DK Travel : Mexico City

Pulsating with life and culture, blessed with perpetually spring-like weather, and with a fascinating blend of history and modernity, Mexico City is endlessly surprising. With excellent museums, ornate churches, colonial palaces, and urban parks, the city attracts a large number of visitors.

"Turibus"

The red, double decker Turibus is the fastest & easiest way to see Mexico City. It is a hop on, hop off sightseeing bus that takes about 2 hours 45 min to do a complete tour. We had lunch in Centro Historico & then rode the bus (upper deck ofcourse) to get a feel for the city. Lots of fun & a very inexpensive way to get an overview of a marvelous destination. There are earphones in 6 languages if you want to practise your French.
A Stroll Through Coyoacán

Morning

Begin at the Museo Nacional de la Acuarela located on Salvador Novo, south of Avenida Francisco Sosa. After viewing the excellent watercolors, walk back to Avenida Francisco Sosa along one of the prettiest cobblestone streets of Coyoacán with its many attractive old colonial mansions and the charming yellow Church of Santa Catarina built in the middle of 17th century. Cross the street into the garden of the cultural center, Casa de la Cultura Jesús Reyes Heroles (No. 202). Farther along is the Jardín del Centenario . View the Fountain of the Coyotes. Move to the adjacent Plaza Hidalgo and admire the interior of the Iglesia de San Juan Bautista. Explore the area around the plaza. Lunch at trendy Los Danzantes .

Afternoon

Head north on Allende for three blocks to Mercado de Coyoacán and soak in the sights, sounds, and smells in this pretty market where colorful arrays of fresh fruits and vegetables, piñatas, toys, and crafts are on sale amid the tantalizing smell of Mexican food. Carry on to Londres to visit the Museo Frida Kahlo where the famous artist was born, lived, and painted. Continue on to Viena and turn right to visit Museo León Trotsky . Head back to Plaza Hidalgo for some of Coyoacán’s renowned ice cream at Helados La Siberia .
A Walk Through Colonia Condesa

Afternoon

Take the Turibus and get off at stop #3, or take a taxi to Av Michoacán . This beautiful residential neighborhood has tree-shaded avenues and Art Deco houses, and is a favorite with writers, artists, and musicians. This trendy area boasts cafés that are popular with the city’s young professionals. Try La Buena Tierra for excellent organic fare, or head east along Av Michoacán to Don Asado for platters of hearty grilled meats. After lunch, continue along Av Michoacán and cross Av Mexico , entering the pretty Parque Mexico and walk to the Fountain of the Water Jugs which has a statue of a nude woman holding two ceramic jugs with water flowing from them. Once part of Mexico’s premier horse racing track, this oval park features wide shady paths, lush landscaping, and beautiful fountains. Exit the park at the northeast corner on to Av Mexico. Continue past the lovely 14-story Art Deco masterpiece Edificio Basurto by architect Francisco J. Serrano and completed in 1945. Admire the lovely, dome-shaped white Art Deco fountain in Plaza Popocatépetl , designed by José Gómez Echeverría in 1927. Walk to the right, almost all the way around the circular plaza, exiting on to Av Mexico. Continue on to Av Michoacán, passing Art Deco buildings and then head back to the Turibus stop where you can have dessert or snacks at one of the sidewalk restaurants.
Acapulco

With sandy beaches and the warm Pacific Ocean, Acapulco is the perfect place to unwind. The4-mile (7-km) wide bay offers a selection of beaches for relaxing, family fun, or partying.
Acapulco Cliff Divers

Acapulco’s most famous attraction in which young men leap from a 130-ft (40-m) cliff into sea below.
Acatitlán

One of the few intact pyramid temples in Mexico.
Aguas Frescas

Fruit juices blended with chilled water or mineral water.
An Alameda Central Stroll

Morning

Have breakfast in the lovely courtyard of the Casa de los Azulejos , now a Sanborns Restaurant , admiring the fountain, the intricate tile work, and the exquisite mural by Orozco. Across the street is the late Baroque Iglesia y Ex-Convento de San Francisco and next door is the towering Torre Latinoamericana . Take the elevator to the 44th floor for an exceptional view of the city. Next visit the grand Palacio de Bellas Artes to explore the fabulous Beaux Arts building with its Art Deco interior. Catch the brilliant murals by Rivera, Siqueiros, Orozco, and Tamayo in the second and third floor porticoes. Lunch at the dining room of the palacio.

Afternoon

Walk through lovely Parque Alameda Central , to the west of the Palacio de Bellas Artes, and enjoy the park’s fountains. Next proceed across Av Hidalgo to the Museo Franz Mayer which houses a great collection of decorative arts. Then head east on Av Hidalgo, across Tacuba into the Palacio Postal . The Post Office is famous for its stunning staircase and architecture. Then cross Tacuba and walk on to Plaza Manuel Tolsá to the famous statue El Caballito or The Little Horse by Manuel Tolsá (1757–1816). Spend the rest of the afternoon at Museo Nacional de Arte .
Antigua Basílica de Guadalupe

This basilica honors the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico’s patron saint. In 1531 the Virgin appeared to a native, Juan Diego, requesting a church be built there. Diego convinced the local priest by showing him a cape bearing the image of the Virgin. Antigua Basílica de Guadalupe was built in 1709. The cape is displayed in the new basilica, built in 1976.
Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso

Built as a small Jesuit college in 1588, today the building is perhaps best known as the birthplace of the modern muralist movement. Diego Rivera painted his first mural, The Creation, here in 1922–3. The walls inside have works of early muralists. In 1992 the building was restored as a museum.

Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso