6 Places To Embrace In Mexico City

Lisa Iannucci
by Lisa Iannucci
Last updated: 6:30 PM ET, Tue June 14, 2016

PHOTO: Thriving Mexico City has something for everyone. (Photo courtesy of Thinkstock)

Mexico City, the capital of Mexico and largest metropolitan area, has more than 16 boroughs and more than 300 neighborhoods to explore, making it a popular tourist attraction.

Visitors flock to the Plaza de la Constitucion or Zocalo, the National Palace, or Templo Mayor and Alameda Park, but whether you're planning to stop by for the day or spend a week, here are six other attractions that you shouldn't miss.

Chapultepec Castle: Located 7,628 ft. above sea level, this breathtaking castle sits on a sacred hilltop. It is also one of the few royal castles in North America that was used as the residence of the Mexican Emperor Maximilian I, and his consort Empress Carlota. The museum was opened on Sept. 27, 1944.

Museum of Frida Kahlo: Kahlo was a painter who was born and died in Mexico City. When she was a teenager, she was in a traffic accident and found painting while she was recuperating. Her "La Casa Azul" or Blue House, is now a museum that you can tour, and can see her paintings and memorabilia. It was built by her father Guillermo three years before her birth. Known for her self-portraits, she was celebrated by feminists for her depiction of women, and her work has also been described as a "ribbon around a bomb."

SEE MORE: Mexico And The Millennial Traveler

Metropolitan Cathedral: The oldest and largest Roman Catholic cathedral in Latin America sits atop a site that was originally meant for a temple dedicated to Huitzilopochtli, the Aztec God of War. It was on the World Monuments Fund's list of 100 Most Endangered Sites in 2000, but continues to thrive thanks to the continuous preservation efforts of Mexico City government.

Teotihuacan: A UNESCO World Heritage site, you can explore its ancient pyramids and plazas. It's known today as the site of many architecturally significant Mesoamerican pyramids built in the pre-Columbian Americas.

Festivals: Depending on what time of the year you visit Mexico City, you might be able to catch one of the many festivals they have every year. On Sept. 16, there is the Dia de la Independencia (Independence Day), Mexico's National Holiday. Festivities begin at 11 p.m. on Sept. 15 when the president shouts "Viva Mexico" from the balcony of the National Palace. In February/March, the Carnaval five-day celebration takes place before Easter Sunday.

Lucha Libre: When it town, do what the residents do and the residents love their wrestling. Catch a very popular Lucha Libre professional wrestling match at Arena Mexico. Masked men (luchadores) fight until the winner unmasks the loser to prove his victory.


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Lisa Iannucci

Lisa Iannucci

Lisa Iannucci has written many travel articles for national magazines and newspapers. Over the years, her travel articles have...

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