23 Best Sights in Greater Mexico City, Mexico City

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We've compiled the best of the best in Greater Mexico City - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

Estadio Azteca

Greater Mexico City Fodor's Choice

Fútbol is the sport that Mexicans are most passionate about, which is evident in the size of their soccer stadium, Estadio Azteca, which holds 83,264 spectators and is the second largest in all of Latin America. Located in the south of the city, about 8 km (5 miles) beyond historic Coyoacán, it's the home turf of Club América, one of Mexico's top fútbol teams, as well as the Primera División's Cruz Azul, repeat winners of the CONCACAF Champions League. Additionally, Mexico's national team plays here often, and there's an American NFL football game held here once a year. The stadium will also be one of three in Mexico (and the only one in Mexico City) to host games during the FIFA World Cup in 2026. In preparation for this, the stadium will be undergoing significant renovations and improvements throughout 2024 and early 2025, although most games are still expected to take place throughout this period, with the exception of the annual NFL football game, which may not resume until after the World Cup. You can buy tickets at the stadium ticket windows on the same day of any minor game. For more important games, try to buy tickets a week in advance—it's easiest to do so via Ticketmaster.

You can't get to Azteca by Metro, but there is a light rail stop (Estadio Azteca) outside the stadium and it's a short walk to catch the light rail from the Tasqueña metro stop. Hour-long tours are also offered daily for MP150.

Museo del Juguete Antiguo México

Doctores Fodor's Choice

A riotously colorful and curious collection of some 45,000 toys, some dating back to the 19th century, fill this playful museum and ode to pop culture in the Doctores neighborhood. There's little rhyme or reason to the manner in which everything is arranged, other than, perhaps, the whimsical eye and sly sense of humor of the museum's founder, architect Roberto Shimizu Kinoshita. You'll find cases of Barbie dolls, model cars and planes, stuffed animals, dioramas, and tons of Lucha Libre and other elements of Mexican culture. The shop on the ground floor sells some very cool antique toys. The district is just a 15-minute walk east of Roma and although it is becoming safer and even an increasingly popular as a place to live, Doctores can be a bit dicey, especially at night or if you're walking alone. Consider taking an Uber.

Museo Diego Rivera–Anahuacalli

Fodor's Choice

A devoted collector of pre-Hispanic art, Diego Rivera built his own museum to house the more than 45,000 artifacts he collected over his lifetime—which, sadly, came to an end several years before this impressive volcanic-rock building with a design inspired by ancient Mexican pyramids was completed in 1964. The third-floor studio, with its massive wall of windows, displays sketches for some of Rivera's most celebrated murals. Be sure to make your way to the rooftop, which affords sweeping city and mountain views, especially if it's a clear day; look out for the museum's small adjacent nature reserve, which you can also walk through. During the weeks surrounding Día de Muertos, you can view a remarkable altar in honor of Rivera himself. Although located in the larger delegación of Coyoacán, the museum is in the neighborhood of San Pablo Tepetlapa, about a 15-minute Uber ride south of Coyoacán's historic center; it's also a short walk from the Nezahualpilli light rail station.

Recommended Fodor's Video

Museo Dolores Olmedo

Greater Mexico City Fodor's Choice

In Xochimilco, on the outskirts of the city, you'll find this superb collection of paintings by Frida Kahlo and the largest private collection of works by Diego Rivera. The museum was established by Dolores Olmedo, Rivera's lifelong model, patron, and onetime mistress. The lavish display of nearly 150 pieces from his cubist, postcubist, and mural periods hangs in a magnificent 17th-century hacienda with lovely gardens. Kahlo's paintings are in a separate, adjacent hall; the museum sometimes lends these for traveling exhibitions, so check ahead to ensure they're here if this is the main reason you're visiting. Concerts and entertainment for children are presented on many weekends, while gaggles of geese and strutting peacocks amble about the grounds, adding to the clamor. There is a lovely small café in a glassed-in gazebo, and a variety of compelling rotating exhibits are held in other buildings around the property. During the month of October, the museum presents one of the better Día de Muertos displays in the city. You can reach the museum by taking the metro to Tasqueña station, and then catching the light-rail to La Noria (not Xochimilco), which is a five- to seven-minute walk away. By car, it's about a 40- to 50-minute drive from El Centro, but many visitors combine a stop here with boating on the canals in Xochimilco or strolling around historic Tlalpan. Just note, however, that currently the museum has been closed since the pandemic; it's expected to reopen sometime in 2024, and visitors are advised to check the museum's Facebook page for updates. 

Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo (MUAC)

Fodor's Choice

Although this gleaming, expansive contemporary art museum on the campus of UNAM—in the same cluster of buildings that make up the university's cultural center—has no permanent installation, the several gallery spaces, some intimate and some enormous, are staged with exceptional changing shows throughout the year. Additionally, parts of the university's extensive collection are shown at different times. MUAC is on par with any of the city's contemporary art museums, partly thanks to the gorgeous, angular design of noted architect Teodoro González de Leon, who also designed Reforma 222, Torre Manacar, and—in collaboration—Museo Rufino Tamayo (which bears a resemblance to MUAC). The glass facade rises at a sharp angle over a long reflecting pool, facing a broad courtyard that leads to the cultural center's performance venues. A long curving window in the back of the building looks out over the volcanic landscape on which the museum and the university are built, and a grand, freestanding staircase leads to a lower-level museum restaurant (the food is fine, if not spectacular, but the space is beautiful) and some additional galleries as well as a lecture hall. There are usually five or six shows taking place at any given time, and these rotate two or three times per year. Past shows have been devoted to works by Ai Weiwei, Zaha Hadid, Anish Kapoor, Lawrence Abu Hamdan, and Pola Weiss. The museum shop is also superb and carries a number of reasonably priced household items.

Cto. Centro Cultural, 04510, Mexico
55-5622–6972
Sight Details
MP40
Closed Mon. and Tues.

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Parque Nacional Desierto de los Leones

Greater Mexico City Fodor's Choice

The air is rare in this stunning alpine preserve, which in 1917 was declared Mexico's first national park. The 4,600-acre oasis of mostly conifer forest (with significant stands of oak trees as well) ranges in elevation between 2,600 meters (8,530 feet) and 3,700 meters (12,140 feet), and when you're scampering along the trails and beside the babbling brooks that lace this verdant wonderland, it's hard to believe that you're still completely within Mexico City limits (albeit close to the border with Estado de México). If the name had you picturing a vast arid plain of savage wild cats, note that "Desierto" is a reference to the distance from civilization, and while "leones" reportedly does relate to the one-time prevalence of wild critters living in the area, there were never any true lions out here, of course. The area was settled in 1606 by the Spaniards, who constructed a Carmelite convent nestled amid the pines. Now the focal point of the park and a must for any visitor, the current Ex-Convento del Desierto de los Leones—with its curving domes, high walls, and cloistered courtyards—was constructed in 1814, long after its predecessor had deteriorated through gradual weathering and wear. After exploring the ex-convent and the huge forest sanctuary behind it, stroll around the immediate grounds, where you'll find a number of crafts and food vendors as well as a colorful little restaurant with table service, El Leon Dorado. The park lies 20 km (12 miles) southwest of the city center, and just 10 km (6 miles) beyond the modern commercial district of Santa Fe, at the junction of the 134 and 57 federal highways.

Calz. Desierto de los Leones, Mexico City, 05020, Mexico
55-5814–1171
Sight Details
MP40
Closed Mon.

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Tlalpan Centro

Fodor's Choice

Extremely popular with Mexican families, especially as a place to stroll and people-watch on weekends, this historic and enchanting historic center laid out in the 1600s is sometimes described as what Coyoacán felt and looked like 30 years ago, before it became more of a must-see destination. Slowly but surely, Tlalpan's narrow lanes of colorful, historic houses and its charming tree-shaded hub, Plaza de la Constitución, are drawing more sizable crowds, but a visit here still feels manageable and relaxed, like you've stumbled upon a small colonial village far from the big city.

Do visit the Capilla de las Capuchinas, a few blocks away, to admire the strikingly modernist interior, which Luis Barragán completely redesigned in the late 1950s. You can also walk through the courtyard and view the interior of the imposing Parroquia de San Agustín de las Cuevas, on the east side of the plaza. Next door are a couple of good quick stops for a refreshment: historic La Jalisciense cantina for Spanish food and tortas, and an atmospheric branch of the local ice-cream chain, La Nueva Michoacana (which has been going strong since the early 1950s). If you can visit on a Sunday, you can enjoy watching locals, many of them seniors, dancing around the grand kiosco in the Plaza. Vendors sell crafts, souvenirs, and food while just a few steps south, Mercado de la Paz is a traditional market that also has plenty of food vendors. And although Tlalpan isn't flashy as a dining destination, there are a number of mostly traditional restaurants, cantinas, and food vendors on the blocks around the plaza, especially along pedestrianized Calle Guadalupe Victoria (which extends south from the plaza western's edge). Along here you'll also find the quirky but excellent Museo del Tiempo Tlalpan and the Museo de Historia de Tlalpan that, while not a must, offers free admission and gives a good overview of the neighborhood's history.

Finally, on the north side of the Plaza, the performance venue Multiforo Tlalpan often has concerts and other interesting shows—it's worth checking to see what's on. Tlalpan is in the south, easily visited in conjunction with Xochimilco, and most conveniently via Uber. But you could also save some pesos by taking the Metro to Universidad or the light rail to Huipulco, and taking much shorter Uber rides from either. Or you can take the Insurgentes Metrobus line south to the Fuentes Brotantes stop in Tlalpan Centro.

Plaza de la Constitución 1, 14000, Mexico

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Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Fodor's Choice

Some of the country's most celebrated modern architects—including Mario Pani, Enrique del Moral, and Teodoro González de Leon—designed buildings on the massive campus of UNAM, which sprawls across its own city within a city, the 2,500-acre (10-square-km) Ciudad Universitaria. Located in the southern reaches of the city, a little south of Coyoacán and San Ángel, the current campus was constructed in the 1950s on a then completely desolate field of petrified lava produced by the roughly AD 300 eruption of Xitle Volcano (a now dormant 1,000-foot-tall ash cone volcano about 8 km [5 miles] to the south). The university itself was established in 1910 and is one of the largest and most prestigious educational institutions in the world, with about 213,000 undergraduate and 30,000 graduate students enrolled across its numerous campuses around the country (as well as in extension schools in the United States and Canada). UNAM accepts only about 8% of applicants, and the campus here at Ciudad Universiteria is by far the largest and includes a number of outstanding architectural works and cultural attractions. Murals by Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and Juan O'Gorman appear on some buildings, most notably the 1956 functionalist Central Library, which O'Gorman designed in collaboration with Gustavo Saavedra and Juan Martinez de Velasco (and on which his massive murals appear). In addition to its outstanding museums and performance spaces, another highlight on campus is Jardín Botánico. UNAM also operates some other important institutions around the city, including Palacio de Mineria and Colegio de San Ildefonso (with its famous murals) in Centro Histórico, Casa del Lago in Parque Chapultepec, and Museo Universitario del Chopo in Santa Maria la Ribera.

Xochimilco Canals

Greater Mexico City Fodor's Choice

A former pre-Hispanic city 21 km (13 miles) south of current-day CDMX city center, the Xochimilco neighborhood is well worth a visit to explore its vast, ancient network of canals and chinampas (man-made islands), which have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. When the first indigenous settlers arrived in the Valley of Mexico, they found an enormous lake. As the years passed and their population grew, the land could no longer satisfy their agricultural needs. They solved the problem by devising a system of chinampas, rectangular structures akin to barges, which they filled with reeds, branches, and mud. They planted the barges with willows, whose roots anchored the floating gardens to the lake bed, creating a labyrinth of small islands and canals on which vendors carried flowers and produce grown on the chinampas to market.

Today Xochimilco is the only place in Mexico where the gardens still exist. Go on a Saturday, when the tianguis (market stalls) are most active, or, though it's crowded, on a Sunday. On weekdays the distinctive community is usually much less crowded, so it loses some of its vibrancy but also its chaos. It's considered almost a mandatory custom to hire a trajinera (a flower-painted boat that's roughly akin to a large gondola); a colorfully painted arch over each boat spells out its name. You can hire the trajineras at several different points in town—the launch point along Calle de Mercado (just north of Camino a Nativitas) tends to be a little less crowded, as it's farther from the light-rail station, and a pretty pedestrian bridge crosses the canal, allowing for some great photos of these colorful boats. Expect to pay MP600 per hour for a boat that can accommodate up to around 18 passengers. Optional extras include beer, micheladas, and soft drinks along with mariachi and marimba bands, Bluetooth speakers, tour guides, and decorative arches for your boat made of actual flowers. As you sail through the canals, you'll pass mariachis and women selling tacos from other trajineras, and you'll pass by the bizarre Isla de las Munecas (the Island of Dolls), which you'll know when you see it. While a Xochimilco boat tour has become one of Mexico City's top experiences, note that it's not an activity for everyone—these are basically party boats that ply some pretty murky, badly polluted waters, and while the tours can be a lot of fun for groups of friends (less so for just a couple of passengers), Xochimilco is a long way to go for a touristy tour on a crowded canal. To get here, it's about a 45-minute to 1-hour drive, or you can take the metro to Tasqueña station, and then catch the light-rail commuter train to Xochimilco (a journey of about two hours each way).

Calle del Mercado at Camino a Nativitas, Mexico City, 16420, Mexico

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Espacio Escultórico UNAM

Greater Mexico City

At the northern edge of UNAM's cultural center and an easy stroll from MUAC (Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo) and the concert halls, this mesmerizing and tranquil complex of contemporary sculpture is more of a wilderness than a garden. Opened in 1979, it contains strikingly dramatic and in some cases massive sculpture installations by six renowned artists: the frequent Barragán collaborator Mathias Goeritz as well as Helen Escobedo, Manuel Felguérez, Sebastian, Hersúa, and Federico Silva, who came up with the idea of creating a natural space to display large-scale, abstract shapes. The property adjoins a massive nature preserve; if you have time, take a stroll through the rugged, arid landscape of rusty-hued volcanic rock and the flora that thrives here. It's a peaceful spot, although with little protection from the sun. Note that it closes at 4 in the afternoon.

Centro Cultural Universitario, Mexico City, 04510, Mexico
Sight Details
Free
Closed weekends

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Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú

Greater Mexico City

Thanks to batter-friendly thin air, baseball fans here are often treated to slugfests at Diablos Rojos games in this dramatic stadium near the airport. The season for the Mexican League pro team (they play at roughly the caliber of U.S. MLB Triple A minor league teams) runs from April to August, with playoffs lasting into September.

Av. Viaducto Rio de la Piedad Ciudad de los Deportes Magdalena Mixihuca, Mexico City, 08400, Mexico
55-9128–7223

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Estadio Olímpico Universitario

Greater Mexico City

This hulking 72,000-seat stadium is near the south end of San Ángel, but is part of Ciudad Universitaria, the main campus for UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico). The striking elliptical building was an icon of modern architecture when it opened in 1952 and it played host to the main events of the 1968 Olympics and 1986 FIFA World Cup. Today it hosts soccer games of UNAM's Pumas as well as a number of other events. Be sure to view the sprawling relief mural by Diego Rivera that hangs above the main entrance of the stadium, on the east side of the building.

Jardín Botánico del IB-UNAM

Greater Mexico City

On the west side of UNAM's campus, this sprawling 32-acre swatch of greenery is Mexico's oldest botanical garden. Created in 1959 to preserve and encourage the study of the nation's diverse flora that spans the tropical, high-desert, and forested mountain regions, a walk through this remarkable landscape and its many greenhouses truly showcase Mexico's incredible biodiversity. The garden consists of 15 different collections, and contains more than 1,600 specimens, with a particularly diverse and remarkable array of cacti. A critical aspect of the garden's mission is protecting endangered flora as well as developing methods for sustaining them.

Cto. Zona Deportiva, Mexico City, 04510, Mexico
55-5622--9047
Sight Details
Free
Closed Sun.

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La Villa de Guadalupe

Greater Mexico City

La Villa—the local moniker of the site of the two basilicas of the Virgin of Guadalupe, about 7 km (4 miles) north of the Zócalo—is Mexico's holiest shrine. Its importance derives from the miracle that the devout believe occurred here on December 12, 1531: a Mexica named Juan Diego received from the Virgin a cloak permanently imprinted with her image so he could prove to the priests that he had experienced a holy vision. Although the story of the miracle and the cloak itself have been challenged for centuries, they are hotly defended by clergy and laity alike. Every December 12, millions of pilgrims arrive, many crawling on their knees for the last few hundred yards, praying for divine favors.

Outside the Antigua Basílica (Old Basilica) stands a statue of Juan Diego, who became the first indigenous saint in the Americas when he was canonized in 2002. The canonization of Juan Diego was wildly popular among Mexican Catholics, although a vocal minority of critics (both in and out of the Church) argued that, despite the Church's extensive investigation, the validity of Juan Diego's existence is suspect. Many critics see the canonization of this polarizing figure as a strategic move by the Church to retain its position among Mexico's indigenous population. The old basilica dates from 1536; various additions have been made since then. The altar was executed by sculptor Manuel Tolsá. The basilica now houses an excellent museum of ex-votos (hand-painted depictions of miracles, dedicated to Mary or a saint in gratitude) and popular religious, decorative, and applied arts from the 15th through 18th centuries.

Because the structure of the Antigua Basílica had weakened over the years and the building was no longer large enough or safe enough to accommodate all the worshippers, Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, the architect responsible for Mexico City's splendid Museo Nacional de Antropología, was commissioned to design a shrine, which was consecrated in 1976. In this case, alas, the architect's inspiration failed him: the Nueva Basílica (New Basilica) is a gigantic, circular mass of wood, steel, and polyethylene that feels like a stadium rather than a church. The famous image of the Virgin is encased high up in its altar at the back and can be viewed from a moving sidewalk that passes below. The holiday itself is a great time to visit if you don't mind crowds; it's celebrated with various kinds of music and dancers.

It's possible to take the metro here—La Villa-Basílica station is just a couple of blocks south. But it's not the safest or most scenic part of town, and it's quicker and more secure to go by Uber.

Calz de Guadalupe, Mexico City, 07050, Mexico
55-5118–0500
Sight Details
Nueva Basílica free; Antigua Basílica MP15

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Museo del Axolotl

Greater Mexico City

In this small, slightly quirky museum and aquarium inside Parque Ecológico Presa Tarango, in a hilly west-side neighborhood between Santa Fe and San Ángel, you can learn about one of Mexico's strangest and seemingly unlikely creatures, the axolotl. This small (averaging about 10 inches in length) and entirely aquatic relative of a tiger salamander once proliferated in the lakes beneath Mexico City, but rampant urbanization has almost entirely destroyed their natural habitats and axolotls have become nearly extinct in the wild. Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco, on the southeast side of the city, are the only places in the world where these underwater animals are still found. In the three geodesic-dome buildings and surrounding gardens that make up this museum, you can view exhibits about these unique amphibians and their conservation, and view them up-close in aquariums. The easiest way to get here is by Uber---it's a 15- to 20-minute ride from Santa Fe and San Ángel (or its nearest Metro stop, Barranca del Muerto).

Museo del Tiempo Tlalpan

This offbeat gem of a museum located in a handsome 19th-century former home on the west side of historic Tlalpan's Plaza de la Constitución contains an unexpectedly fascinating collection of antique clocks as well as old gramophones, movie cameras, phones, typewriters, jukeboxes, and even relatively modern gadgets from the 2000s, like old flip phones and adding machines. The owner is quite happy to show visitors around, but he does keep fairly irregular hours, so always call ahead.

Plaza de la Constitución 7, 14000, Mexico
55-4219--4082
Sight Details
MP150
By appointment only

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Parque Bicentenario

Greater Mexico City

It's perhaps unsurprising that in a city where disused hydroelectric and garbage heaps have been reimagined as parks and new neighborhoods, a badly polluting former oil refinery has been converted into a stunning, family-friendly green space with seven sections to replicate different climate-vegetation zones. The 136-acre preserve in the north of the city opened in 2010 on the bicentennial of the country's independence from Spain (hence the park's name). Key features include a lake that's lovely to walk around, picnic areas, playgrounds, jogging tracks, sporting fields and courts, an orchid greenhouse, and a gorgeous botanical garden that's definitely the highlight of any visit. Food stalls are located throughout the park, and there's even a little bar and grill with outdoor seating next to the lake. Concerts, festivals, and other noteworthy events take place here throughout the year—check the online calendar for what's coming up next. The park is a 15- to 20-minute drive north of Polanco (the vehicle entrance is at Av. F.F.C.C. Nacionales 221, on the east side of the park) and easily accessed from the Estación Refinería metro stop, which is at the park's northeast corner.

Parque Nacional Bosque del Pedregal

Although part of the country's national park system, this hilly, arid 623-acre expanse of oak scrubland south of the city—just 3 km (2 miles) west of Tlalpan Centro—feels a bit more like a city park, given that its completely surrounded by residential neighborhoods. It's also a highly popular destination for running and walking, with its paved central pathways easily accessible from the bustling neighborhood at the park's main entrance, where you'll also find the stately Casa de la Cultura Tlalpan cultural center as well as a good-size parking area and a playground. Once you venture deeper into the park, along the gravel and dirt paths, it starts to feel a bit more like you're actually in a wilderness (signs with park maps are placed strategically throughout the park, making it easy to navigate). Jagged lava outcroppings are evidence of the eruption some 2,000 years ago of nearby Xitle volcano, and the park contains more than 200 kinds of flora, from wild orchids to towering palms, and around 135 types of birds, snakes, and mammals. If you make a complete circuit around the park and venture out to its northwestern border, you'll also spy some strange, curving towers in the mid-distance, at which point the gleeful screams of passengers will clue you in that you're viewing the back side of Six Flags México amusement park.

Camino de Sta. Teresa 703, 14738, Mexico
55-5171–4558
Sight Details
Free

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Parque Nacional Cumbres del Ajusco

Mexico City is flanked by huge mountains, including the cloud-scraping peaks of 5,230-meter (17,160-foot) Iztaccíhuatl and its neighbor Popocatépetl, an extremely active volcano that's also the country's second-highest peak, at 5,426 meters (17,802 feet). Visible on clear days from the city center, Popocatépetl is more than 3,300 feet taller than the highest peak in the Lower 48, California's Mount Whitney. But Izzi and Popo, as these twins are affectionately known, aren't actually within city limits (they're about 56 to 72 km [35 to 45 miles] south of El Centro). The highest peak within city limits is Mount Ajusco, which is the centerpiece of Parque Nacional Cumbres del Ajusco, the third oldest national park in Mexico. Located in the southwestern corner of CDMX, it's a highly popular destination for hikers. Summiting its 3,930-meter (12,894-foot) peak is no easy feat, however. You'll want to allow at least seven hours to make it up and back, and as trails aren't always well-marked and crime isn't unheard of in this minimally patrolled wilderness, it's best to attempt a hike here with a guide or locals who've done the climb before. At the very least, go with a friend and research online for good trail maps and directions—under no circumstances should you go it alone. The elevation gain from any of the hike's starting points is around 2,500 to 3,000 feet, and it is a steep 10-km (6-mile) round-trip or loop hike (depending on the route), beginning in lush coniferous meadows and rising well above the tree line. You should also be in good shape to make it all the way. But it's a wonderfully rewarding adventure, and the views from the summit of neighboring mountains as well as the entirety of Mexico City to the north are spectacular. An excellent starting point is the trail that leads up from beside the casual Mexican restaurant, Cabaña Mireles La Polea, which is on the north side of the mountain, on the road that encircles it. Uber drivers shouldn't have trouble finding it, and if you drive yourself, you can park at the restaurant (or others near it) if you dine here before or after (the food is quite tasty)—just ask permission first.

14700, Mexico
55-5449–7000
Sight Details
Free

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Santa Fe

It rises like a postmodern Oz or perhaps (depending on your ideas about urbanization) a Bladerunner-esque dystopia, but regardless, the district of Santa Fe looks and feels entirely distinct from the rest of Mexico City. And if you're headed to this thicket of futuristic high-rises situated about 18 km (11 miles) from the city center, there's a high probability you're going for work-related reasons. Developed in the early 2000s atop a massive garbage landfill, Santa Fe was designed emphatically with cars in mind as more of an edge city than a proper neighborhood. It's home to some interesting examples of contemporary architecture, one of the most impressive shopping malls in Latin America (Centro Santa Fe), a massive convention center (Expo Santa Fe), a slew of major corporate offices, mostly upscale chain hotels (Westin, JW Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt House, and Camino Real among them), and high-end restaurants. Many of the latter are also major chains or outposts of other restaurants located elsewhere around the city. If business brings you here or you're simply curious to check out this thoroughly posh if rather antiseptic district, do make a point of visiting Parque La Mexicana, a beautifully designed 74-acre urban green space offering a playground, skate park, dog park, running and bicycling trails, and an outdoor terrace café. Santa Fe is also relatively close to Desierto de los Leones National Park, and it's a good stepping off point for venturing farther west to the city of Toluca. To get here, driving or taking an Uber is practically a requirement, as there's no metro service and getting here by bus is time-consuming and a bit complicated for tourists. In late 2023, the new Mexico City–Toluca commuter rail finally opened its first phase (four stations in the state of Mexico), but the three Mexico City stations are expected to open by mid- to late 2024. The line will provide easier and faster access, with a stop right in the center of Santa Fe.

Vasco de Quiroga, 01219, Mexico

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Six Flags México

Greater Mexico City

Amusement park giant Six Flags operates this enormous, well-designed park in the south of Mexico City, near Tlalpan and about 18 km (11 miles) from the city center. You'll find acres of both extreme and fairly mild rides (nine rollercoasters in all), plus live entertainment and other diversions, including multiple restaurants and souvenir stands. Areas have colorful themes, such as DC Super Heroes, Bugs Bunny Boom Town, and Polynesian Village. It's possible to get here cheaply via the Insurgentes Sur Metrobus, but Uber is more efficient. The company also operates Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Oaxtepec, a similarly popular water park near Cuernavaca, about a 90-minute drive southeast of Mexico City.

Carretera Picacho-Ajusco Km 1.5, Mexico City, 14200, Mexico
55-5339–3600
Sight Details
From MP1039
Closed many weekdays (check website for exact details)

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Universum

Greater Mexico City
The Museo de las Ciencias de la UNAM (or UNAM Science Museum) lies at the southeastern edge of the university's cultural center and is packed with touch-friendly, interactive exhibits as well as a planetarium and a particularly good oceanography area. Especially popular with families, highlights include an actual, touchable piece of the moon, a butterfly exhibit, dinosaurs, and more.
Cto. Centro Cultural, Mexico City, 04510, Mexico
55-5622–7260
Sight Details
MP90
Closed Mon. and Tues.

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Zona Arqueológica Cuicuilco

The occupants of cars and buses speeding along the city's Anillo Periférico (southern beltway) are sometimes surprised to see an ancient, conical pyramid rising just off the side of the highway, standing out rather strangely among the modern buildings that dominate the surrounding landscape of the city's Pedregal area. From around 1400 to 200 BC, a Mexica settlement with as many as 20,000 residents thrived here along the southern shoreline of Lake Texcoco, the now drained body of water on which Mexico City now stands. They built this impressive pyramid likely around 800 BC, several centuries before the construction of the massive pyramids of Teotihuacán (a settlement that some believe was created by descendants of Cuicuilco inhabitants). It's thus considered the oldest of the major archaeological sites in metro CDMX. Today you can visit the site, which has been remarkably well preserved in part because it was covered in lava by the eruption of nearby Xitle around 100 BC. A small museum designed by noted Mexican architect Luis Macgregor Krieger houses excellent exhibits tracing the settlement's history as well as countless pots, figurines, tools, and other artifacts unearthed on the site. You can also walk the grassy, verdant grounds and stand atop the pyramid. Cuicuilco is a five-minute drive from Tlalpan Centro and about a 15-minute drive from UNAM and Ciudad Universitaria. You can Uber here, or take the Insurgentes Sur Metrobus to the Villa Olímpica stop, from which it's an easy five-minute walk.