It may sound silly to classify a city with a metropolitan area of 20 million people as under the radar but in many respects, this is where Mexico City stands. Admit it or not, there is a bias in global tourism in favor of certain nations and while resort areas in Mexico thrive, the capital city could stand to welcome more admiration.
Mexico City is in supreme position to do so, with more available attractions than one can appreciate in a fortnight. Loads of terrific hotels as well. With that in mind, our look at the Top 15 resumes.
Bas?lica de Santa Mar?a de Guadalupe
As a staunch Roman Catholic nation, Mexico has a fair share of cathedrals and icons. The most prominent of them all is of course in the capital city, in the form of the Bas?lica de Santa Mar?a de Guadalupe. The story behind the popular pilgrimmage site is that the Virgin of Guadalupe made a miraculous appearance here inside the cloak of an Aztec peasant. On display some 500 years later, 20 million followers flock from around the world every year to pay spiritual homage to the venerable object.
“The Angel” is one of the most recognizable features on the Mexico City skyline. The sculpture, or column, is a national symbol of pride and victory and was built in 1910 in memory of the country’s War of Independence a century before. At the base of the structure is a mausoleum, open to visitors, for Mexico’s most famous martyrs.
Locals call it “El Z?calo” but people around the world recognize Mexico City’s central square as one of the most notable landmarks in the world. The pulse point of the country, the Plaza is the location of some of the most important demonstrations and events in the history of Mexico. It still serves as a premier locale of congregation for festivals and open air concerts.
As far as religious architecture, Mexico City’s primary cathedral is one of the best in the world. In terms of sheer proportions, it has most others beat out as well. In typical Spanish Baroque style, it features a wonderful pair of towers that loom over the city. Within the central square, consecration of the structure took place in 1667, although work on the cathedral did not finish for another two hundred years.
Another icon within Plaza de la Constituci?n is the National Palace. As the seat of the federal executive, the base of government power in Mexico is here. In terms of architectural merits as a house of parliament, administration or government, there are few better in the world. Built in 1563 the enormous complex features a number of murals, exhibits and features that go beyond the dull realm of politics.
Templo Mayor and Museo del Templo Mayor
As the chief spiritual home of the Aztec nation, the Temple Mayor or Great Temple, is a priceless relic. A monument to the Aztec sun and rain gods, the temple was for hundreds of years the central structure of unity to the nation. After destruction at the hands of Spanish invaders, much of the temple was lost. However, excavation word over the past thirty years has brought this historic site and complex back to the fore, no longer under the rubble of modern Mexico City.
A university campus may not impress at first thought as a tourist attraction with much panache. Shift your perception however, when it comes to the principal campus of the elite academic center in Latin America. With alumni that includes a few Nobel Laureates, the grounds of the school comprise a veritable city, with a contemporary art museum, sculpture and botanical gardens and volcanic lava beds. A wonderful place to escape the crush of urban sprawl, the university campus is now a World Heritage Site, thanks in no small part to the best collecion of Modernist structures on the continent.
Another ideal respite from the hectic pace of central Mexico City are the chinampas, or Aztec gardens, of Xochimilco. The gardens stand on ancient land, notable as the site of some of the most incredible achievements in irrigation and cultivation by the Aztecs, or any indigineous people for that matter. The area once had a reputation as the “Venice of Mexico” although to be fair, it stands out as more than that. A World Heritage Site, the gardens represent both a historical attraction as a major base of Aztec settlement and natural preserve rife with recreation options for the entire family.
While we confess that the final site on our Mexico City list is not within the city proper, a visit to the capital without a foray to Teotihuacan would be incomplete. The former city of record in the Americas is a good 40 km outside Mexico City and very accessible, as it represents perhaps the most popular tourist attraction in the country. Once the most populous city in the world over two thousand years ago, the ancient site contains a plethora of significant ruins, from the Pyramid of the Sun, Pyramid of the Moon and Temple of Quetzalcoatl. It boggles the mind to consider that within the same time period, Teotihuacan once had more inhabitants than Rome.
Discover some of the best hotel deals in Mexico City before you plan your next trip.
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