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Mexico City Holidays, Hotels & Travel Guide
Travel guide to hotels & holidays in Mexico City
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Mexico City Holidays Overview
A guide to holidays in Mexico City - Sprawling across a valley encircled by
ice-capped volcanoes and mountains, atop an ancient Aztec
civilisation, Mexico City is North America's highest city, and one
of the worlds most densely populated. With a long and fascinating
history that runs from ancient native civilisations through to the
invasion of the Conquistadors and subsequent colonial rule, Mexico
City has a vast number of fascinating sights and
attractions.
In the city centre, constructed out
of the stones of the ancient palaces and temples, is the vast open
space of the Zócalo - Mexico's city square - said to be the second
largest in the world after Moscow's Red Square. At La Merced you'll
discover the city's largest and most vibrant market, with a vast
array of bizarre and exciting stalls, while the huge expanse of the
Bosque de Chapultepec park houses the National Museum of
Anthropology, with a fascinating collection of pre-Hispanic
artefacts. At Teotihuacán visitors will discover one of
the most impressive and mysterious archaeological sites in Mexico,
constructed by an ancient, and long forgotten culture.
The sprawling capital is a place to both love and hate,
with everything you'd anticipate in a large city. It has
world-class museums and galleries, a remarkable architectural
legacy and elegant buildings, palaces and cathedrals, green open
spaces and colonial suburbs, historical ruins, attractive squares,
modern skyscrapers and great economic, cultural and political
importance. It also has poverty, overcrowding and slums, incredible
pollution, traffic congestion, crime, unemployment, and a constant
cacophony of people and noise. It is exhilarating, frenetic and
fascinating, an unabated reserve of vibrancy and life.
Despite its problems and somewhat bewildering energy
Mexico City is a magnet for Mexicans and tourists alike: a modern,
cosmopolitan and ever growing city that is attractive in so many
ways. And despite its renown for the appalling, throat-rasping
levels of pollution, Mexico City's skies often remain remarkably
clear, and it does make for incredible
sunsets.
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Mexico City
holidays - Top Places To Go
1. El Zócalo
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What is it? In the middle of the city's historic centre
is the enormous paved Plaza de la Constitución, or Zócalo, the
second largest city square in the world, and Mexico City's centre
of government and religion. The Presidential Palace dominates one
side of the square, a magnificent colonial building that was built
on the site of the former Aztec Palace, with remarkable interior
murals narrating the story of Mexico's history. Dominating an
adjacent side of the square is the great Metropolitan Cathedral,
displaying a wealth of architectural styles and occupying the site
of the once sacred grounds of the Aztec. The ornate interior
contains its chief treasure, the King's Chapel and gilded altar.
The Cathedral is one of the buildings subsiding into the soft
ground on which the city is built and builders are continuously at
work to prevent its uneven descent. The square itself is filled
with activity, with vendors and buskers, informal traditional Aztec
dance performances, family groups, workers on lunch break and
passing tourists. It is also the place for demonstrations,
government rallies and protest marches, as well as festivals and
public holiday events. Every evening the presidential guards, in a
show of great ceremony, lower the national flag from the central
flagpole. And encircling the square is the continuous buzz of the
ubiquitous green Volkswagen taxis.
Hours of Operation:
Phone: |
2. Templo Mayor
Seminario 8
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What is it? Templo Mayor (Great Temple) was the principal
temple of the Aztecs, believed to mark the centre of the universe.
It was part of the sacred complex of the ancient city of
Tenochtitlán, and today it has been excavated to show the multiple
layers of construction, viewed from a raised walkway with
explanatory material available. The temple was first begun in 1375,
and enlarged several times, each rebuilding accompanied by a
frenzied bloody sacrifice of captured warriors to rededicate the
sacred area. At the centre is a platform on which stands a
sacrificial stone in front of the shrine to the tribal god,
Huizilopochtli. Within the site is the excellent Museo del Templo
Mayor, a museum displaying artefacts from the original site and
providing an overview of Aztec civilisation. The most important
display is the first artefact to be discovered on the site, the
great wheel-like stone carving of the Aztec goddess of the moon,
Coyilxauhqui.
Hours of Operation:
Phone:(01)55 424 784 |
3. Palacio de Bellas Artes
Lázaro Cárdenas
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What is it? Situated at one end of the Alameda Central
that was once an ancient market place and is now a large park, is
the splendid white marble structure of the Palacio de Bellas Artes
(Palace of Fine Arts). A concert hall and an arts centre, it houses
some of Mexico's finest murals and the Art Deco interior is worth
seeing alone. The Palacio has two museums: the Museo del Palacio de
Bellas Artes and the Museo de la Arquitectura. The art museum's
collection includes over 6,000 paintings, sculptures and engravings
from 1650 to 1954 with masterpieces by prominent Mexican artists
such as Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros and Rufino Tamayo. One
of the highlights of the Palacio is the theatre's stained glass
stage curtain, which is lit before performances and for public
viewing. The Ballet Folklorico performs here every Wednesday and
Sunday.
Hours of Operation:
Phone:(01)55 122 593 |
Mexico City
holidays - Top Events
1. Candlemas Day
From 2007-02-02
To 2007-02-02
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What is it? Marking the end of the festive season, 40
days after Christmas, Candlemas Day (Candelaria) is a city-wide and
nation-wide traditional celebration, partly religious and partly
pre-Hispanic. A chosen member of each family hosts a party,
offering tasty tamales and atole (a beverage made from corn). There
are numerous street parades with groups carrying representations of
Baby Jesus to church where special masses are held, markets and
fiestas in the streets and important bullfights at the Plaza de
Toros Monumental.
Where is it? Streets and churches throughout the city |
2. Festival of Mexico
From 2007-03-15
To 2007-03-31
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What is it? The 'Festival del Centro Historico' (Festival
in the Historic Centre) was inaugurated in 1985 as an exercise in
aid of rescuing and restoring the historic art and architecture of
Mexico City's degenerating town centre. The event has now earned a
reputation as one of the most vibrant celebrations of art and
culture in Latin America. During the two-week festival each year
more than 100 performances take place from opera and chamber music,
through jazz, folk and pop to theatre, and classical ballet. In
addition there are exhibitions, gourmet food, master classes and
workshops, conferences and lectures by renowned artists, authors
and poets.
Where is it? Various |
3. Xochimilco Festival
From 2007-03-01
To 2007-03-31
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What is it? The lakeland area of Xochimilco, just over 10
miles (16km) south of Mexico City, with its canals, colourful
barges and floating gardens, provides a fitting setting for an
annual festival honouring the ancient Aztec goddess of flowers and
the goddess of dance. A lucky girl is chosen as 'La Flor Mas Bella
del Ejido' (the most beautiful flower of Ejido) and leads a
floating parade of flower-bedecked barges through the canals. The
four-day festival includes canoe races and horticulture
contests.
Where is it? The canals of Xochimilco |
4. Independence Day
From 2007-09-15
To 2007-09-16
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What is it? Mexicans celebrate the anniversary of their
independence from Spain with great gusto, particularly in Mexico
City where the day before the event the Zocalo fills with throngs
of people from early morning, awaiting the appearance of the
president on the balcony of the National Palace. At 11am the
president duly appears to shout 'the Cry', a re-enactment of the
1810 call to independence by Father Hidalgo. The emotional crowd
replies with 'Viva!' and the city erupts with excitement, abuzz
with street parties and fireworks. The following day a three-hour
military parade begins at the Zocalo and ends at the Angel monument
on the Paseo de la Reforma.
Where is it? Zocalo and city streets |
5. Day of the Dead
From 2006-11-01
To 2006-11-02
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What is it? A Mexican tradition with Aztec roots is the
honouring of the departed with traditions that nowadays closely
resemble those of Halloween celebrated to the north. In Mexico City
markets and stores are liberally stocked with flowers, candy
skulls, paper skeletons and candles. Processions are made to
cemeteries, where vigils or even parties are held. Visitors to
Mexico City who want to make the most of the celebration head for
Mixquic, a mountain pueblo south of the city, which hosts an
elaborate street fair and solemn processions to the town
cemetery.
Where is it? Various |
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