Mexico City
The most attractive borough for tourists is without any doubt the area around the Zocalo, formerly the foundation of the palace of Moctezuma and the biggest cathedral of Latin America built by the Spanish (starting 1567 and taking 250 years to finalize the construction) is nowadays hosting several celebrations and demonstrations and the like. In the east of square one can find the national and presidential palace: In the courtyard, accessible after a security check, one can find the work of Diego Rivera, a huge mural painting called “History of the Mexican people and the fight for freedom and independence”, a very impressive work.
The Templo Mayor on the eastside of the city was destroyed by the Spanish in order to attain some space for a new cathedral. It was the cultic center of the Aztec empire and of the capital Tenochtitlan. The city itself was bigger than any other European city and was situated in the middle of the huge lake of Texcoco. The excavation only started in 1981 and most discoveries can now be found in the adjacent museum.
Also close to the Zocalo is the Palace of art an impressing monument of the Belle Epoque and designed after European standards called “Pallacio de Bellas Artes”. It is one of the most important operas in the whole city also accommodating art.
The Paseo de la Reforma, the „Champs-Elysees“ of Mexico City extends from the Alameda close to the Zocalo to the Chapultepec park and is a good blend of old and modern buildings, the most important and interesting of El D.F..
The Zona Rosa is the clubbing district with a European-like pedestrian area and numerous cafes, restaurants and bars. It is to mention here, that the level worsened over the last years, a visit is nevertheless always worth the time.
Polanco is one of the wealthiest areas which resembles top-notch restaurants, bars and designer boutiques, all settled around the Calle Masaryk. Also big, famous hotels can be found here, close to the Chapultepec Park, the green lung of the city and situated close to the center.
Directly next to Polanco, behind the Periferico, an accumulation of international firms and big bureau buildings is the noble neighborhood Las Lomas, accommodating high-class restaurants and above all the biggest villas of Mexico City.
La Condesa, the former bohemian side of town is equipped with a lot of bars and restaurants in became very popular in the past few years. This place is populated during weekends especially(the place to be) which also holds for the adjacent borough of Roma where it is going down somewhat calmer and more settled, though.
