Mexico City is situated at a lofty 2,200m above sea level and features an abundance of must-see tourist attractions, including ancient Aztec ruins, 17th century palaces and top-class museums. Most visitors arrive in Mexico City via Mexico City International Airport, which is situated only 5km east of the downtown area and relatively close to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Once in the city you can move around by taxi, take one of the red and white Metrobuses, or travel by private car. Whatever option you take, be prepared to get stuck in traffic - a staggering 3.5 million cars take to the streets of Mexico’s capital every day. Alternatively travellers can jump on the extensive metro system. Mexican food is renowned throughout the world. As you might expect in such a vast and populous city, there are choices to suit every budget, though some of the best food is sold by the thousands of street and market vendors located on every corner.
Of course there are good places and bad, but if you follow the crowds you won’t go far wrong. The choice of antojitos (“little cravings”) on offer is vast, from tacos toquesadillas, pambozos to tortas, carnitas to tamales, meaning whatever your taste, you won’t go hungry. Mexico City is home to a wealth of cultural gems and places of interest, many of which can be found in the Centro Historico, including the enormous Plaza de la Constitucion (also known as the Zocalo), the National Palace, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Palace of Fine Arts and Alameda Park. Those with a particularly keen interest in history would be well advised to pay a visit to Templo Mayor, one of the main temples in the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan on which Mexico City is now built, whilst those wishing to hear some authentic Mexican music should head to Plaza Garibaldi, widely recognised as the home of mariachi. Elsewhere, Bosque de Chapultepec, the city’s largest park, is home to forests and
lakes, as well as numerous other top attractions, including the National Museum of Anthropology and Chapultepec Castle. There are over 300 different neighbourhoods in Mexico City, each with its own individual charms, so in terms of places to stay there is plenty of variety. There are many reasonably priced hotels in the Centro Historico, while more luxurious lodgings - including some of the major international hotel chains - can be found in the Polanco and Zona Rosa areas. Running through the latter is the Paseo de la Reforma, a wide avenue that features several of the capital’s top nightspots and chic restaurants.