 and 1848. Another 813 Americans are also interred here. Free.

Plaza de la Bellas Artes. Commonly known as Palace of Fine Arts or Cathedral of Arts in Mexico, host of art events and art exhibitions.

Plaza de la Constitución. Commonly known as Zócalo in the [[Mexico City/Centro|Centro Historico (Historic Downtown)]] is one of the largest squares in the world, surrounded by historic buildings, including the City Hall and the Cathedral.

La Catedral. The biggest in the Americas. Containing many altars, its principal altar is made from solid gold.

Angel de la Independencia. A monument in Reforma Avenue and Florencia Street, near [[Mexico City/Zona Rosa|Zona Rosa]]. This monument celebrates Mexico's independence in 1810.

Basílica de Guadalupe. Catholicism's holiest place in the Americas, and the destination of pilgrims from all over the world, especially during the yearly celebration on the 12th of December. Located at [[Mexico City/La Villa de Guadalupe|La Villa de Guadalupe]], it is the shrine that guards the poncho of Juan Diego that contains the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and is in the northernmost part of the city.

Ciudad Universitaria. — The main campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Located on Insurgentes Sur Avenue, it is one of the world's largest universities, with more than 270,000 students every semester. In 2007 it was declared a UNESCO world heritage place.

Coyoacán. Historic Colonial Arts district which was home to Frida Kahlo, Leon Trotsky, and Diego Rivera, among others.

Plaza Garibaldi-Mariachi. The square is surrounded by cafés and restaurants much favored by tourists, and in these and in the square itself groups of musicians play folk music. Most of these groups are "mariachis" from Jalisco, dressed in Charro costume and playing trumpets, violins, guitars and the guitarrón or bass guitar. Payment is expected for each song, but it is also possible to arrange for a longer performances. People set up lemonade stand style bars in the evening to sell you cheap cocktails while you listen. A visit to Mexico is not complete until you experience the fantastic Mariachi Bands, but the neighborhood is a bit sketchy.

Ciudadela crafts market. The Ciudadela is a Mexican crafts market where cultural groups from around Mexico distribute their crafts to other parts of the country and the world.

Alameda and Paseo de la Reforma. The Alameda is the main park in the Downton area of Mexico City, Paseo de la Reforma ("Reform Avenue") is a 12 km long grand avenue in Mexico City. It was built for the Emperor Maximilian's wife in the 19th century. Its name commemorates the liberal reforms of Mexican President Benito Juarez.

Cineteca Nacional. It was the first to screen art films, and is known for its forums, retrospectives and homages. It has four screening rooms, a video and a film library, as well as a cafeteria.

Torre Latinoamericana. Observation Deck hours, 9AM- 10PM. For stunning views of the city. Its central location, height (183 m or 597 ft; 45 stories), and history make it one of Mexico City's most important landmarks.

Mexico City US National Cemetery, Virginia Fabregas 31 (Colonia San Rafael, +52 55 5546 0054. Daily 08:00-17:00, closed 25 Dec and 1 Jan. The cemetery is the final resting place for 750 unknown American soldiers lost during the Mexican-American War between 1846 and 1848. Another 813 Americans are also interred here. Free.

Mexico City is full of various plazas and parks scattered through every neighborhood, but the following are some of the biggest, prettiest, most interesting, or best-known.

• Alameda Central. Named after the poplar trees planted there, it is the oldest urban park in Mexico City (1592) and the largest inside the Centro Histórico.
• Chapultepec Park and Zoo, Paseo de la Reforma (Metro Auditorio. A large park of 6 km² in the middle of the city which hosts many attractions, including the city zoo and several museums such as the Modern Art Museum, the Museum of Anthropology, the Children's Museum (Museo del Papalote), the Technology Museum, the Natural History Museum and the National Museum also known as Castillo de Chapultepec, the former residence of the Austrian Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg.
• Xochimilco. A vast system of waterways and flower gardens dating back to Aztec times in the south of the city where tourists can enjoy a trip in the "trajineras" (vividly-colored boats). Trajineras pass each other carrying Mariachi or marimba bands, and floating bars and taquerias. Xochimilco is the last remnant of how Mexico City looked when the Spanish arrived to Mexico City in 1521 and it was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1987. A quieter alternative is to visit the Parque Ecológico Xochimilco, accessible by buses running along Periférico.
• Plaza Garibaldi-Mariachi. Surrounded by bars and restaurants that cater to Mariachi Band enthusiasts. It is where bands come to do public auditions outside, on weekend evenings, simply play for pleasure, or for whoever may pay them. A visit to Mexico is not complete until you experience the fantastic Mariachi Bands. You can also find a great "pulqueria" here (a bar that sells pulque, an interesting fermented maguey cactus drink).
• Parque Mexico and Parque España. Two adjacent parks in the Colonia Condesa. Now they are popular for an evening stroll, and sometimes house outdoor exhibitions or concerts, and are surrounded by cool cafes and bars.
• Viveros de Coyoacán. A large expanse of greenery and trails that is still used as a nursery to grow trees for the city, but also a public park popular with joggers and amblers alike.

Alameda Central. Named after the poplar trees planted there, it is the oldest urban park in Mexico City (1592) and the largest inside the Centro Histórico.

Chapultepec Park and Zoo, Paseo de la Reforma (Metro Auditorio. A large park of 6 km² in the middle of the city which hosts many attractions, including the city zoo and several museums such as the Modern Art Museum, the Museum of Anthropology, the Children's Museum (Museo del Papalote), the Technology Museum, the Natural History Museum and the National Museum also known as Castillo de Chapultepec, the former residence of the Austrian Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg.

Xochimilco. A vast system of waterways and flower gardens dating back to Aztec times in the south of the city where tourists can enjoy a trip in the "trajineras" (vividly-colored boats). Trajineras pass each other carrying Mariachi or marimba bands, and floating bars and taquerias. Xochimilco is the last remnant of how Mexico City looked when the Spanish arrived to Mexico City in 1521 and it was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1987. A quieter alternative is to visit the Parque Ecológico Xochimilco, accessible by buses running along Periférico.

Plaza Garibaldi-Mariachi. Surrounded by bars and restaurants that cater to Mariachi Band enthusiasts. It is where bands come to do public auditions outside, on weekend evenings, simply play for pleasure, or for whoever may pay them. A visit to Mexico is not complete until you experience the fantastic Mariachi Bands. You can also find a great "pulqueria" here (a bar that sells pulque, an interesting fermented maguey cactus drink).

Parque Mexico and Parque España. Two adjacent parks in the Colonia Condesa. Now they are popular for an evening stroll, and sometimes house outdoor exhibitions or concerts, and are surrounded by cool cafes and bars.

Viveros de Coyoacán. A large expanse of greenery and trails that is still used as a nursery to grow trees for the city, but also a public park popular with joggers and amblers alike.

Mexico is the city with the largest number of museums in the world, to name some of the most popular:

• National Museum of Anthropology. Chapultepec. One of the best museums worldwide over, it was built in late 1960s and designed by Pedro Ramírez Vázquez. Notice the huge, impressive fountain in the courtyard. It gathers the best collection of sculptures, jewels and handcrafts from ancient Mexican cultures, and could take many hours to see everything. They also have interesting international special exhibits.
• Plaza de las Tres Culturas. In Tlatelolco has examples of modern, colonial, and pre-Columbian architecture, all around one square.
• Museum of Modern Art. Chapultepec. Here you will find paintings from Frida Kahlo, Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo, as well as a sculpture garden.
• Dolores Olmedo Museum. Xochimilco. An art philanthropist left her former home, the grand Hacienda La Noria, as a museum featuring the works of her friend Diego Rivera. At least 137 of his works are displayed here, as are 25 paintings of Frida Kahlo. The premises also feature beautiful gardens full of peacocks and a weird species of Aztec dog.
• Fine Arts Palace Museum. Centro. A concert hall and an arts center, it houses some of Mexico's finest murals and the Art Deco interior is worth seeing alone.
• Museo Soumaya, +52 55 1103 9805. Mexico City/Polanco. A private museum and collection of many well-known European artists, including an extensive selection of works by Auguste Rodin.
• Rufino Tamayo Museum. Chapultepec. Contains the works of Mexican painter, Rufino Tamayo.
• José Luis Cuevas Museum. Centro. Opened in 1992 and is filled with about 1,000 paintings, drawings, and sculptures from notorious artist, Jose Cuevas.
• National History Museum in Chapultepec's Castle. Chapultepec. The Museum's nineteen rooms contain, in addition to a collection of pre-Columbian material and reproductions of old manuscripts, a vast range of exhibits illustrating the history of Mexico since the Spanish conquest.
• Papalote, children's Museum. Chapultepec. If you've got kids, they'll love it! Bright, colorful, and filled with educational experiences for children of all ages.
• Universum. Coyoacán. A science museum maintained by UNAM, the largest university in Latin America. Take some time to wander around the Campus.
• Casa Mural Diego Rivera. Centro. Contains murals of acclaimed artist, Diego Rivera.
• National Palace (Zocalo). Centro. You can see some impressive Diego Rivera frescoes. You'll need to carry some sort of ID in order to enter the building.
• San Idelfonso Museum. Centro. There are some of Orozco's best frescoes. The temporary exhibitions are usually very good.
• Franz Meyer Museum. Centro. Display the collections of Franz Mayer, it holds Mexico's largest decorative art collection and also hosts temporary exhibits in the fields of design and photography.
• Mexico City's Museum. Centro. Great place to learn about Mexico City's eclectic history.
• Templo Mayor Museum (Zocalo). Centro. Contains the ruins and last remnants of the Aztec empire. attached to the huge archeological site where the foundations of the temple were accidentally found in the 1970s.
• San Carlos Museum. Centro. The San Carlos Museum holds some of Mexico's best paintings and exhibit 15th and 16th century paintings.
• National Art Museum. Centro. The National Art Museum, houses a rich collection of Mexican art ranging from the 16th to the first half of the 20th centuries.
• National History Museum. Chapultepec. Displays a vast range of exhibits illustrating the history of Mexico since the Spanish conquest.
• Frida Kahlo Museum. Coyoacán Also called Casa Azul, it is the former house of the painter since she was born to her death, and full of some of her works, and many of her personal artifacts.
• Anahuacalli Museum. Coyoacán An impressive modern representation of Mayan architecture, it houses Diego Rivera’s collection of Aztec and other precolumbian cultures' sculptures.
• Leon Trotsky Museum. Coyoacán This was the house where Trotsky lived in exile during the last 1.5 years of his life, and was murdered by one of Stalin's agents. Guided tours are provided by members of the Workers/ Revolutionary Party.

National Museum of Anthropology. [[Mexico City/Chapultepec|Chapultepec]]. One of the best museums worldwide over, it was built in late 1960s and designed by Pedro Ramírez Vázquez. Notice the huge, impressive fountain in the courtyard. It gathers the best collection of sculptures, jewels and handcrafts from ancient Mexican cultures, and could take many hours to see everything. They also have interesting international special exhibits.

Plaza de las Tres Culturas. In [[Mexico City/Tlatelolco|Tlatelolco]] has examples of modern, colonial, and pre-Columbian architecture, all around one square.

Museum of Modern Art. [[Mexico City/Chapultepec|Chapultepec]]. Here you will find paintings from Frida Kahlo, Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo, as well as a sculpture garden.

Dolores Olmedo Museum. [[Mexico City/Xochimilco|Xochimilco]]. An art philanthropist left her former home, the grand Hacienda La Noria, as a museum featuring the works of her friend Diego Rivera. At least 137 of his works are displayed here, as are 25 paintings of Frida Kahlo. The premises also feature beautiful gardens full of peacocks and a weird species of Aztec dog.

Fine Arts Palace Museum. [[Mexico City/Centro|Centro]]. A concert hall and an arts center, it houses some of Mexico's finest murals and the Art Deco interior is worth seeing alone.

Museo Soumaya, +52 55 1103 9805. [[Mexico City/Polanco]]. A private museum and collection of many well-known European artists, including an extensive selection of works by Auguste Rodin.

Rufino Tamayo Museum. [[Mexico City/Chapultepec|Chapultepec]]. Contains the works of Mexican painter, Rufino Tamayo.

José Luis Cuevas Museum. [[Mexico City/Centro|Centro]]. Opened in 1992 and is filled with about 1,000 paintings, drawings, and sculptures from notorious artist, Jose Cuevas.

National History Museum in Chapultepec's Castle. [[Mexico City/Chapultepec|Chapultepec]]. The Museum's nineteen rooms contain, in addition to a collection of pre-Columbian material and reproductions of old manuscripts, a vast range of exhibits illustrating the history of Mexico since the Spanish conquest.

Papalote, children's Museum. [[Mexico City/Chapultepec|Chapultepec]]. If you've got kids, they'll love it! Bright, colorful, and filled with educational experiences for children of all ages.

Universum. [[Mexico City/Coyoacán|Coyoacán]]. A science museum maintained by UNAM, the largest university in Latin America. Take some time to wander around the Campus.

Casa Mural Diego Rivera. [[Mexico City/Centro|Centro]]. Contains murals of acclaimed artist, Diego Rivera.

National Palace (Zocalo). [[Mexico City/Centro|Centro]]. You can see some impressive Diego Rivera frescoes. You'll need to carry some sort of ID in order to enter the building.

San Idelfonso Museum. [[Mexico City/Centro|Centro]]. There are some of Orozco's best frescoes. The temporary exhibitions are usually very good.

Franz Meyer Museum. [[Mexico City/Centro|Centro]]. Display the collections of Franz Mayer, it holds Mexico's largest decorative art collection and also hosts temporary exhibits in the fields of design and photography.

Mexico City's Museum. [[Mexico City/Centro|Centro]]. Great place to learn about Mexico City's eclectic history.

Templo Mayor Museum (Zocalo). [[Mexico City/Centro|Centro]]. Contains the ruins and last remnants of the Aztec empire. attached to the huge archeological site where the foundations of the temple were accidentally found in the 1970s.

San Carlos Museum. [[Mexico City/Centro|Centro]]. The San Carlos Museum holds some of Mexico's best paintings and exhibit 15th and 16th century paintings.

National Art Museum. [[Mexico City/Centro|Centro]]. The National Art Museum, houses a rich collection of Mexican art ranging from the 16th to the first half of the 20th centuries.

National History Museum. [[Mexico City/Chapultepec|Chapultepec]]. Displays a vast range of exhibits illustrating the history of Mexico since the Spanish conquest.

Frida Kahlo Museum. [[Mexico City/Coyoacán|Coyoacán]] Also called Casa Azul, it is the former house of the painter since she was born to her death, and full of some of her works, and many of her personal artifacts.

Anahuacalli Museum. [[Mexico City/Coyoacán|Coyoacán]] An impressive modern representation of Mayan architecture, it houses Diego Rivera’s collection of Aztec and other precolumbian cultures' sculptures.

Leon Trotsky Museum. [[Mexico City/Coyoacán|Coyoacán]] This was the house where Trotsky lived in exile during the last 1.5 years of his life, and was murdered by one of Stalin's agents. Guided tours are provided by members of the Workers/ Revolutionary Party.

As the world's second largest city, Mexico City offers something for everyone and for every budget. Attractions in Mexico City focus less on lazing on the beach (there are no beaches in Mexico City!) and more on exploring the culture and urban culture of Mexico. The typical "must-see" sites for the foreign visitor are the sites of interest in and around Centro Historico and Chapultepec Park, a visit to the ruins of Teotihuacan in the outskirts of the City and probably a visit to Xochimilco, though there are many other things to see if you have time to really explore.

• Independence Day "Yell". In the evening of September 15, the President of the country (or the city mayor) salutes the crowds from the presidential balcony in the National Palace in the Constitution Square (Zocalo) and shouts the famous "Viva Mexico". The Zocalo (and the rest of the city) is decorated with ornaments and lights. This is an incredible expression of Mexican patriotism combined with a party mood. Expect big crowds with a big revelery. If you want smaller crowds, the squares at the center of every borough usually host similar celebrations.
• Independence Parade. In the morning of September 16, there is a military parade that runs across Paseo de la Reforma, turns right at Juarez Avenue which later becomes Madero Street and ends at the Zocalo. 15,000 to 30,000 soldiers of the Mexican Army, Navy and Air Force march through the streets displaying its equipment and weapons.
• Day of the Dead. November 1–2. Mexico is one of the few countries in the world that celebrates this day (Dia de los Muertos), in which people go to the cemeteries to offer tribute to their departed ones, and decorate their graves with marigolds and bright colors. But this is not a sad celebration, on the contrary, people give family and friends candy treats in the shape of skulls and bones made of sugar and chocolate, as well as delicious bread called "Pan de Muerto". Don't miss a visit to a public market to find these delicacies, and watch out for the parades to and from the local cemeteries.
• Wise Men's day. January 6. Most Mexican kids receive toys from the Three Wise Men (Reyes Magos). This is a celebration that pays homage to the aforementioned Bible story. To celebrate it the family gather to eat the "Rosca de Reyes", a sort of bundt cake filled with plastic baby Jesus figures. Traditionally, people who get a figure in their slice of cake are expected to host a feast with tamales on Candelaria Day, February 2. The surroundings of the Alameda Central park are filled with costumed Reyes Magos on the days leading to January 6.

Independence Day "Yell". In the evening of September 15, the President of the country (or the city mayor) salutes the crowds from the presidential balcony in the National Palace in the Constitution Square (Zocalo) and shouts the famous "Viva Mexico". The Zocalo (and the rest of the city) is decorated with ornaments and lights. This is an incredible expression of Mexican patriotism combined with a party mood. Expect big crowds with a big revelery. If you want smaller crowds, the squares at the center of every borough usually host similar celebrations.

Independence Parade. In the morning of September 16, there is a military parade that runs across Paseo de la Reforma, turns right at Juarez Avenue which later becomes Madero Street and ends at the Zocalo. 15,000 to 30,000 soldiers of the Mexican Army, Navy and Air Force march through the streets displaying its equipment and weapons.

Day of the Dead. November 1–2. Mexico is one of the few countries in the world that celebrates this day (Dia de los Muertos), in which people go to the cemeteries to offer tribute to their departed ones, and decorate their graves with marigolds and bright colors. But this is not a sad celebration, on the contrary, people give family and friends candy treats in the shape of skulls and bones made of sugar and chocolate, as well as delicious bread called "Pan de Muerto". Don't miss a visit to a public market to find these delicacies, and watch out for the parades to and from the local cemeteries.

Wise Men's day. January 6. Most Mexican kids receive toys from the Three Wise Men (Reyes Magos). This is a celebration that pays homage to the aforementioned Bible story. To celebrate it the family gather to eat the "Rosca de Reyes", a sort of bundt cake filled with plastic baby Jesus figures. Traditionally, people who get a figure in their slice of cake are expected to host a feast with tamales on Candelaria Day, February 2. The surroundings of the Alameda Central park are filled with costumed Reyes Magos on the days leading to January 6.

• Six Flags Mexico. Carretera Picacho al Ajusco #1500 Col. Héroes de Padierna. Southwest of Mexico City, it is the largest amusement park in Latin America and the only Six Flags park outside the U.S., The Netherlands and Canada. The park is fitted with several million-dollar attractions, including Batman the Ride and not for the faint-hearted Medusa Roller Coaster. Entrance fees: Adults M$285, Children M$170.
• La Feria de Chapultepec. Circuito Bosque de Chapultepec Segunda Seccion. Features the first roller-coaster in the country, a must-ride for roller coaster fans, and many other attractions nearby, including a train, paddle boats, and a zoo. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10AM-6PM. Entrance M$79.90 (access to all attractions).

Six Flags Mexico. Carretera Picacho al Ajusco #1500 Col. Héroes de Padierna. Southwest of Mexico City, it is the largest amusement park in Latin America and the only Six Flags park outside the U.S., The Netherlands and Canada. The park is fitted with several million-dollar attractions, including Batman the Ride and not for the faint-hearted Medusa Roller Coaster. Entrance fees: Adults M$285, Children M$170.

La Feria de Chapultepec. Circuito Bosque de Chapultepec Segunda Seccion. Features the first roller-coaster in the country, a must-ride for roller coaster fans, and many other attractions nearby, including a train, paddle boats, and a zoo. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10AM-6PM. Entrance M$79.90 (access to all attractions).

• Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, +52 5598 3316. Cd. Deportiva de la Magdalena Mixiuhca. Río Piedad avenue and Río Churubusco. The race track is next to the "Palacio de los Deportes" (Sports Palace). Metro Station "Ciudad Deportiva" (Line 9 Brown). Built in 1962, it's Mexico City's F1 racing track, although the Mexican Grand Prix was discontinued after the 1992 edition and didn't return to the F1 calendar until 2015. Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost won the prix on this track in the late 1980s and early '90s; Nico Rosberg won the first edition of the revived race in 2015. This 4.4 km long race track also holds one NASCAR race every year and in 2007 it was one of the stops for the A1 - Grand Prix series.

Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, +52 5598 3316. Cd. Deportiva de la Magdalena Mixiuhca. Río Piedad avenue and Río Churubusco. The race track is next to the "Palacio de los Deportes" (Sports Palace). Metro Station "Ciudad Deportiva" (Line 9 Brown). Built in 1962, it's Mexico City's F1 racing track, although the Mexican Grand Prix was discontinued after the 1992 edition and didn't return to the F1 calendar until 2015. Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost won the prix on this track in the late 1980s and early '90s; Nico Rosberg won the first edition of the revived race in 2015. This 4.4 km long race track also holds one NASCAR race every year and in 2007 it was one of the stops for the A1 - Grand Prix series.

If you're into sports, then Mexico City has plenty to offer. Soccer is a favorite sport and Mexicans go crazy about it. The city was host to two FIFA world cups, one in 1970 and the other in 1986. Another important sport in Mexico City is baseball, with many Mexicans playing professionally in the US. The city was the first in Latin America to host an Olympics, doing so in 1968; the majority of the city's sport facilities were built for that event.

• Estadio Azteca, Calzada de Tlalpan 3665 (Colonia Ursula Coapa: take the light rail to Xochimilco, get off at 'Estadio Azteca'. One of the biggest soccer stadiums in the world, built in 1961, now with an official capacity of 95,500 but frequently packing in several thousand more. It's the home of El Tri, the Mexico men's national team, and also home to one of the country's most famous soccer clubs: Club América. It also serves as venue for concerts and for the first NFL regular-season game outside the United States. Prices for soccer usually start from M$200 up to M$600 for field level seats, but will be higher for national team matches. Beware of resellers, as they will often sell fake tickets.
• Estadio Olimpico de Ciudad Universitaria, Avenida Insurgentes Sur, Ciudad Universitaria. Simply known as "Estadio de C.U." Located south of the city, this was the site of the 1968 Olympic opening ceremony. It was built with 72,000 seats but now holds 52,000. It is home to Club Universidad Nacional, more often known as "Pumas", a soccer team operated by the National University (UNAM). The Pumas began as an amateur team of UNAM students, but have been fully professional for several decades (though still owned and operated by the university). The stadium hosts several sports, mainly soccer and American football. To reach the stadium by public transport you can use the Metro and hop off at the Universidad station (Line 3, green), and hop in one of the free shuttle buses that run around the University circuit (only in weekdays).
• Foro Sol. Intended to serve as baseball stadium, it is also a venue for many concerts.
• Palacio de los Deportes. Built for the 1968 Olympic Games, with a full capacity of 22,000, it hosts several indoor sports, including NBA games once a year. Venue for several concerts, circus, expos.
• Estadio Azul, Calle Indiana 255. Host to the Cruz Azul soccer team.

Estadio Azteca, Calzada de Tlalpan 3665 (Colonia Ursula Coapa: take the light rail to Xochimilco, get off at 'Estadio Azteca'. One of the biggest soccer stadiums in the world, built in 1961, now with an official capacity of 95,500 but frequently packing in several thousand more. It's the home of El Tri, the Mexico men's national team, and also home to one of the country's most famous soccer clubs: Club América. It also serves as venue for concerts and for the first [[American Football|NFL]] regular-season game outside the United States. Prices for soccer usually start from M$200 up to M$600 for field level seats, but will be higher for national team matches. Beware of resellers, as they will often sell fake tickets.

Estadio Olimpico de Ciudad Universitaria, Avenida Insurgentes Sur, Ciudad Universitaria. Simply known as "Estadio de C.U." Located south of the city, this was the site of the 1968 Olympic opening ceremony. It was built with 72,000 seats but now holds 52,000. It is home to Club Universidad Nacional, more often known as "Pumas", a soccer team operated by the National University (UNAM). The Pumas began as an amateur team of UNAM students, but have been fully professional for several decades (though still owned and operated by the university). The stadium hosts several sports, mainly soccer and [[American football]]. To reach the stadium by public transport you can use the Metro and hop off at the Universidad station (Line 3, green), and hop in one of the free shuttle buses that run around the University circuit (only in weekdays).

Foro Sol. Intended to serve as baseball stadium, it is also a venue for many concerts.

Palacio de los Deportes. Built for the 1968 Olympic Games, with a full capacity of 22,000, it hosts several indoor sports, including NBA games once a year. Venue for several concerts, circus, expos.

Estadio Azul, Calle Indiana 255. Host to the Cruz Azul soccer team.

Lucha libre (loosely translated as "free fighting") is the term for the style of professional wrestling that developed in Mexico. Due to its affordable and entertaining nature, it is a favorite pastime throughout the country. While similar to professional wrestling elsewhere in that the outcomes are predetermined, it developed quite differently from wrestling in the rest of the world. Wrestlers, known in Mexico as luchadores, tend to work much faster than those in the rest of North America, employing complex chains of moves, numerous high-flying maneuvers, and often-realistic submission holds. Also, rings in Mexico often lack the spring supports used in many other countries, which means that wrestlers typically don't take falls landing on their back as they often do elsewhere. More often than not, aerial moves involve a wrestler launching himself outside of the ring at his opponent, allowing him to break his fall by tumbling. Finally, Mexican wrestling has far more weight classes than in other countries.

Another hallmark of lucha libre is the emphasis on tag team matches, which are most often made up of three-wrestler teams instead of the pairs that are common elsewhere. Rules for tag team matches are also significantly different.

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of lucha libre is the colorful masks worn by many performers. While the concept of the wrestling mask was borrowed from the U.S., it has become infused with the role that masks have long played in Mexican culture. Almost all luchadores will begin their careers wearing them, but most will lose their masks at some point in their careers. The biggest matches in lucha libre are luchas de apuestas ("betting fights"), in which wrestlers will bet their masks, hair, or even their careers on the outcomes.

• Arena Mexico, Doctor Lavista 189, Colonia Doctores. The most famous venue for lucha libre. Doctor Lavista 189, Colonia de los Doctores. You can enter through Avenida Chapultepec. It's very close to Zona Rosa and Avenida Insurgentes.
• Arena Coliseo, República de Perú 77, Centro. Another famous venue for Lucha Libre and boxing. In the Centro Histórico.

Arena Mexico, Doctor Lavista 189, Colonia Doctores. The most famous venue for lucha libre. Doctor Lavista 189, Colonia de los Doctores. You can enter through Avenida Chapultepec. It's very close to Zona Rosa and Avenida Insurgentes.

Arena Coliseo, República de Perú 77, Centro. Another famous venue for Lucha Libre and boxing. In the Centro Histórico.

• Arena Ciudad de México.
• Auditorio Nacional.
• Bellas Artes. Opera, traditional Mexican and classical music.
• Circo Volador. Alternative music and metal.
• Ollin Yoliztli. Home to the Mexico City Symphonic Orchestra.
• Sala Nezahualcóyotl. Home to the UNAM Symphonic Orchestra
• Teatro Metropolitan.

Arena Ciudad de México.

Auditorio Nacional.

Bellas Artes. Opera, traditional Mexican and classical music.

Circo Volador. Alternative music and metal.

Ollin Yoliztli. Home to the Mexico City Symphonic Orchestra.

Sala Nezahualcóyotl. Home to the UNAM Symphonic Orchestra

Teatro Metropolitan.

• Hipodromo de las Americas. Industria Militar Avenue Colonia Lomas de Sotelo. Its a thoroughbred and quarter-horse race track. There are races nearly every day, the complex has different zones for different budgets including the original club-house and grandstand, with seating for 20,000 people and several restaurants. Betting starts as low as M$10.

Hipodromo de las Americas. Industria Militar Avenue Colonia Lomas de Sotelo. Its a thoroughbred and quarter-horse race track. There are races nearly every day, the complex has different zones for different budgets including the original club-house and grandstand, with seating for 20,000 people and several restaurants. Betting starts as low as M$10.

Mexico City is famous among Mexicans for its huge malls, streets like Presidente Mazaryk offer haute couture stores.

• Polanco. Upscale shopping and dining district centered around Presidente Masaryk and Campos Eliseos streets. It also has several shopping malls.
• Altavista. San Angel upscale shopping street.
• Condesa. Trendy district full with alternative stores and boutiques.
• Centro Historico, 20 de Noviembre St. The city's oldest shopping district, you can find almost anything here. The old department stores are clustered around
• Pino Suarez. There is a lot of youth-minded fashion going on here. Most of it is a knock-off of something else but at such low prices who can complain? There is a very large indoor market near the metro stop (Pino Saurez, on the pink line) that has a ton of clothing, shoes, and food vendors.

Polanco. Upscale shopping and dining district centered around Presidente Masaryk and Campos Eliseos streets. It also has several shopping malls.

Altavista. San Angel upscale shopping street.

Condesa. Trendy district full with alternative stores and boutiques.

Centro Historico, 20 de Noviembre St. The city's oldest shopping district, you can find almost anything here. The old department stores are clustered around

Pino Suarez. There is a lot of youth-minded fashion going on here. Most of it is a knock-off of something else but at such low prices who can complain? There is a very large indoor market near the metro stop (Pino Saurez, on the pink line) that has a ton of clothing, shoes, and food vendors.

American-style shopping malls appeared in Mexico City by the late 1960s and are now are spread all over the metropolitan area. Here you will find some of the malls sorted by area.

Central

• Reforma 222, Paseo de la Reforma 222, Juárez. Metro Insurgentes or Metrobús Hamburgo.
• Fórum Buenavista, Eje 1 Norte and Insurgentes, Buenavista. Metro Buenavista.
• Plaza Insurgentes, San Luis Potosí 214, Roma. Metrobús Sonora.
• Parque Delta, Cuauhtemoc 462, Narvarte. Metro Centro Médico or Metrobús Obrero Mundial.
• Metrópoli Patriotismo, Patriotismo 229, San Pedro de los Pinos. Metro San Pedro de los Pinos.

North

• Parque Lindavista, Riobamba 289, Lindavista. Metro Lindavista.
• Plaza Lindavista, Montevideo 363, Lindavista. Metro Lindavista.
• Plaza Satélite, Circuito Centro Comercial 2251, Ciudad Satélite.
• Mundo E, periférico Norte 1007, Santa Mónica
• La Cúspide
• Toreo Parque Central, Boulevard Manuel Ávila Camacho 5, Fraccionamiento Lomas de Sotelo, Naucalpan de Juárez. Metro Cuatro Caminos.

West

• Antara Polanco; Ejército Nacional 843, Polanco
• Molière dos22; Molière 222, Polanco
• Pabellón Polanco; ejército Nacional 980, Polanco
• Magnocentro 26 Fun & Fashion, Magnocentro 26, Interlomas
• Parque Duraznos, Bosque de Duraznos 39, Bosques de las Lomas
• Paseo Arcos Bosques, paseo de los Tamarindos 100, Bosques de las Lomas
• Centro Santa Fe, Vasco de Quiroga 3800, Santa Fe. The largest shopping mall in Mexico City. Reachable by Ecobús from Metro Balderas.

South

• Centro Coyoacán, Avenida Coyoacan 2000, Del Valle. Metro Coyoacán.
• Plaza Universidad, Avenida Universidad 1000, Del Valle. Metro Zapata. The first shopping mall in Mexico City.
• Galerías Insurgentes, Insurgentes Sur 1329, Del Valle. Metro Insurgentes Sur or Metrobús Félix Cuevas.
• Perisur, insurgentes Sur 4690, Jardines del Pedregal. Metrobús Perisur.
• Galerías Coapa, Calzada del Hueso 519, Villa Coapa.
• Plaza Cuicuilco. Metrobús Villa Olímpica.
• Plaza Loreto, Altamirano 46, San Angel. Metrobús Doctor Gálvez.
• Pabellón Altavista, Camino al Desierto de los Leones 52, San Angel. Metrobús Altavista.
• Gran Sur, Periférico Sur 5550, Pedregal de Carrasco

• Premium Outlets at Punta Norte. Northwest of Mexico City (State of Mexico) in the intersection of Periferico (Mexico Hwy #57) and the Chamapa La Venta highway, near Ciudad Satelite. You will need a taxi or a car to get there.
• Las Plazas Outlet Lerma. Mexico- Toluca highway Km. 50 in the intersection with Calzada Cholula in the City of Lerma, near Toluca. You will need a car to get there.

Premium Outlets at Punta Norte. Northwest of Mexico City (State of Mexico) in the intersection of Periferico (Mexico Hwy #57) and the Chamapa La Venta highway, near [[Mexico City/Ciudad Satelite|Ciudad Satelite]]. You will need a taxi or a car to get there.

Las Plazas Outlet Lerma. Mexico- Toluca highway Km. 50 in the intersection with Calzada Cholula in the City of Lerma, near Toluca. You will need a car to get there.

• Mercado de Curiosidades. In Centro Historico.
• Mercado Insurgentes. In Zona Rosa. The National Fund for the Development of Arts and Crafts (Fonart), Avenida Patriotismo 691, in Mixcoac, Avenida Paseo de la Reforma No. 116 in Colonia Juárez and Avenida Juarez 89 in Centro.

Mercado de Curiosidades. In Centro Historico.

Mercado Insurgentes. In [[Mexico City/Zona Rosa|Zona Rosa]].

Although street vendors can be found almost anywhere in Mexico City, the following are more "formal" flea markets selling handcrafts, furniture and antiques.

• Bazar del Sábado. In San Angel. Every Saturday, artists show and sell their paintings in a beautiful, cobblestoned zone of the city. There are also stores where they sell handcrafts.
• Mercado de Artesanias. In Coyoacan on Saturdays, featuring handicrafts from all over the country, and classes for kids.
• Plaza del Angel. In Zona Rosa, Calle Londres (metro station Insurgentes). Mostly expensive antique shops, the famous Sunday collectibles market has nearly vanished.
• Mercado de Alvaro Obregon. In Colonia Roma
• Sunday art market in the Monumento a la Madre.
• Tianguis Cultural del Chopo. The main flea market for the counterculture in Mexico City. Along Aldama Street between Sol and Luna. Metro Station Buenavista.
• Mercado de Antiguedades de Cuauhtemoc. Near Centro Historico (metro station Cuauhtemoc), every Saturday 9AM-5PM.
• La Lagunilla and Tepito. Near Centro Historico (metro stations Lagunilla and Garibaldi). La Lagunilla has some of the best antiques, and is a maze of interesting thing, although it is a high crime area with 317 reported robberies in 2006. Tepito is more for pirated CDs, stolen things, and knock-offs. This area is huge and it's very easy to get lost. Shopkeepers are mostly friendly and will point you toward the nearest Metro station. For safety, visitors to this market should dress down, go with someone else, and arrive early in the day when it's less crowded. If you don't speak Spanish it's probably better to stay away. The collectibles market takes place every Sunday from 9AM, mainly along Paseo de la Reforma at intersection with Allende.

Bazar del Sábado. In [[Mexico City/San Angel|San Angel]]. Every Saturday, artists show and sell their paintings in a beautiful, cobblestoned zone of the city. There are also stores where they sell handcrafts.

Mercado de Artesanias. In [[Mexico City/Coyoacán|Coyoacan]] on Saturdays, featuring handicrafts from all over the country, and classes for kids.

Plaza del Angel. In [[Mexico City/Zona Rosa|Zona Rosa]], Calle Londres (metro station Insurgentes). Mostly expensive antique shops, the famous Sunday collectibles market has nearly vanished.

Mercado de Alvaro Obregon. In [[Mexico City/Condesa and Roma|Colonia Roma]]

Sunday art market in the Monumento a la Madre.

Tianguis Cultural del Chopo. The main flea market for the counterculture in Mexico City. Along Aldama Street between Sol and Luna. Metro Station Buenavista.

Mercado de Antiguedades de Cuauhtemoc. Near [[Mexico City/Centro|Centro Historico]] (metro station Cuauhtemoc), every Saturday 9AM-5PM.

La Lagunilla and Tepito. Near [[Mexico City/Centro|Centro Historico]] (metro stations Lagunilla and Garibaldi). La Lagunilla has some of the best antiques, and is a maze of interesting thing, although it is a high crime area with 317 reported robberies in 2006. Tepito is more for pirated CDs, stolen things, and knock-offs. This area is huge and it's very easy to get lost. Shopkeepers are mostly friendly and will point you toward the nearest Metro station. For safety, visitors to this market should dress down, go with someone else, and arrive early in the day when it's less crowded. If you don't speak Spanish it's probably better to stay away. The collectibles market takes place every Sunday from 9AM, mainly along Paseo de la Reforma at intersection with Allende.

If you're staying longer you may want to buy groceries and food at any of the hundreds of supermarkets. You can use the store locators at their websites to find one close to you. These are some of the most common:

• Chedraui.
• Comercial Mexicana. Also owned by them are the high-end City Market, small Sumesa and large Mega supermarkets. Sumesa has several locations around the Roma and Condesa. Owned by Soriana.
• Soriana. If you're staying in the Centro Histórico, a useful central one is inside the Forum Buenavista shopping mall, reachable by Metro Station Buenavista. From Roma and Condesa, you can easily reach the one inside the Paruqe Delta shopping mall (Metro Centro Médico).
• Wal-Mart. Also owned by them are the high-end Superama and low-end Bodega Aurrerá supermarkets. Several throughout the city, including one near the airport. Stock just about everything, much like the supercenters found in the US. An easily accessible one is right next to the Nativitas Metro station (Line 2) on the west side of the Calzada de Tlalpan. Exit the Metro on the west side (toward Calle Lago Pte.) and make a left as you exit the station. The first thing on your left, just next to the station building, is the ramp going up to the Wal-Mart entrance. Visible from the train, impossible to miss.

Chedraui.

Comercial Mexicana. Also owned by them are the high-end City Market, small Sumesa and large Mega supermarkets. Sumesa has several locations around the Roma and Condesa. Owned by Soriana.

Soriana. If you're staying in the Centro Histórico, a useful central one is inside the Forum Buenavista shopping mall, reachable by Metro Station Buenavista. From Roma and Condesa, you can easily reach the one inside the Paruqe Delta shopping mall (Metro Centro Médico).

Wal-Mart. Also owned by them are the high-end Superama and low-end Bodega Aurrerá supermarkets. Several throughout the city, including one near the airport. Stock just about everything, much like the supercenters found in the US. An easily accessible one is right next to the Nativitas Metro station (Line 2) on the west side of the Calzada de Tlalpan. Exit the Metro on the west side (toward Calle Lago Pte.) and make a left as you exit the station. The first thing on your left, just next to the station building, is the ramp going up to the Wal-Mart entrance. Visible from the train, impossible to miss.

For generally hard-to-find ingredients, such as vegetables and spices that are unusual in Mexico, try the Mercado de San Juan (Ernesto Pugibet street, Salto del Agua metro station). You can even find exotic meats here, such as iguana, alligator, ostrich, and foie gras. Go to the cheese stand at the center of the market, and ask for a sample— the friendly owner will give you bread, wine, and samples of dozens of different kinds of cheese.

• Supermercado Seul.
• Seoul Market.
• Uri Market.

Supermercado Seul.

Seoul Market.

Uri Market.

• Mikasa. Lots of Japanese food ingredients, candy and drinks
• Kokeshi, +52 5534 7131. Mostly Japanese food stuff but they also sell other Asian foods. They also sell Japanese dinnerware.

Mikasa. Lots of Japanese food ingredients, candy and drinks

Kokeshi, +52 5534 7131. Mostly Japanese food stuff but they also sell other Asian foods. They also sell Japanese dinnerware.

• Super Kise. South of the city, they sell Korean, Chinese and Japanese groceries.

Super Kise. South of the city, they sell Korean, Chinese and Japanese groceries.

Many food products in Mexico including milk are kosher compliant. If you're looking for specific products, try some stores in the Polanco neighborhood. At some Superama branches you would find kosher departments, especially the ones in Polanco, Tecamachalco and Santa Fe neighborhoods.

Although it is easy to assume that Mexico City is the world capital of tacos, you can find almost any kind of food in this city. There are regional specialties from all over Mexico as well as international cuisine, including Japanese, Chinese, French, Polish, Italian, Argentinean, Belgian, Irish, you name it. The main restaurant areas are located in Polanco, Condesa, Centro, Zona Rosa, along Avenida Insurgentes from Viaducto to Copilco and more recently Santa Fe.

For superb Mexican cuisine you can try El Cardenal (Sheraton Centro Histórico), Los Girasoles (Tacuba 8), Aguila y Sol (Emilio Castelar 229), Izote (Masaryk 513) and, for something more affordable, Café Tacuba (Tacuba 28). Another great (but expensive) experience is to dine in an old converted hacienda: try Hacienda de los Morales (Vázquez de Mella 525), San Angel Inn (Diego Rivera 50) or Antigua Hacienda de Tlalpan (Calzada de Tlalpan 4619).

There are several Mexican chain family restaurants that can be assumed to be safe and similar no matter where you are, including Vips, Lyni's, Toks, and the more traditional Sanborns, all reminiscent of Denny's in the United States. They are uniformly good but never excellent. You can expect to pay M$100-150 per person. If you're on a budget, you can also try one of the myriad comida corrida (set menu) restaurants, frequented by many office workers. Some of these offer very good food, are usually safe, and should range between M$50-100.

Perhaps the most ubiquitous type of food almost anywhere in Mexico city are fast food outlets, located on the ground floor of a street-facing building, or puestos, street stands located on a sidewalk or almost anywhere there is room. Most of these serve the usual tacos or tortas (filled bread rolls similar to a sub or sandwich), and they can be very cheap (M$10-50). Hygiene varies from good to abysmal, so eat at a place that has plenty of people. The Taquería Aguayo in Coyoacán is a superb example.

If you want to stuff your face with lots of real Mexican food at cheap prices then head over to a market, such as La Merced (the former central market, located on the pink line of the subway at the stop "Merced"). There are several restaurants as well as stands serving up some delicious food. Huaraches, which are something like giant tortillas with different toppings/fillings, are popular here, as are alambres. Another superb market is located a stone's throw from the Salto del Agua metro stop; Mercado San Juan Arcos de Belem. It is full of food stalls offering all the Mexican favourites, but find the one opposite the small bakers, which is located by one of the rear entrances on Calle Delicias, which serves the Torta Cubana. The people running it are amazingly welcoming and the food, especially the Cubana, is excellent.

If you want something safe and boring, most American fast food chains have franchises here. You'll see McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut, Papa John's Pizza, Domino's Pizza, TGI Friday's, Chili's, Dairy Queen, Subway, and yes, even Starbucks. These are all fairly affordable.

El Globo, a French-style bakery, has locations throughout the city selling both French and traditional Mexican pastries, like orejas (little ears), éclairs, empanadas, and rosca during New Year's. It can't be beat for a quick snack or bagful of pastries to eat later.

Do not miss the chance to go to Panaderia Madrid (calle 5 de Febrero, one block south off the main plaza in downtown Mexico). This is a very old and typical bakery, they will usually have fresh bread twice a day, but if there are a lot of customers they will bake as many as four times a day.

Asian food restaurants are abundant, and the quality is good, and caters from cheap Chinese cafeterias to expensive and very good Japanese food. Korean, Japanese and Chinese are most common cuisines in Mexico City, while Indian, Thai and Indonesian can be harder to find. Most sushi places, however, put far too much rice on their sushi rolls and not enough fish.

Vegetarian (vegetariano in Spanish) alternatives are commonly available at larger restaurants, but don't expect much from street vendors. The magic phrases, for vegetarians or vegans, are "sin pollo" (no chicken), "sin carne" (no meat), "sin huevo" (no eggs) and "sin queso" (no cheese). If you can communicate this and then gesticulate to the menu, the waiter normally will give you suggestions. In regular restaurants, they will even try to edit an existing dish for you. Just make sure you are clear. Chiles Rellenos are usually filled with meat, but different fillings are a definite standard in any vegetarian restaurant.

Tips— Tipping (propina in Spanish) is expected, with 10% the standard for decent service at all sit-down restaurants. You can tip more for very good service (15%), or tip less or not at all for poor service.

In Mexico, there is no difference in prices if you sit inside or outside, it is the same if you eat at the bar or sit at a table.

"El Jarocho" (Centro Coyoacan) is an amazing place to go for coffee. They also sell pastries and other food. This place is incomparable to Starbucks. There are several locations in Coyoacán due to its evergrowing popularity.

• Tacos al pastor
• Cecina Adobada
• Tacos de tripa
• Gringas
• Enchiladas Suizas
• Enchiladas de mole
• Pozole
• Quesadillas
• Sopes
• Tortas
• Sopa de tortilla
• Chilaquiles
• Huevos Rancheros
• Arrachera
• Micheladas
• Huaraches
• Alambres
• Tacos de suadero
• Tacos de canasta
• Enfrijoladas
• Tacos de barbacoa
• Migas
• Agua de Jamaica
• Pambazos

For a quick breakfast you can always try a tamal (steamed corn dough with chicken or pork) bought on the street or specialized shops, accompanied by a cup of atole (hot chocolate corn starch drink), which is the breakfast of the humble on their way to work. They are often in the form of tortas de tamal.

Tacos al pastor

Cecina Adobada

Tacos de tripa

Gringas

Enchiladas Suizas

Enchiladas de mole

Pozole

Quesadillas

Sopes

Tortas

Sopa de tortilla

Chilaquiles

Huevos Rancheros

Arrachera

Micheladas

Huaraches

Alambres

Tacos de suadero

Tacos de canasta

Enfrijoladas

Tacos de barbacoa

Migas

Agua de Jamaica

Pambazos

In Mexico City you have an almost endless choice of options to party. Traveling by yourself at night in certain areas of Mexico City is not a good idea, especially in Plaza Garibaldi, where pickpocketers are ever ready to relieve you of your unguarded cash. One of the ways you can check out the night life safely is by doing a Night Club Tour. These tours will typically take you to a few clubs and include transportation. Mexicans are for the most part very friendly and enjoy socializing.

The typical Mexican place to go to drink is the cantina, a bar where food is usually free, and you pay for drinks (exact policies and minimums vary). Cantinas serve a wide range of Mexican and foreign drinks, with prices usually reasonable compared to prices in the US, and you'll be continually served various Mexican foods, such as tacos (you should ask for 'Botana'). If your tolerance for Mexican music (mariachi or otherwise) and lots of noise is low however, this may not be your kind of place. Cantinas are open moderately late, usually past midnight at the very least. However some cantinas, like La Victoria, near the Plaza Garibaldi, are also open at midday for lunch.

A lower-end traditional option is going to a pulquería, where you can drink pulque (a gooey whitish drink). After being on a steep decline for decades, many are finding a new surge in popularity with young people. They can be found in the Centro Histórico and around Xochimilco. If you don't like pulque, they usually serve beer as well.

Many bars play a combination of Spanish and English-language rock, electronic music, and some Latin/Caribbean music. These bars tend to close around 3-4AM.

Club music mainly falls into three main categories, pop, rock and electronic music. The pop places generally play what's on the music charts, Latin pop, and sometimes traditional Mexican music, and are frequented by a younger (sometimes very young) audience, and are often more upper class. The rock places play rock in the wide sense, in English and Spanish. Most people are at least over 18 in these places. The electronica clubs, which attract everyone from Mexico City's large subculture of ravers and electronica fans, of all ages. Most clubs close late, 3-4AM at the earliest, and some are open until 7AM or 8AM.

The best bet used to be the Zona Rosa, which has a large number of street bars with rock bands playing and a large selection of clubs, especially strip clubs and gay bars. South of Zona Rosa you can find the Condesa and Roma areas, with many options of bars and restaurants. Another good area is Polanco, particularly a street called Mazaryk, where you'll find plenty of good clubs but it is best to make a reservation. Republica, La Santa or Guilt (gay club) are posh and exclusive clubs on that street. Be forewarned - entrance is judged on appearance and to get a table a minimum 2-bottle service is required, unless its a slow night [min. US$80 per bottle]. Posh and upper scale night clubs can be found in the Lomas area, particularly the Hyde, Sense and Disco Lomas Clubs, but be warned some of these could be extremely expensive, where the cover charge could range from 250 pesos upwards and bottles start at US$130. In addition, getting in could very difficult, as these are the most exclusive in town. There are also exclusive gay clubs in that area with the same characteristics: Envy night club on Palmas 500 and Made nightclub on Chapultepec next to the lake and the restaurant El Lago Chapultepec.

The other common Mexican-style thing to do when going out is to go dancing, usually to salsa, meringue, rumba, mambo, son, or other Caribbean/Latin music. This is considerably more fun if you're a somewhat competent dancer, but even complete beginners who don't mind making fools of themselves will likely enjoy it. Most dance places close late, 3-4AM is common.

The legal drinking age is 18. It is illegal to consume alcohol in public ("open container"). This is strictly enforced and the penalty is at least 24 hours in jail.

Take an identification card such as a copy of your passport.

To stay in contact while traveling in México City.

If someone is calling you the country code is +52 then the area code is 55 then the 8 digit phone number. For a mobile phone, you might need to add a 1 between the +52 and 55. If you want to make a long distance call in Mexico from a landline, you should dial the prefix 01 for national calls followed by the area code. From a mobile phone, start from the area code. If you are making an international long distance call, you must dial 00 followed by the country code, for example, if you're calling the U.S. you should dial 00+1 and the area code, if you're calling the U.K, dial 00+44 and the area code, and so on.

If you want to use your cellular phone you can get your phone unlocked before you go. When you arrive in Mexico City, you can purchase a Telcel or Movistar SIM card, locally known as a "chip". This will get you a Mexican cell phone number. Remember this is a prepaid cellular option. You get free incoming calls. People calling you from long distance will need to dial in this format: +52 1 plus the area code 8 or 7 digit phone number. Mexico city (55), Guadalajara (33) and Monterrey (81) have 8-digit numbers, and 2 digit area codes. The rest of the country has 7-digit numbers and 3-digit area codes. There are no long distance charges within the country.

Calling from a Mexican phone (either land or mobile) to a Mexican cell phone is called ¨El Que Llama Paga¨ meaning only the person making the call pays for the air time. From a landline, you should dial the 044 prefix before the 10-digit number composed of the area code and the mobile number to be dialled, such as 044 55 12345678. From a mobile phone, just start from the area code.

Another option is to buy a prepaid Mexican phone kit, they frequently include more air time worth than the kit actually costs, air time is called ¨Tiempo Aire¨. For Telcel these kits are called ¨Amigo Kit¨ for Movistar they are called ¨Movistar Prepago¨ and for Iusacell ¨Viva Kit¨ you can just keep the phone as a spare for whenever you are in Mexico; there are no costs in between uses. These kits start at around US$30 and can be purchased at the thousands of mobile phone dealerships, or at OXXO convenience stores, and even supermarkets.

There are four main cell phone operators in Mexico.

• Telcel The largest coverage in Mexico, using 3.5G, 3G and GSM (HSPA+, HSDPA & EDGE) and 4G (LTE)
• Movistar A GSM & 3G (HSDPA) network with decent coverage in most of the country
• Iusacell (includes former Unefon network) A CDMA (EVDO) and GSM-based 3G (HSDPA) and 3.5G (HSPA+) network with an average coverage in most cities and large towns.
• Nextel (iDEN push to talk, similar to Nextel offered in the U.S. by Sprint Nextel and Boost Mobile but has different owner)

Telcel The largest coverage in Mexico, using 3.5G, 3G and GSM (HSPA+, HSDPA & EDGE) and 4G (LTE)

Movistar A GSM & 3G (HSDPA) network with decent coverage in most of the country

Iusacell (includes former Unefon network) A CDMA (EVDO) and GSM-based 3G (HSDPA) and 3.5G (HSPA+) network with an average coverage in most cities and large towns.

Nextel (iDEN push to talk, similar to Nextel offered in the U.S. by Sprint Nextel and Boost Mobile but has different owner)

Mexico City has good access to the internet. There are some internet cafes throughout the city, many of them in Zona Rosa, but their number is rapidly dwindling as many people now have internet access on their smartphones. Price vary from M$10-20 an hour. Look for the word 'Cyber' or 'CiberCafe' in order to find a place with internet access.

Free hot spots for wi-fi connection to the internet are available in several places around the city, particularly in public squares, along Reforma, and inside shopping malls, cafés and restaurants. Other hot spots around the city (such as at the airport and Sanborns restaurants) are not free, usually operated by the Mexican phone company Telmex through their Internet division Prodigy Móvil. In order to be able to connect in those places, the user must be subscribed to the service, or buy a prepaid card known as "Tarjeta Multifon"; visitors coming from the US can access the service using their AT&T or T-Mobile Internet accounts. Cards can be bought at the Sanborns restaurant chain, Telmex stores and many stores that offer telephony related products.

There are no full-time English spoken radio stations in Mexico, however these are a few options to listen:

• Imagen 90.5 FM Features a twice-a-day English news program at 5:30AM and 11PM with a summary of the most important news around the globe.
• Ibero 90.9 FM University radio station that plays mainly indie-rock but also has cultural programs.
• Alfa 91.3 FM Broadcasts English language hit pop music.
• Beat 100.9 FM Electronic music station.
• Mix 106.5 FM Hits in English from the 80s, 90s, and nowadays pop/rock music.
• Universal 92.1 FM Old hits in English (70s, 80s).

Imagen 90.5 FM Features a twice-a-day English news program at 5:30AM and 11PM with a summary of the most important news around the globe.

Ibero 90.9 FM University radio station that plays mainly indie-rock but also has cultural programs.

Alfa 91.3 FM Broadcasts English language hit pop music.

Beat 100.9 FM Electronic music station.

Mix 106.5 FM Hits in English from the 80s, 90s, and nowadays pop/rock music.

Universal 92.1 FM Old hits in English (70s, 80s).

With the exception of The News, you won't find newspapers in English or other foreign languages in regular newsstands, however, you can find many at any Sanborns store. Many U.S. newspapers have subscriptions available in Mexico, including the Wall Street Journal, Today, the New York Times and the Miami Herald.

Almost all national newspapers are based in Mexico City and have local news. Some of the most read newspapers include:

• The News English-language daily published in Mexico City.
• El Universal National daily based in Mexico City. The online version includes a good English section.
• Reforma Most important local daily. Requires a subscription to read online.
• La Jornada The most important left-leaning daily, with a good cultural section.
• Milenio
• Excélsior
• La Crónica
• La Prensa
• Diario Monitor

Free newspapers are often given away at intersections and metro stations, most commonly Publimetro.

The News English-language daily published in Mexico City.

El Universal National daily based in Mexico City. The online version includes a good English section.

Reforma Most important local daily. Requires a subscription to read online.

La Jornada The most important left-leaning daily, with a good cultural section.

Milenio

Excélsior

La Crónica

La Prensa

Diario Monitor

Despite its reputation, travel in Mexico City is generally safe and most people find it surprisingly non-threatening. Areas around the historic center and other places where tourists usually go are generally well-lit and patrolled in the early evening. Much of your travel within the city will be done via public transportation or walking. Mexico City is an immensely crowded place, and as with any major metropolitan area, it is advised to be aware of your surroundings.

Do not show money in front of others as this generally attracts pickpockets. Protect your personal information, such as your PIN number when entering it at an ATM or bank terminal. When paying at a restaurant, it's best if you don't let your card be taken away but instead ask for the terminal to be brought to you or go where it is located.

Do not leave anything of value visible from your car window, always use the trunk, even things that could be considered to hold something of value (for example, an empty gift box) will attract unwanted attention to your car and might prompt a broken window.

Plan ahead, and know where you are going and how you will arrive. Most people in Mexico City are quite hospitable and some will speak English, and people who work for hotels and other hospitality-oriented businesses will always help. This will help in avoiding confusion, becoming lost or stranded. Also, you can ask a local for advice to get somewhere, though you might need basic Spanish to do this. In the Polanco, Sante Fe and Lomas districts, some police officers and many business people and younger children speak English, as it is very common to learn it in school.

The least safe places where tourists often go are around the North part of the Centro Historico, such as around Garibaldi square. Be extra vigilant if you go there at night. You can find a detailed crime map based on official statistics here.

There are pickpockets in Mexico City. Purses and bulky, full back pockets are quite attractive. Do not keep your passports, money, identification, and other important items hanging out for someone to steal. Place items in a hotel safe, or tuck them away inside your clothes. A money belt might be a good option. The Metro or Subway system can get extremely crowded, which creates opportunities for pickpockets on cars that are often standing room only.

Taxi robberies, so-called "express kidnappings", where the victim is robbed and then taken on a trip to various ATMs to max out their credit cards, do occur, although safety in the city has improved. 95% of total kidnapping victims are nationals, so your odds of being taken are very slim, they are not targeting strangers, yet you should always use your common sense.

The two most common recommendations for a safe cab riding experience are to make sure you take an official cab, and to notify a person you trust of the license plate number of the cab you are riding. There is a free app called Taxiaviso for iPhone, Android, and Blackberry (soon) that allows you to verify if a cab is official by comparing the taxi license plate number with the government provided data and that lets you communicate through Facebook, Twitter and/or email the license plate number of the cab you have taken or even communicate an emergency through these mediums.

Well organized bands of pickpocketers are operating in the most common Mexico City Metro lines, most of which are close to touristic spots. One of the most common methods of pickpocketing in addition to the thefts inside the wagons is work in teams of 4 or 5 persons that push the victims into the doors trying to emulate a fake crowd. The victim tries to enter or exit the wagon and the thefts take advantage of this deliberated movement of distraction to extract mainly phones or wallets that are inside the pockets of the victims and it gives to a third person inside or outside the wagon that escapes with the objects. In case of pickpocketing the method of warning to the police is pushing the "alarm signal" red lever (warning sign) close to the doors. Take in consideration that if the thefts are discovered they will argue violently in their favor to the police elements and will ask for a revision of all their belongings, knowing that they give the objects to other accomplice that hurried from the station and there is no evidence of theft, one of the conditions that the police will ask to begin a formal detention and prosecution. The most common stolen objects are cellphones, specially high end-models. Stay safe keeping your cellphone and wallet inside a security bag or money belt with zippers and avoid enter the wagons into the middle of the platform where are more common find crowds at the doors.

While the most tourist areas are safe and the areas with more incidents are outside them, buses are stolen by armed robbers. In case this happens do not try to resist, give your belongings (cell phones and money), do not make violent movements and do not try to look at the thieves. Murders have been reported by people who do it.

Also be careful of pick-pocketing which is reported to happen especially around line B of the subway.

Violent robberies on trolleybuses or M1 buses (public transport of Mexico City Government) are not common at all.

Police officers in Mexico get paid a third of what New York City police officers make, and some rely on bribes and corruption to make more money (however, never offer a bribe first since not all officers will want or accept them). The historic center and other major sites often have specially trained tourist police that speak English or other foreign languages and are more helpful than ordinary transit cops.

The Mexico City Government has opened a specialized prosecution office (Ministerio Público in Spanish) for foreigners that find themselves affected by robberies or other crime situations. It is in Victoria Street 76, Centro Historico. Multilingual staff are available.

Although the smog layer is visible nearly every day, its effects in terms of breathing and eye irritation are usually barely noticeable and it should not normally be cause for concern for visitors. That said, it makes sense for visitors to be aware of the issue.

Pollution is highest in the winter from late November to early February, especially when a greenhouse effect causes cold dirty air to be trapped under warm cleaner air. You can check the current air quality on the Atmospheric Monitoring System website, which updates every hour at several locations. This government body established an index denominated IMECA (Metropolitan Index for Air Quality) in order to make the population aware of the current air pollution situation.

When the index exceeds 150 points, an "Environmental pre-contingency" is usually issued and people are asked to refrain from performing open-air activities such as sports. In the case of an "Environmental Contingency," only vehicles with a zero or double zero emissions sticker can circulate.

Earthquakes are very common at the junction of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates, which meet close to the Mexican Pacific coast about 400 km (250 mi) away. This is far enough away from the city so that when an earthquake occurs, Mexico City has about a 30- to 90-second warning. This alarm is broadcast loudly from the speakers installed at the security cameras. It sounds like an air-raid alarm followed by a spoken recording ("Alerta Sísmica"). Should you hear this alarm or feel an earthquake, remain calm and follow some simple rules: if you are indoors, stay under the doorways, move away from objects that can fall, and/or follow exit paths ("Rutas de Evacuación") out to the streets; if you are outdoors, move away from slopes or electrical wires towards open areas or places marked "safe zones." Since large parts of the city (Center, East and North) were built on the soft clay from the dry bed of lake Texcoco, earthquakes can feel quite powerful despite the distance.

The catastrophic earthquake of 8.1 magnitude on the Richter scale, that took place in the morning of September 19, 1985, killing 9,000 to 30,000 people, remains fresh in the memory of many of Mexico City's inhabitants. Right after the 1985 earthquake, many buildings were reinforced and new buildings are designed to meet structural criteria by law. No major building collapse has happened since, even after several strong earthquakes. You can check the latest earthquake activity at the National Earthquake Center an institute of the National University (UNAM).

Dial 911, the number for all emergencies (fire, police and medical).

Some people may consider Mexico City to have a bad reputation, in terms of crime statistics, air pollution, and on more contrived issues, such as earthquakes. However, crime and pollution levels are down over the last decade and you shouldn't face any trouble within the tourist areas. As in some large cities, there are areas that are better to be avoided, especially at night, and precautions to take, but Mexico City is not particularly dangerous.

When walking in the city you could be approached by people. Usually they are just trying to sell something or begging for a few coins, but if you aren't interested, it is not considered insulting to just ignore them. If you clearly look like a foreigner, you will likely be approached by students wanting to practice their English. Sometimes they will want to record the conversation for a school assignment. If someone of importance (such as a police officer) approaches you for a particular purpose, they will definitely let you know.

If you do get approached by a police officer, understand that there are three different types: the Policia (Police), who are usually driving around the city with their lights flashing; the Policia Auxiliar (Blue uniform)(Auxiliary Police), who are like security guards; and the Policia de Transito (Bright Yellow hat and vest) (Traffic Police) who simply direct traffic.

If you are cruising around town and don't want to look like a tourist, avoid wearing shorts. It gets hot here, but it is remarkable how few locals in the capital city wear shorts. Some churches won't even let you walk inside if you are wearing shorts.

Remember most Mexicans are very curious in regards to foreigners and are willing to help. If in need for directions, try to ask young people, who may speak a little English.

Many locals (not all of them, of course) have very aggressive driving habits as a result of the frequent traffic jams in the city. Some traffic signals are more an ornament than what they were made for, such as Stop signs, although most people respect traffic lights and pedestrian ways. When traffic is not present, particularly at night, locals tend to speed up so be careful when changing lanes. Street names and road signs may not be present everywhere so it is strongly advisable to ask for directions before driving your car. A GPS device is a big help. Sometimes potholes, fissures, and large-yet-unmarked speed-bumps ("topes") are common on the roads, so exercise some caution. Even at a small crawl, these can damage a car, especially in the backroads between towns in the Southern area. A fast succession of white lines cutting the road perpendicularly means that a tope is approaching and you should slow down immediately.

When off the main roads, maneuvering in the narrow streets and alleys can be tricky. Often a paved road turns to cobblestone (in historic neighborhoods) or dirt (if this happens, you've gone way off the tourist areas). Also, some streets are blocked off behind gates and do not let drivers pass without stating their destination, converting them into small gated communities. If you are driving through small streets or a housing development, you should beware of children, as they often run on the pavement as if they were in their backyard. You should also be mindful of people on bicycles and motorcycles alike, because they tend to drive in the narrow spaces between cars. The best thing to do is to yield to them. Trolleys and the Metrobús often have exclusive lanes and the right of way when they don't. On streets with the Metrobús, left turns are not allowed.

Those who are used to having a berm or paved area to the side of the road will quickly notice that the berm is missing on many roads and freeways such as Viaducto and Periferico. If you go off the side of the road, there will be a 20-30-cm (4-6-inch) drop off of the pavement. Driving in Mexico City should be avoided if at all possible. In high density areas such as Centro Historico, Mexico City, there is no street parking available during business hours.

Even the best of plans can go wrong when you arrive at your proposed exit at 110 km/h (65 mph), and there is a detour onto some other road with no markings or road signs, with everyone going as fast as they can go. At that point you may want to exit immediately and regroup before you end up miles from where you planned to exit. Maps and road signs likely will be lacking any usable information in a situation like this and your best bet may be to navigate by the seat of your pants a parallel route to the one you found closed.

In many nightclubs, bars and restaurants it is common for minors to drink without proving their age as long as they appear to be over 18. It is also permitted for minors to drink alcohol if they are in the company of an adult who is willing to take responsibility. Drinking alcoholic beverages in the street is strictly prohibited—doing so will certainly get you in trouble with the police. Drunk driving is also strictly prohibited and punished with 24-72 hours of mandatory jail time. The police have incorporated random alcohol tests on streets near bars and clubs as well as highway exits to enforce this. The system is very efficient, and you will sometimes see a stopped car or truck with a policeman interrogating the occupants.

Smoking inside enclosed areas in public buildings, restaurants and bars is strictly prohibited by law. Fines can be steep, so if you want to smoke in a restaurant it is best to ask the waiter before lighting up. Of course, going outside is always an option. Personal use of electronic cigarettes is permitted.

Small quantities of all drugs are decriminalised, but offenders could be imprisoned if found in possession of more than one personal dose. You don't want to go to jail while a judge determines if what you're carrying is a personal dose.

Being the national capital, Mexico City hosts a large number of embassies. A majority of them are clustered in the areas surrounding Bosque de Chapultepec in Delegación Miguel Hidalgo and in the adjacent and more central Delegación Cuauhtémoc. There are others located further south in Delegacion Álvaro Obregón as well. Some of the embassies in Mexico City are accredited as non-resident embassies to Central America, the Caribbean and/or South America while others are accredited to Mexico from Washington DC or from their Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York:

• Argentina Argentina, Av. Paseo de las Palmas N° 1670, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 5520-9430. Mon-Fri 08:30-17:00. Embassy is also accredited to Belize
• Australia Australia, Rubén Darío 55, Col. Bosque de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11580, +52 55 1101-22000. Mon-Fri 08:30-17:00. Embassy is also accredited to Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
• Austria Austria, Sierra Tarahumara 420, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5251-0806. Mon-Fri 09:00-12:00. Embassy is also accredited to Belize Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua where they have and oversee honorary consulates.
• Brazil Brazil (Brasil), Lope de Armendáriz 130, Col. Lomas Virreyes, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5201-4531.
• Belize Belize (Belice), Bernardo de Gálvez 215, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 1101-22000. Mon-Thu 09:00-17:00; Fri 09:00-16:30.
• Belgium Belgium (Belgica), Ave Alfredo Musset 41, Col. Polanco, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11550, +52 55 5280-0758. Mon-Fri 08:30-13:30.
• Bolivia Bolivia, Goethe 104, Verónica Anzúres, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11550, +52 55 5255-3620, +52 55 5255-3630. Mon-Fri 08:30-12:00 & 13:45-16:30.
• Canada Canada, Schiller 529, Col. Bosque de Chapultepec (Polanco)Del. Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 5724 7900. Mon-Fri 09:00-12:00 & 14:30-16:00; notarial services are available at 09:00-10:00 only.
• Chile Chile, Andrés Bello Nº10, Piso 18, Edificio Forum Colonia, Col. Polanco, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 5280-9682, +52 55 5280-9682, +52 55 5280-9689. The consulate is at a separate location at Calle Arquímedes N° 212, 5° Piso, Colonia Polanco, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo
• China China, Av. Río de la Magdalena 172, Colonia Tizapán – San Ángel, Delegación Álvaro Obregón 01090, +52 55 5616 4324, +52 55 5616 4309, +52 55 5616 4239. M-F 9AM-1PM, phone service 4PM-7PM.
• Colombia Colombia, Paseo de la Reforma 412 Piso 19, Col. Benito Juarez, Del. Cuauhtemoc, +52 55 5525-0277. The consulate is at a separate location at Paseo de la Reforma 319 Piso 1, Col. Cuauhtemoc. Tel: +52 55 5525-4562
• Costa Rica Costa Rica, Rio Po #113, Col. Cuahtémoc, Del. Cuahtémoc, +52 55 5525-7766.
• Cuba Cuba, Presidente Masaryk, No. 554 Col. Polanco. Delegación Miguel Hidalgo 11560 (Entre Bernard Shaw y Línea Ferrocarril de Cuernavaca, +52 55 6236 8737.
• Denmark Denmark (Dinamarca), Tres Picos #43, Col. Polanco., Delegación Miguel Hidalgo 11580, +52 55 5255-3405.
• Dominican Republic Dominican Republic (Republica Dominicana), Prado Sur 755, Col Lomas de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5540-3841. The consulate is at a separate location at Francisco Petrarca #336, Int. 301, 3a Piso, Col. Chapultepec Morales. Tel: +52 55 5260-7262
• Ecuador Ecuador, Calle Tennyson N° 217, Col. Polanco, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11560 (entre Av. Homero y Horacio, +52-55 5254-4665. Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00.
• El Salvador El Salvador, Calle Temistocles 88, Polanco, Polanco IV Secc, Del Miguel Hidalgo 11560, +52-55-5281-5725.
• Egypt Egypt (Egipto), Alejandro Dumas 131, Col. Polanco, Del Miguel Hidalgo 11560, +52 1 5281-0823, +52 1 5281-0698.
• Finland Finland (Finlandia), Monte Pelvoux 111, 4. piso, Colonia Lomas de Chapultepec, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo 11000 México D.F., +52-55-5540 6036. Mo-Fr 9AM-1PM. Embassy is also accredited to Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
• France France (Francia), Av Campos Elíseos 339, Miguel Hidalgo, Polanco, Polanco III Secc, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo 11560 México D.F., +52-55-9170-9700.
• Germany Germany (Alemania), Horacio 1506, Col. Los Morales, Sección Alameda, Delegacion Miguel Hidalgo 11530, +52 55 5283-22-00. Mon-Thur 07:30-16:30; Fri 07:30-15:00.
• Greece Greece (Grecia), Monte Ararat 615, Lomas de Chapultepec V Secc, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, +52-55-5520-2070.
• Guatemala Guatemala, Explanada 1025, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec V Secc, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, +52-55-5520-9249.
• Haiti Haiti, Sierra Vertientes 840, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5580-2487, +52 55 5557-2065. M-Th 09:00-16:00, F 9:00-15:00.
• Honduras Honduras, Calle Alfonso Reyes #220, Col. Hipódromo Condesa, Del. Cuauhtémoc 06170, +52-55-5211-5747.
• Iran Iran, Paseo de la Reforma 2350, Col. Lomas Altas, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, +52-55-9172-2690.
• Iraq Iraq, Paseo de la Reforma No. 1875, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5596-0933.
• Ireland Ireland (Irlanda), Cda. Blvd. Manuel Avila Camacho No. 76, piso 3 Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del Miguel Hidalgo 11000.
• Israel Israel, Sierra Madre No. 215, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5201-1500.
• Italy Italy (Italia), Av. Paseo de las Palmas 1994, Col. Lomas Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52-55-5596-3655, +52 55 5596-7710. M,Tu,Th 09:00-13:00; 15:00-16:00 Passport Issuance; 13:30-15:00 Visa Issuance.
• Jamaica Jamaica, Paseo de las Palmas 1340, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec Morales, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5250-6804, +52 55 5250-6806. M-Th 09:00-17:00, F 09:00-15:00.
• Japan Japan (Japón), Paseo de la Reforma No.395 Col. Cuauhtémoc, Del. Cuauhtémoc 06500, +52 55 5211 0028.
• South Korea Korea (Corea del Sur), Lope Diaz de Armendariz 110, Col Lomas de Chapultepec IV Secc, 11000 Del. Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 5202-9866. Mon-Fri 09:00-13:00 & 15:00-17:00.
• Lebanon Lebanon (Líbano), Julio Verne No. 8, Del Miguel Hidalgo C.P. 11560, +52 55 5280-5614, +52 55 5280-6794.
• Netherlands The Netherlands (los Paises Bajos), Av. Vasco de Quiroga 3000-7a Piso, Edificio Calukmul, Colonia Santa Fe, Delegacion Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5258-9921, +52 55 1150-6550.
• New Zealand New Zealand (Nueva Zelanda), Corporativo Polanco, Jaime Balmes 8, Piso 4 - 404A, Col Los Morales, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11500, +52 55 5283-9460. Mon-Fri 09:30-14:00 & 15:00-17:00. Embassy is also accredited to Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama & Venezuela
• Nicaragua Nicaragua, Prado Norte 470, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 5283-9460.
• Norway Norway (Noruega), Avenida Virreyes 1460, Col. Lomas Virreyes, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5047-3700. M-Th 09:00-15:00, F 09:00-12:00.
• Panama Panama, Calle Sócrates No.339, Colonia Polanco, Delegacion Miguel Hidalgo 11560, +52 55 5280-7857.
• Peru Peru, Paseo de la Reforma 2601, Colonia Lomas de Reforma, Delegacion Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 1105-2270. Mon-Fri 09:00-14:00 (to receive and issue documents). The consulate is at a separate location at Presidente Masaryk, No. 29, Colonia Polanco, Del. Miguel Hidalgo. Tel: +52 55 5203-4838 or 4401-2381 (Emergencies)
• Philippines Philippines (Filipinas), Rio Rhin 56, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, Delegacion Cuauhtemoc, +52 55 5202 9360. Monday to Friday 0800H to 1700H.
• Paraguay Paraguay, Homero 415, Col. Polanco, Delegacion Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 5545-0403, +52 55 5545-0405.
• Portugal Portugal, Alpes 1370, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec V Secc, Delegacion Miguel Hidalgo 11000 (Entre Montañas Rocallosas y Montes Apalaches, +52 55 5520-7897. Mon-Fri 08:00-12:00 & 13:00-15:00.
• Russia Russia, Maestro José Vasconcelos 204, Col. Hipódromo Condesa, Del. Cuauhtémoc 06140, +52 55 5271-4856.
• Spain Spain (España), Calle Galileo 114, Col. Polanco, 1150 Del Miguel Hidalgo (Corner of Horacio and c/ Galileo, +52-55-5281-5725. Mon-Thur 09:00-17:00; Fri 09:00-15:00.
• South Africa South Africa (Sudáfrica), Andrés Bello 10, Piso 9, Col. Polanco, Del Miguel Hidalgo CP-11560, +52 55 1100-4970. Mon-Fri 08:30-16:30.
• Sweden Sweden (Suecia), Paseo las Palmas 1375, Paseo de las Palmas, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 9178-5010.
• Switzerland Switzerland (Suiza), Torre Optima, Piso 11, Paseo de las Palmas, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del Miguel Hidalgo 11000 (Corner of Horacio and c/ Galileo, +52-55-91 78 43 70. Mon-Thur 09:00-12:00 & 14:00-15:00; Fri 09:00-12:00.
• Turkey Turkey, Monte Líbano No. 885. Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5282-5446, +52 55 5282-4277. Mon-Fri 09:00-13:00 & 14:00-16:30 (10:00-12:30 Consular Section).
• the United Kingdom United Kingdom (Reino Unido), Río Lerma, No. 71, Col. Cuauhtémoc, Del. Cuauhtémoc, +52 55 1670-3200. Mon-Thur 08:00-16:30; Fri 08:00-14:00. Consular services are temporary available at Torre Cuadro (3rd floor) ; Cda. Blvd. Avila Camacho, 76-3; Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo
• the United States United States (Estados Unidos), Paseo de la Reforma 305, Col. Cuauhtémoc, Del. Cuauhtémoc, +52 55 5080 2000.
• Uruguay Uruguay, Hegel 149 – Piso 1, Col. Polanco, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 5531-0880. Mon-Fri 09:00-15:00.
• Venezuela Venezuela, Schiller 326, Polanco, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11550, +52 55 5203-4233.

See this Link from Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM), the Mexican Immigration Department for a list of embassies and consulates of additional countries in Mexico.

Argentina Argentina, Av. Paseo de las Palmas N° 1670, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 5520-9430. Mon-Fri 08:30-17:00. Embassy is also accredited to Belize

Australia Australia, Rubén Darío 55, Col. Bosque de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11580, +52 55 1101-22000. Mon-Fri 08:30-17:00. Embassy is also accredited to Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama

Austria Austria, Sierra Tarahumara 420, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5251-0806. Mon-Fri 09:00-12:00. Embassy is also accredited to Belize Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua where they have and oversee honorary consulates.

Brazil Brazil (Brasil), Lope de Armendáriz 130, Col. Lomas Virreyes, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5201-4531.

Belize Belize (Belice), Bernardo de Gálvez 215, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 1101-22000. Mon-Thu 09:00-17:00; Fri 09:00-16:30.

Belgium Belgium (Belgica), Ave Alfredo Musset 41, Col. Polanco, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11550, +52 55 5280-0758. Mon-Fri 08:30-13:30.

Bolivia Bolivia, Goethe 104, Verónica Anzúres, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11550, +52 55 5255-3620, +52 55 5255-3630. Mon-Fri 08:30-12:00 & 13:45-16:30.

Canada Canada, Schiller 529, Col. Bosque de Chapultepec (Polanco)Del. Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 5724 7900. Mon-Fri 09:00-12:00 & 14:30-16:00; notarial services are available at 09:00-10:00 only.

Chile Chile, Andrés Bello Nº10, Piso 18, Edificio Forum Colonia, Col. Polanco, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 5280-9682, +52 55 5280-9682, +52 55 5280-9689. The consulate is at a separate location at Calle Arquímedes N° 212, 5° Piso, Colonia Polanco, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo

China China, Av. Río de la Magdalena 172, Colonia Tizapán – San Ángel, Delegación Álvaro Obregón 01090, +52 55 5616 4324, +52 55 5616 4309, +52 55 5616 4239. M-F 9AM-1PM, phone service 4PM-7PM.

Colombia Colombia, Paseo de la Reforma 412 Piso 19, Col. Benito Juarez, Del. Cuauhtemoc, +52 55 5525-0277. The consulate is at a separate location at Paseo de la Reforma 319 Piso 1, Col. Cuauhtemoc. Tel: +52 55 5525-4562

Costa Rica Costa Rica, Rio Po #113, Col. Cuahtémoc, Del. Cuahtémoc, +52 55 5525-7766.

Cuba Cuba, Presidente Masaryk, No. 554 Col. Polanco. Delegación Miguel Hidalgo 11560 (Entre Bernard Shaw y Línea Ferrocarril de Cuernavaca, +52 55 6236 8737.

Denmark Denmark (Dinamarca), Tres Picos #43, Col. Polanco., Delegación Miguel Hidalgo 11580, +52 55 5255-3405.

Dominican Republic Dominican Republic (Republica Dominicana), Prado Sur 755, Col Lomas de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5540-3841. The consulate is at a separate location at Francisco Petrarca #336, Int. 301, 3a Piso, Col. Chapultepec Morales. Tel: +52 55 5260-7262

Ecuador Ecuador, Calle Tennyson N° 217, Col. Polanco, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11560 (entre Av. Homero y Horacio, +52-55 5254-4665. Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00.

El Salvador El Salvador, Calle Temistocles 88, Polanco, Polanco IV Secc, Del Miguel Hidalgo 11560, +52-55-5281-5725.

Egypt Egypt (Egipto), Alejandro Dumas 131, Col. Polanco, Del Miguel Hidalgo 11560, +52 1 5281-0823, +52 1 5281-0698.

Finland Finland (Finlandia), Monte Pelvoux 111, 4. piso, Colonia Lomas de Chapultepec, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo 11000 México D.F., +52-55-5540 6036. Mo-Fr 9AM-1PM. Embassy is also accredited to Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama

France France (Francia), Av Campos Elíseos 339, Miguel Hidalgo, Polanco, Polanco III Secc, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo 11560 México D.F., +52-55-9170-9700.

Germany Germany (Alemania), Horacio 1506, Col. Los Morales, Sección Alameda, Delegacion Miguel Hidalgo 11530, +52 55 5283-22-00. Mon-Thur 07:30-16:30; Fri 07:30-15:00.

Greece Greece (Grecia), Monte Ararat 615, Lomas de Chapultepec V Secc, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, +52-55-5520-2070.

Guatemala Guatemala, Explanada 1025, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec V Secc, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, +52-55-5520-9249.

Haiti Haiti, Sierra Vertientes 840, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5580-2487, +52 55 5557-2065. M-Th 09:00-16:00, F 9:00-15:00.

Honduras Honduras, Calle Alfonso Reyes #220, Col. Hipódromo Condesa, Del. Cuauhtémoc 06170, +52-55-5211-5747.

Iran Iran, Paseo de la Reforma 2350, Col. Lomas Altas, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, +52-55-9172-2690.

Iraq Iraq, Paseo de la Reforma No. 1875, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5596-0933.

Ireland Ireland (Irlanda), Cda. Blvd. Manuel Avila Camacho No. 76, piso 3 Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del Miguel Hidalgo 11000.

Israel Israel, Sierra Madre No. 215, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5201-1500.

Italy Italy (Italia), Av. Paseo de las Palmas 1994, Col. Lomas Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52-55-5596-3655, +52 55 5596-7710. M,Tu,Th 09:00-13:00; 15:00-16:00 Passport Issuance; 13:30-15:00 Visa Issuance.

Jamaica Jamaica, Paseo de las Palmas 1340, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec Morales, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5250-6804, +52 55 5250-6806. M-Th 09:00-17:00, F 09:00-15:00.

Japan Japan (Japón), Paseo de la Reforma No.395 Col. Cuauhtémoc, Del. Cuauhtémoc 06500, +52 55 5211 0028.

South Korea Korea (Corea del Sur), Lope Diaz de Armendariz 110, Col Lomas de Chapultepec IV Secc, 11000 Del. Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 5202-9866. Mon-Fri 09:00-13:00 & 15:00-17:00.

Lebanon Lebanon (Líbano), Julio Verne No. 8, Del Miguel Hidalgo C.P. 11560, +52 55 5280-5614, +52 55 5280-6794.

Netherlands The Netherlands (los Paises Bajos), Av. Vasco de Quiroga 3000-7a Piso, Edificio Calukmul, Colonia Santa Fe, Delegacion Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5258-9921, +52 55 1150-6550.

New Zealand New Zealand (Nueva Zelanda), Corporativo Polanco, Jaime Balmes 8, Piso 4 - 404A, Col Los Morales, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11500, +52 55 5283-9460. Mon-Fri 09:30-14:00 & 15:00-17:00. Embassy is also accredited to Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama & Venezuela

Nicaragua Nicaragua, Prado Norte 470, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 5283-9460.

Norway Norway (Noruega), Avenida Virreyes 1460, Col. Lomas Virreyes, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5047-3700. M-Th 09:00-15:00, F 09:00-12:00.

Panama Panama, Calle Sócrates No.339, Colonia Polanco, Delegacion Miguel Hidalgo 11560, +52 55 5280-7857.

Peru Peru, Paseo de la Reforma 2601, Colonia Lomas de Reforma, Delegacion Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 1105-2270. Mon-Fri 09:00-14:00 (to receive and issue documents). The consulate is at a separate location at Presidente Masaryk, No. 29, Colonia Polanco, Del. Miguel Hidalgo. Tel: +52 55 5203-4838 or 4401-2381 (Emergencies)

Philippines Philippines (Filipinas), Rio Rhin 56, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, Delegacion Cuauhtemoc, +52 55 5202 9360. Monday to Friday 0800H to 1700H.

Paraguay Paraguay, Homero 415, Col. Polanco, Delegacion Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 5545-0403, +52 55 5545-0405.

Portugal Portugal, Alpes 1370, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec V Secc, Delegacion Miguel Hidalgo 11000 (Entre Montañas Rocallosas y Montes Apalaches, +52 55 5520-7897. Mon-Fri 08:00-12:00 & 13:00-15:00.

Russia Russia, Maestro José Vasconcelos 204, Col. Hipódromo Condesa, Del. Cuauhtémoc 06140, +52 55 5271-4856.

Spain Spain (España), Calle Galileo 114, Col. Polanco, 1150 Del Miguel Hidalgo (Corner of Horacio and c/ Galileo, +52-55-5281-5725. Mon-Thur 09:00-17:00; Fri 09:00-15:00.

South Africa South Africa (Sudáfrica), Andrés Bello 10, Piso 9, Col. Polanco, Del Miguel Hidalgo CP-11560, +52 55 1100-4970. Mon-Fri 08:30-16:30.

Sweden Sweden (Suecia), Paseo las Palmas 1375, Paseo de las Palmas, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 9178-5010.

Switzerland Switzerland (Suiza), Torre Optima, Piso 11, Paseo de las Palmas, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del Miguel Hidalgo 11000 (Corner of Horacio and c/ Galileo, +52-55-91 78 43 70. Mon-Thur 09:00-12:00 & 14:00-15:00; Fri 09:00-12:00.

Turkey Turkey, Monte Líbano No. 885. Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11000, +52 55 5282-5446, +52 55 5282-4277. Mon-Fri 09:00-13:00 & 14:00-16:30 (10:00-12:30 Consular Section).

the United Kingdom United Kingdom (Reino Unido), Río Lerma, No. 71, Col. Cuauhtémoc, Del. Cuauhtémoc, +52 55 1670-3200. Mon-Thur 08:00-16:30; Fri 08:00-14:00. Consular services are temporary available at Torre Cuadro (3rd floor) ; Cda. Blvd. Avila Camacho, 76-3; Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo

the United States United States (Estados Unidos), Paseo de la Reforma 305, Col. Cuauhtémoc, Del. Cuauhtémoc, +52 55 5080 2000.

Uruguay Uruguay, Hegel 149 – Piso 1, Col. Polanco, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, +52 55 5531-0880. Mon-Fri 09:00-15:00.

Venezuela Venezuela, Schiller 326, Polanco, Del. Miguel Hidalgo 11550, +52 55 5203-4233.

• Oaxtepec— Oaxtepec is a short distance away from Mexico City and is a great place to get out of the hectic city and do some swimming. The climate is constantly warm and sunny and there is a very affordable and very fun waterpark (only half is open on weekdays, on the weekends the rest of the park is open). There are plenty of lodging options and most include access to a club house with a sauna and an olympic pool and diving pool. A bus leaves every 10 minutes from the Taxqueña bus station and costs 81 pesos through OCC.
• Cuernavaca— Cuernavaca is the capital city of the state of Morelos. Its only 45 minutes away from Mexico City and is known worldwide as "The City of Eternal Spring" due to its excellent temperate climate with an annual average of 20°C.
• Taxco— Famous for its beautiful colonial architecture and narrow cobbled streets.
• Teotihuacan— The ancient city of giant pre-Columbian pyramids.
• Puebla— UNESCO world heritage place for its colonial architecture and site of the battle with the French army in the mid-1800s. The city is located 100km away from Mexico DF and is known throughout Mexico for its cuisine; it’s worthwhile to take a one-day trip from Mexico City to do some sight-seeing and sample some of the food. Many good restaurants are conveniently located near the main square.
• Valle de Bravo— A beautiful town next to a lake and in the middle of the forest, great place for all kinds of sports (e.g. mountain biking, sailing, water skiing and paragliding). Consider driving up Nevado de Toluca and into the crater that holds a lake. Nevado de Toluca is a dormant volcano on your way to Valle de Bravo. Also, late winter/early spring is the best time to see the monarch butterflies on your way to VdB.
• Pachuca "The Beautiful Windy"— A cozy little miners city.
• Desert of the Lions National Park— 20 minutes away from the city you can find yourself surrounded by trees in the middle of the forest. Take a hike from "La Venta" to "El Convento" or up to "Cruz Blanca" and eat some great quesadillas for lunch, you can't miss them since it the only structure on "Cruz Blanca". If you can find a mountain bike, it's one of the best places to ride.
• Tepoztlan— A cool new age city south of Mexico City which has an interesting pyramid on top of a mountain. The journey up to see the pyramid takes approximately an hour and is well worth it once you see the view on top. Tepoztlan is also known for its frequent UFO activity. Believe it or not if you want, but a large percentage of the town residents claim to have seen the "ovni."
• Bernal— About a 2.5 hour drive outside of Mexico City (north towards Querétaro), has the famous La Peña de Bernal. Popular on summer soltice. Very small town but lively.