Best places to see and visit in Mexico City and surroundings

Posted by Mahmood Poonja on December 15th, 2019

Best places to see and visit in Mexico City and surroundings

Mexico is one of the most attractive countries that can be visited in the world. The first thing to keep in mind when preparing a trip to Mexico is that it is so large and varied that it is impossible to cover it minimally in a single visit. It is likely, although not necessary, that the trip begins or ends in Mexico City , but if so, we advise you to dedicate several days to know all its attractions.You should know that Mexico City is the great Latin American capital in terms of heritage wealth due to its historical importance for several centuries. It is also a modern and thriving city, one of the most populated in the world. It is also said to be the city ​​with the most museums in the world , in competition with London. All this makes it an extraordinarily interesting place to know, despite the fact that many visitors of the country do not really know the value of its attractions.

Mexico City, a World Heritage Site

It should not be forgotten that the historic center of Mexico City and the Xochimilco gardens were inscribed in 1987 on the Unesco World Heritage list. This is due to the importance of the city, both as the capital of the Aztec empire , as well as the viceroyalty of New Spain , as well as the splendor of the monuments that are preserved from those two periods.There is so much to see and do, that you will always leave things pending for an upcoming trip.

What to see in the visit of Mexico City

The safest thing is that you start your visit of the city with a tour of its historic center , something essential.

El Zocalo Square

The huge Plaza de la Constitución , which everyone calls El Zocalo , is the main square in Mexico City , and it is said to be the second largest in the world.

Mexico Cathedral

The first thing that stands out is the Cathedral , a building that dominates the whole complex. It is not the most beautiful, but the largest on the continent and one of the most impressive. It was built in 1573 with materials from a large Aztec temple to replace the modest temple built just after the conquest. The interior is full of artistic treasures, but, as a curiosity, do not miss the pendulum and the table on the floor below it, with signs so you can imagine how this building has moved over time. This displacement is due to the fact that the city is built on very unstable ground and buildings, especially the heaviest ones, tend to sink. Next to the cathedral you will find the Metropolitan Tabernacle , one of the triumphs of the Churrigueresque style in Mexico.

National Palace of Mexico in the Zocalo

Another side of the Zocalo is occupied by the National Palace on the place where the Moctezuma, Cortés and the viceroys palaces were. Its facade measures more than 200 meters and is an essential visit for the extraordinary murals of Diego Rivera that reflect the history of Mexico, from the Aztecs to the 1910 revolution.

Templo Mayor in the Zocalo

If you leave the square by the corner between the two previous buildings you will find the remains of the Templo Mayor , with an excellent museum.

If you do not have time to visit it, look at least the model in the Zocalo to get an idea of ​​what this city was like in pre-Hispanic times, when it was located in the middle of a lagoon.