If You Go – Mexico City

Where2Stay

Hotel Maria Cristina
No. 31 Río Lerma
Col. Cuauhtémoc, México D.F., C.P. 06500
Tel: 5703 1212 and 5566 9688

With 150 rooms and Wi-Fi available throughout most of them, the hotel also offers proximity to museums, restaurants, nightclubs, and the embassies of the United States and Great Britain. If you desire a room with A/C make certain you request one, since not all rooms are equipped with it.
www.hotelmariacristina.com.mx

Sheraton Maria Isabel Hotel & Towers
325 Paseo de la Reforma
Col. Cuauhtemoc, Mexico City
Federal District 06500
Tel: (52)(55) 5242 5555

This Starwood property offers 755 rooms, tennis courts, fitness center and outdoor heated pool. Conveniently located one mile from the Anthropology Museum and 2 miles from the Palace of Fine Arts, among other attractions and points of interest.
www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=259

Where2Eat

Along the Rio Lerma and the Zona Rosa on the other side of the Paseo de la Reforma, are many restaurants offering cuisine that ranges from contemporary Basque cuisine at Tezka, Korean at U Rae Ok, Italian at Il Postino and of course authentic Mexican at Fonda del Refugio. Great for breakfast or lunch is Cafebrería El Péndulo inside a popular bookstore.

Many food stalls and vendors offered good food on the cheap.

What2Do

Art Museum
Tacuba 8, Centro, Distrito Federal
México City
Tel: (55) 5130 3400

Tuesday – Sunday 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Closed Monday

Free guided tours are available everyday the museum is open, from noon to 2 p.m. Reservations are required two weeks in advance.
www.munal.com.mx (Spanish only)

Centro Artesanal en Ciudadela
At the corner of Ayuntamiento and Dolores
Reforma North

A large 2 story marketplace with over 300 vendors selling all manner of goods from jewelry to leather. Open Monday – Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Chapultepec Park
Located at the end of Paseo de la Reforma, the park consists of 1,800 acres with a castle, a zoo, the Anthropology Museum, lakes and other attractions that ensure its popularity among residents and tourists alike.
www.mexicocity.com.mx/chaprk.html

Museo Casa de Carranza
Rio Lerma 35, Colonia Cuauhtemoc
México City
http://ow.ly/1cDsA (Spanish only)

Tuesday – Saturday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sundays 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

National Museum of Anthropology
Paseo de la Reforma at Calle Gandhi
México City, Mxico
Tel: (52) 5553-6381

Tuesday – Sunday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Closed Monday

Located inside Chapultepec Park this museum’s extensive exhibits are a must see for any traveler to México City.

Palacio Nacional
FREE Admission
Hours: Monday 10:30 – 5:30
Tuesday – Friday 9 – 5:30

Closed Saturday and Sunday and these holidays:
New Year’s Day (January 1)
Mexican Constitution Day (Día de la Constititución) (February 5)
Mexico – Benito Juárez Birthday (March 21)
Mexico – Battle of Pueblo Day (May 5)
Mexico National Day (September 1)
Mexican Independence Day (September 16)
Mexican Revolution Day (November 20)
Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe (December 12)
Christmas – Christian (December 25)

The enormous Palace runs the entire eastern end of the Zócalo and is home to the office of the President, the Federal Treasury and the National Archives. Diego Rivera’s murals depicting the history of Mexico are here and are a popular attraction.

Diego Rivera Mural Museum
Balderas, Centro, Cuauhtémoc,
Mexico City, DF
Tel: 01 55 5521 5318

Inside the park not far from the Art Museum.

The Pyramids of Teotihuacan

Located about 30 miles outside Mexico City, this archeological site is Mexico’s most famous and most important. The ancient city was built in the first and second century BC. At its height, around 500 AD, the city was believed to be home to more people than Rome during the same period. Most major hotels offer tours and more information and tips for making the most of your visit can be found here.

Rufino Tamayo Museum
Paseo de la Reforma y Gandhi s/n
Bosque de Chapultepec 11580
México, D.F.
Tel: (52) 55 5286 6519
Guided tours: (52) 55 5286 6539

Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

This collection includes the works of renowned artists like: Fernando Botero, Eduardo Chillida, Günther Gerzso, Mathias Goeritz, Wifredo Lam, Fernand Léger, Marino Marini, Carlos Mérida, Isamu Noguchi, Pierre Soulages, Antoni Tàpies, Francisco Toledo, and Joaquín Torres-García, among others. Guided tours are free of charge on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-2pm.
www.museotamayo.org/index/?locale=en_US

Zona Rosa
The entertainment, nightlife and financial district of Mexico City. Known for its Korean immigrant and gay populations, it is also considered to be the hub of the city’s financial industry. Plenty of info is available on its Wikipedia page.