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USACity Overview Mexico City, an exhilarating and often frustrating megalopolis, was founded in 1525 by the Spaniards, who built upon the remains of the ancient Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán. The Aztecs had arrived at the location in around 1345 and established their stone-built city on an island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. Legend has it that the site was chosen because the Aztecs saw an eagle perched on a cactus and eating a snake there – a sign, they believed, that they should end their wanderings and build a city. The Spaniards arrived in 1519, led by Cortés and his army of only a few hundred men. Superior weaponry, the shock effect of horses (the Indians had never encountered such animals) and the support of the Aztecs’ enemies meant that victory was assured. Moctezuma, the Aztec king, believed Cortés to be the feathered serpent-god, Quetzalcóatl, and welcomed the Spaniards, since, centuries previously, Quetzalcóatl had been driven out of Tula and had vowed to return to reclaim his throne. The Spanish conquistadores overthrew the Aztec Empire with ease. Little was left of the original city of Tenochtitlán. Bernal Díaz wrote ‘all that I saw then is overthrown and destroyed; nothing is left standing’. The modern city that has grown out of the original island-city is founded on the beds of several lakes and does not enjoy perhaps the most practical location. Many of the earlier buildings began to sink into the soft lakebed and the regular earthquake activity takes its toll. Situated in the Valle de México, a valley of some 2000 sq kilometres (772 sq miles), Mexico City lies at the very heart of the country of which it is capital, both physically and metaphorically. Mexicans refer to their capital as simply ‘México’ or more specifically ‘el DF’ (pronounced day-effay). The DF is the ‘Distrito Federal’ (Federal District), in which the whole of the city centre falls. The city stands alone as the most important economic, cultural, intellectual and political centre in Mexico. The elections in 2000 ended 71 years of one-party rule under the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party). As home to the entire federal government, Mexico City is now at the forefront of this change. From a colonial economy based largely on mining, especially silver, the economy has diversified to include strong agriculture, petroleum and industry sectors. Mexico is currently the second strongest economy in all Latin America. Real incomes are starting to rise again, although Mexicans actually have less purchasing power now than in 1994. Mexico City is arguably the largest city in the world – around 20 million inhabitants live among the constant hustle and bustle, although no-one really knows the true figure. It is the growing population, two-thirds under 30 years, that presents the government with the biggest problem. The demand for new jobs is enormous and over half the country’s social welfare spending goes to the capital. The inhabitants are engaged in frenetic hustling for a living – the lottery-ticket sellers warble results, street hawkers peddle wares and shoe-shines offer their services, while office workers huddle in doorways eating freshly prepared tacos and impromptu street performances blend with roaming mariachi bands – to provide an ever-present cacophony. The pavements and alleyways burst with Mexico City’s daily life – all in the middle of the colonial charm of the Centro Histórico (Historic Centre), with its ornate façades and grand buildings. Less than a mile away, in the heart of the city’s financial district, modern skyscrapers dominate the skyline, wide boulevards offer open-air eating and the mood is more sedate. Mexico City is ringed by snow-capped mountains and volcanoes, however, the pollution churned out by industry and exacerbated by the traffic is confined by these physical boundaries, so they are rarely visible from the city. The climate is mild but the best months to visit are October to April as winter slightly dispels the pollution. Nevertheless, this thick yellow cloud hanging in the bowl of the mountains barely causes a shadow over the world’s largest city – its energy and life continue unabated. Getting There By Air Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez (MEX) Tel: (55) 5571 3600. Mexico City’s only passenger airport handles some 19 million passengers each year and is situated six kilometres (3.75 miles) east of Mexico City’s Centro Histórico. Major airlines: AeroMéxico (tel: (55) 5133 4000; website: www.aeromexico.com) and Mexicana (tel: (55) 5448 0990; website: www.mexicana.com) are the country’s two largest airlines. Several airlines have direct flights from Europe to Mexico City, including Aeroflot, Air France, British Airways, Iberia, KLM and Lufthansa. Other airlines include Air New Zealand, American Airlines, America West Airlines, Canadian Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Japan Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Qantas and United Airlines. Approximate flight times to Mexico City: From London is 12 hours; from New York is 5 hours; from Los Angeles is 3 hours 30 minutes; from Toronto is 4 hours 45 minutes and from Sydney (via Los Angeles) is 16 hours 45 minutes. Airport facilities: These include casa de cambios (bureaux de change), ATMs (Bancomer, Bital and Banamex), travel agents, tourist information, bars, restaurants, 24-hour luggage lockers, a telecommunications office, long-distance telephones and a wide range of duty-free and other shops. Car hire is available from Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Thrifty and Auto Rent. Business facilities: Airlines offer business-class travellers access to their VIP lounges. Although there is a telecommunications office, post office and plenty of long-distance telephones, there is no dedicated business centre. Arrival/departure tax: Departure tax is US$17.50 (payable in Dollars or Pesos) on international flights and US$10.50 on domestic flights. Transport to the city: Fixed-price Transportación Terrestre taxis offer by far the safest and most efficient transport into the city centre. Rates start at M$50 depending on the distance. Tickets are bought in advance from booths at exits A, E and F; visitors should avoid buying tickets from touts, as they tend to be three times the price. Maps on display show the different zones and prices. There are no direct buses into the city centre. A trolley bus can be taken to Calzada Ignacio Zaragoza and then a bus into the city. This journey takes at least one hour, often much longer, depending on the time of day. The services are available until about 0100. There is a metro station, Terminal Aérea, near the exit at the end of hall A but officially no luggage larger than a shoulder bag is allowed on the metro. Getting There By Road Mexico’s motorways, although not up to European, Canadian and US standards, are fairly well maintained. They fan out from Mexico City and most large cities can be bypassed. There are more then 6000km (3700 miles) of cuota (toll) roads in Mexico. These are often four lanes and in much better condition than the via libres (free roads), which have dangerously large potholes, as well as wandering children, livestock and drunks, to contend with. Cuotas (tolls) vary; on average, it costs around M$10 for every 10-20km (6-12 miles). For example, it costs M$500 to drive to Acapulco. This high cost means they are often empty and are generally much safer. Driving at night in Mexico can be dangerous and is not recommended. Speed limits are usually 100kph (62mph) on motorways and 30kph (19mph) or 40kph (25mph) in cities. A valid driving licence from the driver’s home country is required and an International Driving Permit (IDP) is recommended. Insurance is not mandatory but is very strongly advised; note that Mexican law only recognises Mexican seguros (insurance). The minimum age for driving in Mexico is 18 years. There is no legal limit for blood/alcohol levels. SECTUR, the Mexican Ministry of Tourism, has teams of Angeles Verdes (Green Angels) who patrol most of Mexico’s main roads and provide free assistance to motorists in trouble. They have a 24-hour hotline in Mexico City (tel: (55) 5250 8221). Alternatively, there is a 24-hour national tourist assistance number in Mexico City (tel: (55) 5250 0123 or (01-800) 903 9200, Mexico only for general emergencies, ambulances). Emergency breakdown service: Angeles Verdes (55) 5250 8221 Routes to the city: The 57/57D motorway links Mexico City to the north and Querétaro, San Luis Potosí and Monterrey, with 45D branching west at Querétaro to reach León, Aguascalientes and Zacatecas. Route 150D heads east to Veracruz and Puebla (with branches to Oaxaca and Villahermosa), while 15/15D goes west to Toluca and Guadaljara. To the south, 95D links Mexico City with Cuernavaca and Acapulco, with a branch going to Taxco. Driving times to Mexico City: From Cuernavaca – 45 minutes; Taxco – 2 hours 30 minutes; Acapulco – 4 hours; Guadalajara – 7 hours. Coach services: The country’s coach services provide an efficient and cost-effective alternative to air travel, with direct buses connecting Mexico City with most cities in Mexico. The buses vary considerably from non-stop, luxury, air-conditioned services to rickety, second-class affairs. There are four main long-distance bus terminals in Mexico City, as listed below. All have left-luggage facilities, pay phones and telephone booths (casetas) where you can make long-distance telephone calls, post offices, ATMs, cafeterias and a safe taxi rank. Only Terminal Norte and TAPO have casas de cambio (bureaux de change). Terminal Norte (north), Avenida de los Cien Metros 4907 (tel: (55) 5587 5200; Metro Autobuses del Norte), is served by 30 different bus companies linking Mexico City to the north of the country, Guadalajara, Colima and Puerto Vallarta. Terminal Oriente (east), Calzada Zaragoza 200 (tel: (55) 5762 5977; Metro San Lázaro), is better known as TAPO and serves destinations east and southeast of Mexico City, such as Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca and the Yucatán Peninsula. Terminal Central de Autobuses del Sur (south), Avenida Tasqueña 1320 (tel: (55) 5689 9745; Metro Tasqueña), offers southward services, including Acapulco and Zihuatenejo. Terminal Poniente (west), Avenida Sur 122 (tel: (55) 5271 4519; Metro Observatorio), handles westbound services, including frequent shuttles to Toluca. Getting There By Rail Mexico’s passenger railway system has been in decline for some years. Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México (FNM) or Mexican National Railways (tel: (55) 5547 1084; website: www.ferrocarriles.com) is the service provider. Estación Buenavista (Buenavista Station) is a spacious building on Avenida Insurgentes Norte at the junction of Alzate with Mosqueta. There are left-luggage facilities, long-distance telephone and fax services, an information desk and a cafeteria. Rail services: The only passenger services still running from Mexico City go to Querétaro, San Miguel de Allende, San Luis Potosí and Saltillo. These leave three times a week. A monthly timetable is available at the station. These services are extremely slow and subject to change and cancellation at short notice. Transport to the city: Buses from the station run along Avenida Insurgentes; buses marked ‘M(etro) Insurgentes’ stop at Metro Insurgentes. The nearest metro stations are Revolución and Guerrero, around one kilometre (0.6 miles) away. There are no authorised taxis – it is advisable to call a radio-taxi. Radio Elite (tel: (55) 5660 1122) are reliable and quick. Getting Around Public Transport Considering the sheer size of Mexico City, getting around may seem a daunting prospect, however, the city has a comprehensive and cheap public transport system. The best method of travelling is by metro. Mexico City has a modern, efficient and simple-to-use system. There is a flat fare of M$1.50, which includes transfers. It is advisable to buy a number of tickets in advance to avoid queuing. These tickets are simply fed into a turnstile and are valid indefinitely. Trains display their dirección (direction); when changing trains, transfers are marked Correspondencia. Lineas (lines) 1, 2, 3 and A are open Monday to Friday 0500-2430, Saturday 0600-0130, Sunday 0700-2430; lines 4 through 9 and B open one hour later on weekdays. During rush hour the carriages get very crowded and are best avoided; between 1800 and 2100 Solo Mujeres y Niños (women and children only) carriages operate. Municipally run Ruta-100 buses display their routes on the windscreen and cost M$10. Minibuses or peseros (also referred to as micros-buses or micros) ply the streets of Mexico City, their routes painted on the windscreen and are a fun, if slow, way to travel. They can be hailed anywhere and do not have fixed stops, passengers indicate their stop by shouting ‘bajan’. Fares are M$2 for up to five kilometres (three miles), M$2.50 for up to 12km (7.5 miles), M$3 for longer distances and M$4 between 2300 and 0600. This is paid directly to the bus driver on boarding the bus so it is useful to have the correct change. Visitors should note that pickpockets are rife on all public transport. Metro Hidalgo is a particularly notorious station where pickpockets and bag-snatchers seek out tourists. There have also been a few unpleasant cases of ‘express kidnapping’, where people are not only forced to withdraw their daily limit from an ATM at gunpoint, but then held overnight or for successive nights and forced to make further withdrawals each day. The only way of guaranteeing that this does not happen is to not carry any cards and therefore not be worth kidnapping, even if mugged, although the number of police in most of the sightseeing areas has recently greatly increased, so visitors should feel safe in the day. It would be sensible not to carry any cards at night and not to travel on public transport at night. Taxis There are several different types of taxi available. The most common are the taxis on unfixed routes. These unofficial taxis are generally green and white Volkswagen Beetles. A taxímetro or digital meter should compute the fare – starting at M$4.50 – and there is no need to accept a fixed price. These taxis can be hailed in the street; however, is is probably more sensible to call for a radio taxi. Unfortunately, in recent years, there has been a rise in taxi crime and violent assaults, robberies and rapes have been reported. Also, unless visitors know exactly where they are going and how to get there (and how to describe that all in Spanish), the drivers may not always know the way. Having said that, these these taxi-drivers are often extremely charming and friendly, while also fairly streetwise and opinionated, and they are widely used by journalists as a barometer of political sentiment on the street. Radio taxis are more expensive but far more reliable and safer. These can be telephoned or ordered from hotels and restaurants. Companies include: Servitaxis (tel: (55) 5516 6020); Taxi Radio 24 Horas (tel: (55) 5566 0077); Taxi-Mex (tel: (55) 5538 1440); Taxi Radio Mex (tel: (55) 5584 0571) and Radio Elite (tel: (55) 5660 1122). From the airport and main bus terminals, fixed-price Transportación Terrestre or autorizado (authorised) taxis operate. Rates start at US$5, depending on the distance. Tickets are bought in advance from booths, which also display maps indicating the different zones and prices. It is not customary to tip the driver. Limousines One reputable company offering limousine hire with English-speaking chauffeurs and guides if required is First Class Ground Transportation, Manuel Maria Contreras 107, Interior 3, San Rafael (tel: (55) 1999 2939; e-mail: firstclass@axtel.net). Many of the hotels catering for business travellers will also be able to organise limousine hire (or car hire) with bilingual chauffeurs. Grey Line Tours Rent-a-Car (see Car Hire below) offers English-speaking guides with their cars for US$39 per day, in addition to cost of the car hire. Driving in the City Driving in Mexico City is not recommended. Traffic can be dense and infuriating, the one-way systems confusing and signposting less than clear. Visitors should certainly not drive alone at night, as there have been many reports of hijacking, robbery and assaults on lone drivers. Also, the red lights tend to stop operating at night except on large thoroughfares. Mexico City has two ring roads, the Anillo Periférico, through what used to be the city outskirts, and the Circuito Interior, within its circumference. The city has a structure of primary roads called Ejes Viales (road axes). The Eje Central runs from south to north passing by Bellas Artes; this serves as the focal point for numbering of all other roads: Ejes to the west are called Eje 1 poniente, Eje 2 poniente, etc; those to the east Eje 1 oriente, Eje 2 oriente and so on; to the north, Eje norte; and to the south, Eje sur. Mexico City operates a ‘Hoy No Circula’ (Don’t Drive Today) policy (tel: (55) 5526 9563; website: www.sima.com.mx) in an effort to combat the city’s pollution problem. No matter where they are registered, cars without catalytic converters are banned from driving between 0500 and 1000 for one day each week. The last digit of the registration plate denotes when the vehicle must be taken out of circulation: 5 and 6 on Monday; 7 and 8 Tuesday; 3 and 4 Wednesday; 1 and 2 Thursday; 9 and 0 Friday. Some hotels offer off-street parking. Otherwise estacionamiento público (supervised public car parks) are recommended and cheap. In the Centro Histórico, there are several public car parks south of Avenida Madero, charging around M$10 an hour. Many restaurants have valet parking but it is wise to remove valuables like stereos from the car before leaving it with the valet. Car Hire Car hire in Mexico is expensive. A valid driving licence from the driver’s home country is required to hire a car, as is a valid passport and a major credit card. The driver must usually be a minimum of 23 years old, although sometimes this is lowered to 21 years. Insurance, tax and fuel are an additional cost to the basic daily or weekly rental rate. Car hire companies include: Avis, Hotel Presidente Inter-Continental, Avenida Campos Eliseos 218, Polanco (tel: (55) 5280 1301 or (55) 5588 8888, general reservations; website: www.avis.com.mx); Budget, Athenas 40, Juárez (tel: (55) 5566 6800, general reservations; e-mail: reservaciones@budget.com.mx; website: www.budget.com.mx); Hertz, Versailles 6, Juárez (tel: (55) 5592 8343; website: www.hertz.com.mx); Thrifty, Avenida Campos Eliseos 199B, Polanco or Paseo de la Reforma 322, Juárez (tel: (55) 5280 5847 or 5207 1100; website: www.thrifty.com.mx); and Grey Line Rent-a-Car, Londres 166, Juárez (tel: (55) 5208 1163; fax: (55) 5208 2838; e-mail: greyline@supernet.com.mx; website: www.greyline.com.mx). Bicycle Hire Bicycles can be hired for about US$5 per hour (Tuesday-Sunday 1000-1700) from Avenida Heroico Colegio Militar, in the primera sección of Chapultepec Park. Business Business Profile From a colonial economy based largely on mining, especially silver, the Mexican economy has diversified to include strong agriculture, petroleum, and industry sectors. Membership in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) from 1994 has led to hopes of continued economic growth. Mexico currently is the second strongest economy in Latin America after Brazil and its GDP is roughly equivalent to that of Australia, India and Russia. Mexico City is the most important economic centre in the country, home to the entire federal government and the focal point for business. The Mexico City region dominates the national economy, generating nearly half the country’s GDP. Major industries in the city include construction; the manufacture of chemicals, plastics, cement, yarns and textiles and, more recently, tourism. Mexico’s Bolsa de Valores (stock exchange) has its headquarters in Mexico City, as do most major finance, mortgage, insurance and banking companies. The main business areas are found around the Centro Histórico, around the Paseo de Reforma and Avenida Insurgentes and along the Periférico Sur. Most banking headquarters, financial companies and multinationals are found along the Paseo de Reforma between Avenida Insurgentes and the Bosque de Chapultepec. Mexico City has the highest cost of living in the country. The gap between rich and poor in the city is enormous – 20% of income earners account for 55% of the income and one-fifth of the city’s population are estimated to be living in extreme poverty. The minimum daily wage is about US$3.50 for unskilled labour and US$10 for skilled. It is difficult to gauge levels of unemployment in the city due to the hidden workforce. The ‘informal’ sector – street hawkers, entertainers and market vendors, who pay no taxes – could account for as many as one third of all workers. Business Etiquette Machismo is still at the heart of the Mexican ethos and Mexicans believe in the differences between the sexes rather than their equality. The Mexican business world is generally a male domain and, although women are making progress, the top jobs still tend to be held by men. Business attire is very formal – men wear suits and women’s clothing should be well tailored and conservative in style. While many people speak some English, it is considered courteous for businesspeople to speak a few words of Spanish, and for detailed discussions an interpreter may be required. It is important to bear in mind that in Mexico ‘yes’ does not always mean yes, as Mexican social etiquette makes it difficult to say ‘no’. In Mexico City, a lot of business is conducted over a meal, although it is more common for negotiations to take place during a long business breakfast than a lunch. It is polite to accept a drink with your host and customary to shake hands with everyone upon arrival and departure. Business cards are used extensively and it is a good idea to have the cards printed in Spanish and English and to bring plenty of them. Mexicans attach great importance to professional titles – doctor, profesor, licenciado (lawyer or graduate) and ingeniero (engineer) – and it is courteous to address them by their title. Etiquette includes small talk before getting into business. The concept of time is fairly flexible, yet while guests might arrive an hour late to social events (to arrive on time is actually considered quite rude), punctuality is observed for most government appointments and functions. In Mexico City, businesses generally open between 0900 or 0930 and work continues until 1900, with a long lunch beginning at 1400 or later. In government offices, work begins at about 1000, with a lunch break beginning at 1400 or 1500, with staff not returning until 1700 or 1800 to work into the evening until 2100. Sightseeing Sightseeing Overview It is not surprising that on arrival most visitors are overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of this megalopolis. It is, however, a great place for a few days’ sightseeing – Mexico City offers a fascinating array of Aztec, colonial and modern art and architecture. The city is divided into districts (colonia), often indicated with ‘Col.’ at the beginning. The Centro Histórico (Historic Centre), at the heart of the city, was built on the ruins of the original Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán and is packed with fine examples of colonial architecture. At its centre is the Plaza de la Constitución, or Zócalo, the city’s main square and political and religious focus. On two sides of the square are the Palacio Nacional (Presidential Palace), with its fine Diego Rivera murals, and the Catedral Metropolitana (Metropolitan Cathedral). Close by, the Templo Mayor (Main Temple) and the adjacent Museo del Templo Mayor are filled with the artefacts unearthed from the original site of Tenochtitlán. The Alameda Central is a leafy park in the centre of town favoured by Mexican families at the weekend. At one end is the impressive Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts), an arts centre housing some of the greatest works by Mexico’s muralists and a must-see for its Art Deco interior. Modern skyscrapers and hotels flank Paseo de la Reforma, the handsome street that runs from the Centro Histórico to the Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Park). On the way is La Zona Rosa (Pink Zone), a lively neighbourhood popular for shopping, dining and nightlife. Chapultepec Park is the city’s largest park and home to many fine museums, including the Museo Nacional de Antropología (Museum of Anthropology), one of the most impressive museums of its kind in the world. Two southern suburbs, Coyoacán and San Angel, formerly separate villages, have a colonial charm and merit a visit for their markets, museums and memories of their famous residents: Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. El Bazar del Sabado (Saturday market) in San Angel offers paintings and quality crafts, while the main square in Coyoacán hosts a colourful market every weekend accompanied by bands of musicians of varying quality. Tourist Information Oficina de Turismo de la Ciudad de México Londres 54, corner of Amberes, La Zona Rosa Tel: (55) 5208 1030. E-mail: informacionturistica@mexicocity.gob.mx Website: www.mexicocity.gob.mx Opening hours: Daily 0900-1900. Transport: Metro Insurgentes. SECTUR (National Tourism Ministry) Avenida Presidente Masaryrk 172, corner of Hegel, in Polanco Tel: (55) 5250 0123 or (01-800) 903 9200, 24-hour help and information Mexico only. Website: www.mexico-travel.com Opening hours: Daily 0800-1800. Transport: Metro Polanco or bus 32. Passes There are no passes or discount schemes available for tourists. Key Attractions Centro Histórico (Historic Centre) The focus of the Centro Histórico, the Zócalo, or Plaza de la Constitución, is one of the world’s largest plazas and is quite literally the capital’s political and religious centre. The area is constantly animated and alive with people –with official ceremonies and celebrations, demonstrations and marches, impromptu performances and artisans plying their wares. The ceremonial raising and lowering of the huge flag at the square’s centre takes place at 0600 and 1800. On the north side of the Zócalo is the Catedral Metropolitana (Metropolitan Cathedral). Built in 1573, consecrated in 1667, and completed in 1813 in a Baroque style known as churrigueresque, it is the largest and oldest cathedral in Latin America. The cathedral has suffered from subsidence over many years and the restoration work that is under way to build new foundations does detract from its grandeur somewhat. There are no opening hours or admission fees but visitors are asked to be respectful during religious services. Next to the cathedral are the ruins of the Templo Mayor (Main Temple), the principal teocalli of Aztec Tenochtitlán, which was demolished by the Spaniards in the 1520s and rediscovered in 1978 while telephone cables were being laid in the area. First constructed in 1375, the Aztecs then built a new temple every 52 years – seven have been identified layered one on top of another. The site’s museum displays various artefacts found in the main pyramid of Tenochtitlán. The whole eastern side of the Zócalo is taken up by the Palacio Nacional (Presidential Palace), which houses the Federal Treasury, the National Archives and, until recently, the offices of the President of Mexico. Inside are colourful murals by Diego Rivera – his México a Través de los Siglos (Mexico Through the Centuries), in the main stairwell leading to the first floor, depicts every major event and personality of Mexican history, from Cortés’ conquest of the Aztecs to the Mexican Revolution. A few blocks west of Zócalo, the Museo Nacional de Arte (National Art Museum), built at the turn of the 20th century in the style of an Italian Renaissance palace, houses an exhaustive collection of Mexican art from every school and style. Templo Mayor Plaza de la Constitución Tel: (55) 5542 0606. Transport: Metro Zócalo. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1700. Admission: M$35 (free on Sun). Palacio Nacional Plaza de la Constitución Transport: Metro Zócalo. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-1800. Admission: Free; identification required for entry. Museo Nacional de Arte Tacuba 8 Tel: (55) 5130 3400. Transport: Metro Bellas Artes. Opening hours Tues-Sun 1030-1730. Admission: Free. Alameda Central Originally the site of an Aztec marketplace and later a place of execution during the Spanish Inquisition, the Alameda Central is Mexico City’s largest central park. A welcome green respite where office workers stroll past the many food stalls and hawkers sell a variety of wares; the place throngs with activity on Sunday and there are often open-air concerts. For an artistic impression of the park, the nearby Museo Mural Diego Rivera displays the artist’s Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en la Alameda (Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park), a huge mural painted in 1947. It depicts the many characters from history that Rivera imagined to have walked in the Alameda. The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts), a sumptuous, white-marble concert hall at the eastern end of the Alameda, also houses a museum and theatre within its Art Deco interior. Intended to mark the 1910 centennial celebration of Mexican Independence, work began in 1904 under the Italian architect Adamo Boari, who also designed the spectacular Correo Mayor (main post office) nearby, but was finally completed in 1934 following a number of setbacks, including the Mexican Revolution. The museum on the second and third floors displays old and contemporary paintings, sculptures and handicrafts. Powerful works by the great Mexican muralists Diego Rivera, Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros and Rufino Tamayo are on display on the third floor. Operas and orchestral concerts are frequently performed in the theatre, which has a glass curtain designed by Tiffany. Opposite the Palacio is the Torre Latinoamericana (Latin American Tower), a landmark skyscraper built in the 1950s. Its 43rd-floor viewing platform is 2422m (7950ft) above sea level and affords splendid panoramic views over the city on clear days. Museo Mural Diego Rivera Plaza Solidaridad, corner of Balderas and Colón Tel: (55) 5510 2329. Transport: Metro Hidalgo. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1800. Admission: M$20 (free for students and on Sun). Palacio de Bellas Artes Avenida Juárez, corner of Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas Tel: (55) 5512 2593 or 5521 9251. Transport: Metro Bellas Artes. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1800 (museum). Admission: M$25 (free on Sun). Torre Latinoamericana Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas, corner of Avenida Madero Tel: (55) 5521 0844. Transport: Metro San Juan Letrán or Bellas Artes. Opening hours: Daily 0930-2230. Admission: M$40. Paseo de la Reforma The Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City’s main boulevard, runs from the Alameda to Chapultepec Park (see below) and is lined with shops, offices, hotels, restaurants and some modern skyscrapers. It is a prestigious address and home to many multinationals, financial institutions and embassies. Based on the Champs Elysées in Paris, this thoroughfare was built to provide a direct path for the Emperor Maximilian between the Centro Histórico and his palace in Chapultepec Park and is lined with monuments, fountains and statues of Mexican heroes. In particular, El Monumento de la Independencia (Monument to Independence), or Angelito as it is affectionately known, is a gilded statue of a winged Victory set atop a 46m-high (150ft) column in a glorieta (traffic circle) and the location for demonstrations and sporting and national celebrations. In 1956, the statue toppled to the ground in an earthquake, but was completely restored, much to the relief of the Mexican people. Displayed inside the monument is the skull of Hidalgo, the executed leader of a group of rebels who rose against the Spanish in October 1810, which can be seen daily 0900-1700 at no charge. On the night of 2 July 2000, hundreds of thousands of jubilant Mexicans flocked to the monument to celebrate the victory of Vicente Fox in the presidential elections that toppled the 71-year rule of the former Institutional Revolutionary Party. Lying to the south of the Paseo and bounded by Reforma, Sevilla, Avenida Chapultepec and Avenida Insurgentes Sur, is La Zona Rosa (Pink Zone), a busy shopping and entertainment district with many stores, restaurants and nightclubs. Transport: Metro Insurgentes; peseros marked ‘Metro Chapultepec’, ‘Reforma’ or ‘Auditorio’. Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Park) Bosque de Chapultepec, Mexico City’s largest park, is a huge wooded area covering four sq kilometres (1.5 sq miles) and containing lakes, the presidential residences, several of the city’s finest museums, an amusement park and a zoo. Legend has it the wood served as a refuge for Toltec and Aztec kings during times of trouble. The park attracts thousands of visitors especially on Sundays when families come to relax and picnic. The park is divided into three sections, with the attractions listed below lying in the primera sección (first section), on Paseo de la Reforma. The segunda sección (second section) is occupied by La Feria (Amusement Park), and the tercera sección (third section) by Atlantis, a marine park with dolphin and seal shows and an aquarium – both are on Avenida Constituyentes. The Castillo de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Castle), situated on the Chapultepec Hill (the name means ‘Hill of Grasshoppers’ in the Aztec language Nahuatl), was built in 1785 for the Spanish viceroys and used as a residence for Mexico’s presidents until 1940. It now houses the Museo Nacional de Historia (National History Museum), filled with hundreds of paintings, murals, ceramics, furniture and carriages depicting the history of Mexico from the Aztecs to the present day. The rooms once used by Emperor Maximilian and Empress Carlotta have been preserved and fine views over the Valley of Mexico can be had from the castle’s balconies. A road-train climbs the hill from inside the entrance to the park (M$20). The Museo de Arte Moderno (Museum of Modern Art) has permanent exhibitions of Mexican contemporary art – by Rivera, Siqueiros, O’Gorman, Rufino Tamayo, Frida Kahlo and Dr Atl, to name but a few – and also hosts temporary exhibits of international artists. There is a delightful sculpture garden in the grounds of the museum. Parque Zoológico de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Zoological Park) has an impressive collection of animals from around the world and was the birthplace of the first panda born in captivity. The modern Museo Rufino Tamayo contains permanent exhibits of work by contemporary Mexican and international painters, donated by Tamayo and his wife, as well as a superb collection of paintings by the artist himself. Chapultepec Park Tel: (55) 5515 2697. Transport: Metro Chapultepec for first section; Metro Constituyentes for second and third sections. Opening hours: Daily 0500-1700. Admission: Free. La Feria Tel: (55) 5230 2121. Opening hours: Tues-Fri 1000-1800, Sat and Sun 1000-2000. Admission: M$60 for an all-ride pass. Atlantis Tel: (55) 5273 2176 or 5271 8618. Opening hours: Sat and Sun only 1000-1800. Admission: M$24. Museo Nacional de Historia Tel: (55) 5286 0700. Opening times: Tues-Sun 0900-1630. Admission: M$35. Museo de Arte Moderno Tel: (55) 5211 8331 or 8045. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1730. Admission: M$15 (free for students and on Sun). Parque Zoológico de Chapultepec Tel: (55) 5553 6229 or 6263. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1600. Admission: Free. Museo Rufino Tamayo Tel: (55) 5286 6519. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1800. Admission: M$15 (free for students and on Sun). Museo Nacional de Antropología (National Anthropology Museum) Perhaps Mexico’s City’s finest museum, the Museo Nacional de Antropología (National Anthropology Museum) is also one of the best of its kind in the world. Situated in an extension of Chapultepec Park, this huge museum houses a vast and spectacular collection centred on a spacious rectangular patio and can take days to explore. Its well-organised collection is dedicated to each major culture that contributed to the evolution of a Mesoamerican civilisation: Pre-Classic, Toltec, Teotihuacán, Aztec, Oaxaca, Gulf Coast, Maya, Northwestern and Western Mexico. Some of the most fascinating exhibits are the famous Aztec ‘sun’ (or ‘calendar’) stones, the giant stone Olmec heads from Tabasco and a replica of a Mayan tomb from Palenque. On the upper level, the rooms are dedicated to how modern Mexico’s indigenous people live. Several times a day, voladores (fliers) give a daring performance in front of the museum’s entrance, re-enacting an ancient ceremony. Men dressed in colourful, traditional costume attach ropes to themselves and scale a tall pole, from where they launch themselves and ‘fly’ in circles as they unwind until they reach the ground. Paseo de la Reforma (north of Chapultepec Park) Tel: (55) 5553 1902 or 6381. Transport: Metro Auditorio. Opening hours: Tues-Sat 0900-1900, Sun 0900-1800. Admission: M$35 (free on Sun). Coyoacán Once a city in its own right, the suburb of Coyoacán is the oldest part of Mexico City and was the place from which Cortés launched his attack on Tenochtitlán. Along the peaceful tree-lined avenues are beautiful buildings from the 16th to 19th centuries. Especially at weekends, the craft stalls, musicians and mime artists around the central squares of Plaza Hidalgo and Jardín del Centenario create a bohemian atmosphere. The Museo Casa de Frida Kahlo occupies the family home of the artist Frida Kahlo. She was born here in 1907 and then lived here with her husband, the revolutionary muralist Diego Rivera, from 1929 until her death in 1954. The couple was part of a glamorous, leftist, intellectual set during the 1930s and the house is full of mementoes of this period. Two rooms are preserved as lived in; the rest display paintings by both artists. The Kahlo work on display is not her best known but expresses something of the pain and torment in her life. The small collection of folk art – a passion of Kahlo’s –includes a number of regional costumes worn by the artist. The Museo Casa de León Trotsky (Leon Trotsky Museum) is the house where the Russian revolutionary spent the last four years of his life. Very little has changed in the house since 1940, when Trotsky was murdered in his study with an ice pick by an assassin sent by the KGB, and it is a very dark and sombre place. There is a tomb in the garden where his ashes were interred. Museo Casa de Frida Kahlo Londres 247 (corner of Allende), Coyoacán Tel: (55) 5554 5999. Transport: Metro Viveros, Coyoacán or General Anaya; pesero marked ‘Coyoacán’ from Paseo de la Reforma. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1800. Admission: M$30. Museo Casa de León Trotsky Avenida Río Churubusco 410, between Gómez Farías and Morelos Tel: (55) 5658 8732. Transport: Metro Viveros, Coyoacán or General Anaya; pesero marked ‘Coyoacán’ from Paseo de la Reforma. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1700. Admission: M$20 (half price for students; free on Sun). San Angel San Angel is an elegant, colonial neighbourhood about nine kilometres (six miles) south of Paseo de la Reforma. The affluent suburb is best known for its weekly arts and crafts market, the Bazar Sábado (Saturday Bazaar), in Plaza San Jacinto. The Museo Estudio Diego Rivera (Diego Rivera’s Studio Museum), where Rivera and his wife Frida Kahlo lived in the 1930s, is an avant-garde building designed for them by Juan O’Gorman. There are only a few of the artists’ works on display but plenty of memorabilia. The Museo Carrillo Gil Arte Contemporano (Carillo Gil Contemporary Art Museum) is a fine art museum containing works by Mexican and international artists. Museo Estudio Diego Rivera Diego Rivera 2 (corner of Altavista) Tel: (55) 5550 1189. Transport: Metro MA Quevedo, then minibus to San Angel. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1800. Admission: M$10 (free on Sun). Carrillo Gil Arte Contemporano Avenida Revolución 1608 Tel: (55) 5550 6289. Transport: Metro MA Quevedo, then minibus to San Angel. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1800. Admission: M$15 (free on Sun). Further Distractions La Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe) In the northern suburbs of Mexico City, the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, often known as La Villa de Guadalupe, is the holiest shrine in the country. It is built on the site where, in 1531, the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared three times, in the guise of an Indian princess, to Indian Juan Diego, leaving her image miraculously emblazoned on his cloak. After investigating the story, the church authorities decided to build the shrine and the Pope is set to canonise Juan Diego this year, despite doubts over his existence. The original basilica was built in 1709. When a large crack appeared and it began to sink into the swampy subsoil, a new basilica was constructed in the same plaza and consecrated in 1976. Juan Diego’s cloak has been preserved and hangs in the church, behind the main altar. Moving walkways allow visitors to get as close as possible. The original basilica is now a museum displaying many representations of the image on the cloak. Throughout the year, pilgrims come from all over Mexico to visit. However, for the Día de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Patron Saint’s Day), on 12 December, millions throng to pray and give thanks to the dark-skinned virgin. Some worshippers hobble on their knees to the church, while others dance their prayers in traditional Indian costumes with feather head-dresses and skirts in a festive atmosphere. Plaza Hidalgo 1, Colonia Villa de Guadalupe Tel: (55) 5577 6022. Transport: Metro La Villa or buses marked ‘La Villa’. Opening hours: Daily 0600-2100 (basilica); Tues-Sun 1000-1800 (museum). Admission: Free (basilica); M$5 (museum). Tours of the City Walking Tours Most places of interest in Mexico City are concentrated in small pockets of the city so travelling on foot is often the best means of getting around. However, it is worth remembering that, due to the effects of altitude and the pollution, it is not uncommon to feel tired and breathless when walking even short distances for the first few days after arrival. The government’s cultural agency INAH (National Institute for History and Archaeology), Frontera 53, San Angel (tel: (55) 5616 5227/8; website: www.inah.gob.mx), offers walking tours in the city and beyond, which cost around M$250 for a two-hour tour. INAH’s tours are cheaper than most and are given by English-speaking specialists but most travel agencies will be able to arrange walking tours. Bus Tours Half- or full-day tours of the city typically include pick-up and drop-off at major hotels and visits to the Centro Histórico and the Museo Nacional de Antropología accompanied by an English-speaking guide. Grey Line Tours (tel: (55) 5208 1163; website: www.greyline.com.mx) offers a variety of city tours. A full-day tour costs US$44, while half-day tours cost US$29. Tours of the pyramids and excursions to Taxco and Puebla can also be arranged. Bestours, Hamburgo 182 bis (tel: (55) 5514 7431), offers four-hour city tours for M$300. INAH (see Walking Tours above) also run bus tours in the city. Excursions For a Half Day Xochimilco: About 20km (12 miles) south of the Zócalo is a network of canals lined by gardens and agricultural plots known as the ‘floating gardens’ of Xochimilco (the name means ‘Place where the Flowers Grow’ in the Aztec language of Nahuatl). Within the network of canals, the Pre-Hispanic inhabitants constructed little islands known as chinampas on which fruits, vegetables and flowers could be grown. These formed one of the economic bases of the Aztec Empire. Some 180km (112 miles) of canals remain today and the area has become a favourite destination for Mexico City’s inhabitants to come for a bit of fun and relaxation. Hundreds of colourful trajineras (small, flat-bottomed barges similar to gondolas), each bearing a girl’s name, are punted along the canals with parties of revellers on board. As well as the passenger boats, there are waterborne bands of mariachis or marimbas ready to play requests (for a price), vendors selling tacos, soft drinks and flowers, photographers and souvenir sellers adding to the general cacophony. There are nine different embarcaderos (landings), all near the centre of Xochimilco, from where the boats are available for hire (M$130 per hour for a boat holding 18 people, M$110 for up to 12 people) at all hours. Moonlit trips make for an original outing. The Tourist Office in Xochimilco is situated at Embarcadero Nativitas (tel: (55) 5653 5209; e-mail: informacionturistica@mexicocity.gob.mx; website: www.mexicocity.gob.mx) and can provide more information. Transport is by buses marked Metro ‘Tasqueña’, or by taking the metro to Tasqueña and then the tren ligero (overground train) to Embarcadero. The Museo Dolores Olmedo Patino (Dolores Olmedo Patino Museum) is a renovated 16th-century hacienda, set in three hectares (eight acres) of beautiful grounds, complete with parading peacocks and Xoloitzcuintles, a rare breed of hairless dog indigenous to Mexico. The museum contains some of the best-known works of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, as well as pre-Hispanic artefacts. The collection, which belongs to Señora Olmedo, a rich socialite and prolific patron of Rivera’s who still lives in part of the mansion, went on public display in 1994. The museum, open Tuesday to Sunday 1000-1800, is located at Avenida México 5843, on the corner of Antiguo Camino a Xochimilco (tel: (55) 5555 0891 or 1221; website: www.arts-history.mx/mdop.html) and costs M$25. Transport is also the tren ligero from Metro Tasqueña, although the nearest station is La Noria. For a Whole Day Teotihuacán: Situated 50km (30 miles) north of Mexico City is the archaeological zone of Teotihuacán. This site is thought to date from around 300-600 BC but the identity of those who built the ‘place of the gods’ still remains a mystery. Teotihuacán was not just a ceremonial centre – there is evidence it was a functioning city and one of the largest of the pre-industrial world. Tens of thousands of people were employed in crafts and as many as 100,000 in trade and fixed markets. Teotihuacán was also one of the more politically dominant cities, owing to its strategic location in the Valley of Mexico, which provided easy access to trade routes and communication. In the seventh century AD, a fire and subsequent looting caused a great exodus of its inhabitants and Teotihuacán was left abandoned. It was left to the Aztecs to name the most important features. There are three main site areas: the Ciudadela (Citadel), Pirámide del Sol (Pyramid of the Sun), Pirámide de la Luna (Pyramid of the Moon) – all connected by the Calzada de los Muertos (Avenue of the Dead). It takes between five and eight hours to see the site properly and it is open daily 0800-1700. The entry fee is M$30 (free on Sunday), plus M$50 for the 45-minute son et lumière shows at 1900 (in Spanish) and 2015 (in English). Buses marked ‘Los Pirámides’ depart from Gate 8 of the Terminal del Norte (Metro: Autobuses del Norte) and take about an hour; the cost is US$2 each way. The bus-tour operators listed in the Tours of the City section also offer organised excursions to the site, some including a stop at the Villa de Guadalupe en route. Hotels Hotel rates are subject to 15% VAT (Value Added Tax). This, and an additional room tax of around 2%, is usually added to the bill at the end. Payment of hotel bills can usually be made in US Dollars or Mexican Pesos, however, prices are mostly quoted in US Dollars as below. The prices quoted below are the lowest rack rates for double rooms, excluding VAT and breakfast, unless otherwise specified. Business Hotel Camino Real This stylish modernistic hotel in convenient Anzures with its bold yellow and pink walls, designed by famous Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta offers luxury with originality. A huge mural by the artist Rufino Tamayo hangs in the entrance opposite the hip lobby bar that has live music nightly. Contemporary art works and sculptures adorn the walls and open spaces. Guest rooms are spacious, with views over a delightful garden and large pool with terrace. The hotel has convention facilities, a business centre, a range of shops, a gym and is a pleasant stroll from three important museums. Mariano Escobedo 700, Anzures Tel: (55) 5263 8888. Fax: (55) 5250 6897 or 5263 8889. E-mail: mex@caminoreal.com Website: www.caminoreal.com/mexico Price: From US$161. Hotel Nikko The 744-room slim, high-rise hotel of the Japanese Nikko chain is the third luxury hotel on upmarket Polanco’s Avenida Campos Eliseos, adjacent to Chapultepec Park and walking distance from Mexico City’s acclaimed Museum of Anthropology. Renovated in 2000, all rooms have views to Chapultepec Park or Polanco. The standard rooms, decorated in muted colours, are functional if unexceptional. The rooms on the excecutive floor are bigger and brighter. All rooms have outlets for computer and modem and two telephone lines. The hotel has a well-equipped 24-hour business centre and a big atheletic club with tennis courts, swimming pool and golf practice range. Avenida Campos Eliseos 204, Polanco Tel: (55) 5283 8700. Fax: (55) 5281 3572. E-mail: nikkosal@nikko.com.mx Website: www.nikkohotels.com Price: From US$280. Hotel Presidente Inter-Continental Sandwiched between the Nikko and the Marriott hotels in wealthy Polanco, this 659-room high-rise hotel has a celebrity clientele. Michael Jackson and Bill Clinton, among others, have stayed here. A spacious, modernistic lobby sets the tone. The rooms are comfortable, with pleasant views and king-size beds, decorated in beige and wood. The 32nd floor is a ladies-only floor, while the Executive floor has a club lounge with beautiful views, as well as a small library. The well-equipped business centre is open 0700-2300. The hotel has a small exercise room but a bigger sports club with pool is under construction. The many restaurants are popular, especially Au Pied de Cochon (see Restaurants). Avenida Campos Eliseos 218, Polanco Tel: (55) 5327 7700. Fax: (55) 5327 7730. E-mail: pdte@yahoo.com Website: www.interconti.com Price: From US$220. JW Marriott Hotel This 312-room luxury hotel located in the affluent neighbourhood of Polanco, a stone’s throw from the impressive Museum of Anthropology, has an understated elegance. The rooms are immaculate, decorated in warm colours and mahogany and many have views over Chapultepec Park. The executive floor has an inviting lounge offering continental breakfast and happy hour. The hotel prides itself on its customer-friendly and personalised service. There are convention facilities, as well as a 24-hour business centre equipped with state-of-the art computers. Guest rooms have two-line telephones, voice-mail, modem points and safes. The spa is small but pleasant with an attractive outdoor pool and enticing sundeck. Andres Bello 29, Polanco Tel: (55) 5999 0000. Fax: (55) 5999 0001. E-mail: jwmbc1@marriott.com.mx Website: www.marriott.com Price: From US$265. Luxury Four Seasons Hotel This beautiful hotel, situated on the capital’s historic thoroughfare, Reforma, in central Juárez, is well located for visiting tourist sites and getting about easily. The hotel has a simple elegance, decorated with rich, classical prints, furnished with mahogany and with maps and paintings hanging on the walls. Guests can enjoy the tranquillity of the attractive courtyard garden or head for the relaxing pool terrace. The hotel’s health spa offers massages, a fully equipped gym and numerous beauty treatments. The hotel has convention facilities and a business centre, while each room has Internet access, TV and two phone lines. Paseo de la Reforma 500, Juárez Tel: (55) 5230 1818. Fax: (55) 5230 1808. E-mail: mex.res@fourseasons.com Website: www.fourseasons.com Price: From US$300. Marco Polo A small but very special luxury hotel in the heart of the centrally located La Zona Rosa, the five-star Marco Polo offers an attractive alternative to the standard hotel chains. The 60 rooms are bright and tastefully decorated with rustic wooden furniture. They all feature modem points, as well as the usual facilities, such as mini-bar, safe, coffee-maker. The four penthouse suites also have a Jacuzzi and balcony. The hotel has a restaurant-bar, Il Caffe Milano and a gym. For businesspeople, they offer a small business centre, business support services and various meeting rooms and ballrooms. Amberes 27, Juárez Tel: (55) 5207 0333. Fax: (55) 5533 3727. E-mail: marcopolo@data.net.mx Website: www.marcopolo.com.mx Price: From US$161. Moderate Hotel Gillow This middle-range hotel is well situated in the heart of the Centro Histórico, a stone’s throw from the Zócalo and numerous museums and 15 minutes from the airport. Hotel Gillow has an attractive Art Deco-style façade and a cheerful, rose-coloured marble lobby hung with plants. Rooms are simple, decorated in pastel colours with TV and bathroom, and they overlook the street or a quiet inner courtyard. The hotel also has a reasonably priced restaurant and bar. Isabel La Catolica 17, Centro Histórico Tel: (55) 5510 0791 or 8585 or 2636. Fax: (55) 5512 2078. E-mail: hgillow@prodigy.net.mx Price: From US$37 (including VAT but not breakfast). Maria Christina An easy walk to the centre of La Zona Rosa, this hotel, housed in a beautiful colonial-style building offers Old World charm. It is one of the best-value deals in this part of town. The 150 comfortable rooms all have TV and fans. The bathrooms are particularly pleasant with Mexican talavera tiling. There is a medium-priced restaurant, bar and parking. Other facilities include a travel agency and a beauty salon. Rio Lerma 31, Cuahtemoc Tel: (55) 5703 1212. Fax: (55) 5592 3447. Price: US$76 (including VAT but not breakfast). Other Recommendations El Gran Hotel Ciudad de Mexico A shrine to Art Nouveau styling, this is one of the most elegant and original hotels in Mexico City. The lobby has a cathedral-like quality, with a stunning coloured-glass window canopy overhead, ornate wrought iron balconies and lifts at either end. Located conveniently on the Zócalo in the Centro Histórico and a 15-minute drive from the airport, the hotel also has convention facilities, making it popular with the business community and upmarket travellers. The 124 rooms all have Art Nouveau touches and TVs. There is a restaurant in the lobby and a terrace café over the square. Avenida 16 de Septiembre 82, Centro Histórico Tel: (55) 5510 4040 or (01-800) 505 6000 (toll free, USA only). Fax: (55) 5510 4040 ext 162. Website: www.luxehotels.com Price: From US$111.15 (includes VAT). Hotel Majestic The Hotel Majestic, part of the Best Western chain, has one of the prime locations in Mexico City, overlooking the historic Zócalo with its colonial cathedral and national palace and just a 15-minute drive from the airport. The tranquil, mirrored lobby, with its fountain and tiles, offers a welcome retreat from the throngs of vendors, hustlers and tourists outside. The hotel has 85 guest rooms, including five suites. The best overlook the square, while those on Avenida Madero can be noisy. Rooms are simple but comfortable, with TV, mini-bar, coffee-making facilities and rustic wood furniture. The hotel has a popular terrace restaurant overlooking the Zócalo, which serves basic Mexican and international food at reasonable prices. Avenida Madero 73, Centro Histórico Tel: (55) 5521 8600-09 or (01-800) 528 1234 (toll free, Mexico only). Fax: (55) 5512 6262. E-mail: majestic@supernet.com.mx Website: www.majestic.com.mx Price: From US$95. Restaurants We have selected 25 restaurants, which we have divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments. Restaurant prices are subject to 15% VAT (Value Added Tax). This is usually included in the price quoted. In Mexico, it is not common practice to include any service charges in a restaurant bill, so a tip of 10-15%, depending on the quality of the service, is expected. Payment of restaurant bills will usually be expected in Mexican Pesos. The prices quoted below are for an average two-course meal and for a bottle of house wine or cheapest equivalent; they include VAT but do not include tip. Gastronomic Au Pied de Cochon This fashionable 24-hour bistro in the Hotel Presidente Inter-Continental (see Hotels) has been a hit with Mexico’s beautiful people since it opened. Modelled closely on the Parisian original, the restaurant offers sumptuous seafood platters, including oysters and lobster, as well as steaks, pigs’ trotters and snails prepared by French chefs. The chocolate profiteroles are delicious. Decor is Art Nouveau and the service is pleasant. An extensive wine list is available. Hotel Presidente Inter-Continental, Avenida Campos Eliseos 216, Polanco Tel: (55) 5327 7756. Website: www.interconti.com Price: M$250. Wine: M$180. Bistro Les Amis This chic modern Polanco bistro has a stylish bar area and simple blue and burgundy decor. The food is contemporary French-Mexican, artistically presented. Signature dishes include baked artichoke with brie, lamb chops with couscous and sautéed tuna in green pepper sauce. The chunky apple pie with cream is to die for and there is an impressive wine list. Goldsmith 66, Polanco Tel: (55) 5280 0505 or 4900. Price: M$300. Wine: M$150. El Cardenal This classical restaurant is always busy thanks to its consistently good Mexican cooking. With formal wood-panelled decor, it offers a haven from the bustle of the Centro Histórico outside. El Cardenal serves hearty soups and steaks with fried beans, guacamole and enchiladas. Seasonal specialities include grilled Maguey worms and chile en nogada (chilli in a sweet creamy sauce with nuts and pomegranate). Palma 23, Centro Histórico Tel: (55) 5521 3080 or 8815. Price: M$150. Wine: M$100. Lando Grill This elegant bistro-style restaurant on Lincoln Park in Polanco attracts celebrities, politicians and businesspeople for its outstanding cuisine and discreet charm. With leather chairs, wood panelling and jazz in the background, the Lando exudes good taste. An impressive wine list accompanies sophisticated home cooking. Signature dishes are carpaccio of portabello mushroom and artichoke, exquisite lamb chops and an unparalleled chocolate bomb. A wide selection of seafood and steaks is also available. Emilio Castelar 121, Polanco Tel: (55) 5282 3052. Fax: (55) 5282 3053. Price: M$250. Wine: M$150. Les Moustaches Situated in Cuauhtemoc, just one block away from the central Monument to Independence, this restaurant has excellent Anglo-French food attentively served in an atmosphere of discreet elegance. The ground floor is an attractive plant-filled patio, while the second floor provides three elegant private rooms for banquets. The food is fresh and sumptuous. They are famous for their mussel soup, duck in orange sauce and spectacular pistachio soufflé. Río Sena 88, Cuauhtemoc Tel: (55) 5533 3390 or 5525 1265 (reservations). Fax: (55) 5207 7149. Website: www.lesmoustaches.com.mx Price: M$250. Wine: M$180. Business Chez Wok This classy Chinese restaurant, with its yellow and red minimalist decor, is a favourite with Chinese businessspeople. Service is discreet and attentive. The food, prepared by Hong Kong chefs, is superb and its presentation impeccable. Highlights include vegetable dumplings filled with shitake mushrooms, exquisite hot and sour soup, king prawns in black pepper, and duck with prawn sauce and sesame. The menu offers an extensive selection of wines, as well as champagne. Tennyson 117, Polanco Tel: (55) 5281 3410 or 2921. Price: M$350. Wine: M$150. La Cava La Cava is a popular restaurant in the south of the city offering high-quality food in relaxed and comfortable surroundings. The decor is predominantly colonial and the covered patio, with its central fountain, is particularly pleasant. The seafood is recommended, especially the trout and the Portuguese sardines (when in season). All the desserts are excellent. Avenida Insurgentes Sur 2465 Tel: (55) 5550 1106. Price: M$150. Wine: M$100. La Valentina On the first floor of a plush Polanco mall, this haute Mexican restaurant is always packed and animated. The colonial hacienda furnishings and the Mariachi musicians adding their voices to the general bustle of the place make this an authentic Mexican dinning experience. It serves one of the best chicken in mole sauces in town. Avenida Presidente Masaryk 393, Polanco Tel: (55) 5282 2812 or 2514. Price: M$150. Wine: M$120. Los Naranjos Los Naranjos offers upmarket, nouvelle Mexican cuisine in convenient Polanco. Service is good, while the food is original and flavoursome. Recommended starters are the smoked marlin on a crunchy tortilla or the taco of lobster with fresh avocado and coriander sauce. Signature dishes include tequila-marinated shrimps with ancho chilli and prickly pear, chicken rolls with curd cheese, and fried plantain with a red mole sauce, and, for dessert, guava stuffed with guanabana mousse. Lopez de Vega 334, Polanco Tel: (55) 5545 0755. Price: M$150. Wine: M$100. San Angel Inn This ex-hacienda with its pretty courtyard is one of the city’s most attractive restaurants. Situated in the southern colonial district of San Angel, it serves good Mexican and international food. Signature dishes include the trout, the prawns on a skewer and the huitlacoche (corn fungus – a Mexican delicacy) crêpes. The wine list is extensive and the margaritas are delicious. Diego Rivera 50, San Angel Tel: (55) 5616 0973. Price: M$250. Wine: M$150. Trendy Blu Located in the upmarket San Angel district in the south of the city, Blu is frequented by the ‘beautiful people’, who come to enjoy its exceedingly stylish decor and its fresh Mediterranean cuisine. The pasta and seafood are especially recommended. Signature dishes include red snapper in saffron sauce, salmon ravioli and the onion and mushroom focaccia. For dessert, the Big Mistake chocolate cake will leave you with no regrets. Avenida de la Paz 57, San Angel Tel: (55) 5616 4791. Price: M$150. Wine: M$100. Aguila y Sol This chic Polanco hangout is elegantly designed in a minimalist style with cool mint colours. The food is contemporary Mexican and combines delicious flavours in an original way. Eye-catching starters include foie gras with cacao and guava or squash-flower soup with a touch of curry and almond. Recommended mains include the blue crab enchiladas in a hazelnut and chilli sauce or tuna steak in pepperleaf. Moliere 42, Polanco Tel: (55) 5281 8354. Price: M$250. Wine: M$200. Estacion Central In the hip Condesa neighbourhood, Estacion Central offers tasty food in a funky modern setting. The decor is chrome and cream, while the chairs have long triangular backs. Exotic cocktails are served up alongside a tempting choice of international dishes. Starters include veal carpaccio or Roquefort and pear soup, followed by mains such as roast duck in a tamarind and sesame sauce or sea bass with coriander on a black bed of rice in squid ink. Service is helpful. Alfonso Reyes 108, Condesa Tel: (55) 5256 1133. Fax: (55) 5553 1722. E-mail: estacioncentral@starmedia.com Price: M$200. Wine: M$100. Ixchel This hip restaurant is a favourite haunt among Mexican media types and artists. Situated in a beautiful colonial mansion in the heart of bohemian Roma, it houses a terrace bar downstairs, a cool blue velvet lounge and an elegant restaurant upstairs. Presentation is artistic and the food tasty, fusing Oriental and Mexican styles. Recommended dishes are the Thai chicken salad, Oriental salmon fillet on bok choy and the crème brûlée. Medellin 65, Roma Tel: (55) 5525 0730 or 5208 4055. Fax: (55) 5525 0730. Price: M$200. Wine: M$100. Los Danzantes Enjoying a prime location on Coyoacán square, this pleasant, airy restaurant serves inventive nouvelle Mexican and international cuisine. The service is somewhat languid but it is a good place to talk and people-watch. The coconut-wrapped prawns in sweet and sour sauce make a good starter. An interesting main dish is the medallions of beef in mescal and chilli sauce. Plaza Jardin Centenario 12, Coyoacán Tel: (55) 5658 6451. Price: M$150. Wine: M$100. Budget Café Tacuba A Mexican institution in the Centro Histórico, Café Tacuba was founded in 1912 and has remained popular among Mexicans and tourists alike. The restaurant is a feast for the eye, with painted archways, colourful tiles, stained-glass windows and brass lamps. Prices are low for the traditional Mexican fare, which ranges from tacos and tamales to pork chops, mole and steak. Tacuba 28, Centro Histórico Tel: (55) 5512 8482. Price: M$100. Wine: M$100. Casa de Azulejos The ‘House of Tiles’, literally covered in Mexican blue and white tiles, is one of the most eye-catching buildings in the Centro Histórico. This 16th-century mansion is an ideal stop-off on the way to the Zócalo. The spacious interior is as impressive, with seating around a Moorish fountain in an airy courtyard enlivened by frescoes. Food is basic Mexican, with a good range of soups, salads, fajitas, enchiladas and steaks. Avenida Madero 4, Centro Histórico Tel: (55) 5518 0152 or 5521 6058. Fax: (55) 5512 7882. Price: M$100. Wine: M$100. La Casita de Ochun This tiny, colourful Cuban restaurant, tucked away in the quiet southern suburb of San Jeronimo, offers wholesome, authentic Cuban home cooking. The fried plantain with melted cheese makes a hearty and delicious starter. A house speciality is a chicken dish – Pollo Ochun – the recipe is the chef’s secret. The fish in garlic sauce is also very good. For dessert, the sweet, rich Flan Ochun must not be missed. Escolta 9, between Presa and San Bernabe, San Jeronimo Tel: (55) 5681 5846. Price: M$70. Wine: M$100. Oriental A funky, unpretentious new Chinese restaurant, with orange decor, bare bricks and low lighting, Oriental has become a hit with hip Condesa residents. The menu offers tempting starters, such as crab tostadas, pork dumplings and shrimp thai rolls. The crunchy red snapper bites in a sweet sesame sauce make a delicious main course, as do the glazed duck pancakes and shrimp brochete in black bean sauce. Service is attentive and the delicious margaritas slip down a treat. Nuevo Leon 137, Condesa Tel: (55) 5286 7526. Fax: (55) 5286 0988. E-mail: dinastiarest@aol.com Price: M$150. Wine: M$180. Saks This rustic vegetarian restaurant on the busy Avenida Insurgentes heading south of the city has vaulted ceilings and medieval paintings on the walls. Exotic fruit juices and enormous portions of healthy food, combining Mexican and international cuisine, are served up in a relaxed atmosphere. The Saks salad of artichokes, palm hearts, asparagus, portobello mushrooms and feta cheese is excellent, as is the chilli filled with squash flower, nopal cactus and mushrooms. Avenida Insurgentes Sur 1641, Florida Tel: (55) 5598 6433 or 5563 3402. Fax: (55) 5598 7258. Price: M$100. Wine: M$100. Personal Recommendations Bistro Charlotte This cosy, charming restaurant on a quiet Polanco street is lovingly run by its English owner. The changing menu offers interesting fusion options with an Oriental slant. Recommended dishes include the bay scallops in Hoisin sauce, the Vietnamese duck rolls and the prawn laksa. The dark chocolate bomb with mango and coconut ice cream is a mouthwatering dessert. Lope de Vega 341, Chapultepec Morales Tel: (55) 5250 4180. Price: M$200. Wine: M$100. El Bodeguita del Medio Named after Ernest Hemmingway’s haunt in Cuba and decorated with clients’ signatures covering the walls, a good night out is guaranteed at this characterful bar-restaurant in artistic Roma. The atmosphere is lively, with a Cuban band playing most nights, and the mojitos (a Cuban cocktail of rum, lime juice, sugar and mint) are the best in town. Specialities of the house include black beans and rice (moros y cristianos), shredded beef and tomato stew (vieja ropa) and fried chicken with banana. Cozumel 37, Roma Tel: (55) 5553 0246. E-mail: bdelmmex@prodigy.net.mx Price: M$150. Wine: M$100. El Mosaico This newly opened French brasserie-style restaurant is always packed. Located in the fashionable Condesa neighbourhood, El Mosaico is a place to while away an afternoon, enjoying superlative food and attentive service. The menu includes typical French fare, such as quiches, steak tartare and black pepper steak, as well as Moroccan dishes like chicken and carrot tajine (stew). Michoacan 10 and Amsterdam, Condesa Tel: (55) 5584 2932. Price: M$150. Wine: M$100. Kohinoor Indian restaurants are rare in Mexico City but this gem, in the new business district of Sante Fe in the north, will satisfy any curry craving with its delicious, rich dishes. The decor is bright and clean, with the focal point being the glass window allowing diners to watch chefs at work. The chicken tikka masala is very good, the tandoor-baked nan breads are delicious and there is a good variety of vegetarian options. Guillermo Gonzalez Camarena 999, Sante Fe Tel: (52 55) 5292 1291. Price: M$100. Wine: M$100. La Opera Bar Another gem of Mexican history, this saloon-style restaurant-bar, founded in 1870, has bullets lodged in its ceiling courtesy of revolutionary Pancho Villa, who rode into the bar on horseback – according to legend. Heavy carved wooden ceilings and booths, mirrors and red and gold wallpaper evoke the feeling of being on the set of a Western. The food is an eclectic mix from Spanish tapas, like sardines, to Mediterranean classics, like Caesar salad, and more interesting dishes, like red snapper with olive and tomato sauce. Avenida Cinco de Mayo, Centro Histórico Tel: (55) 5512 8959. Fax: (55) 5518 3514. Price: M$150. Wine: M$150. Sport Mexico City’s temperate climate is ideal for outdoor sports and recreation. Football and bullfighting are two national passions. The Mexico City football team, América, nicknamed Las Aguilas (the Eagles) is the Mexican favourite. Each year, El Clasico, a match between América and Guadaljara (the biggest club outside Mexico City), draws huge crowds of 100,000 and packs the impressive Estadio Azteca, Calzada de Tlalpan 3465 (tel: (55) 5617 8080 or 3330 or 3391) to capacity. The football calendar is divided into two seasons – a torneo de invierno (winter season) from August to December and a torneo de verano (summer season) from January to May. The Monumento Plaza México, Rodin 241 (tel: (55) 5563 3961), is one of the largest bullrings in the world, holding up to 48,000 spectators. From mid-October to mid-April, corridas (bullfights) take place every Sunday at 1600. Golf: Most golf clubs are private but some hotels offer guest privileges. Bella Vista Golf Club (tel: (55) 5360 3501/7), an 18-hole course off Queretaro Highway 57, is available to guests staying at the Sheraton Maria Isabel Hotel and the Camino Real Hotel. Tuesday-Friday green fees are US$95; Saturday and Sunday, US$120. Health clubs: Club San Francisco, Panuco 207 in Cuauhtemoc (tel: (55) 5525 0936), offers aerobics, weights, a sauna (men only) and massage. Sport’s City, Miguel de Cervantes Saabedra 397 in Irrigacion, near Polanco (tel: (55) 5395 3570), has a pool and offers weights, aerobics, karate and steam baths. One day membership costs M$410. Swimming: Many hotels have pools. The public pools are all far from the city centre. Shopping Mexico City offers everything from upmarket department stores to trendy boutiques, and from shopping malls to street hawkers. Fixed prices prevail in the upmarket shops and department stores, but it is commonplace to bargain in the markets. Favourite shopping areas include Polanco and La Zona Rosa. Shop opening hours are generally 0900/1000-2000/2100. The larger department stores remain open late into the evening. Smaller stores often close between 1400 and 1600, then reopen until 2000. Mexico City adds VAT (Value Added Tax) at 15%, which cannot be claimed back by visitors. The largest department stores are Sanborns, Liverpool and Palacio de Hierro. The original stores are in the Centro Histórico but all have branches in suburban shopping malls. Particularly interesting is the Casa de Azulejos (House of Tiles), between Avenida Cinco de Mayo and Avenida Madero (tel: (55) 5518 0152 or 5521 6058), a beautiful building, dating from 1596 and covered in handmade blue and white tiles. On the inside, it sports a mural by Orozco and a Sanborns department store and restaurant. Centro Santa Fe, Vasco de Quiroga 3800, in the western part of the city, is the largest shopping centre in Latin America and boasts 285 shops, with department stores, boutiques, restaurants, play areas for children and ten cinemas, although there is no metro nearby. There are a number of markets selling Mexican artesanías (handicrafts). The Bazar Sábado (Saturday Bazaar), Plaza San Jacinto 11 (tel: (55) 5616 0082), in San Angel, is located in a colonial mansion and is a showcase for some of Mexico’s finest handicrafts, although prices are high. Artisans display their crafts every Saturday 1000-1900. Mercado de Curiosidades Mexicanos San Juan (San Juan Market of Mexican Curiosities), at Ayuntamiento and Dolores in the Centro Histórico, is a handicraft venue open Monday-Saturday 0900-1900 and Sunday 0900-1600. Nearby, the Mercado la Ciudadela, on the corner of Balderas and Dondé (tel: (55) 5512 5064), is a covered market with a wide variety of artesanía from all over Mexico. Prices are fair but expect to bargain; open daily 1030-1830. For more unusual fare, the national pawnshop, the Monte de Piedad (Mountain of Compassion), Avenida Cinco de Mayo (tel: (55) 5521 6176 or 5278 1800, switchboard), opposite the Catedral Metropolitana, is also worth a look. It was opened in 1775 as a charitable organisation and still helps finance school construction and retirement homes with its profits. It is open Monday-Friday 0830-1700, Saturday 0830-1300. Culture Mexico has a rich cultural heritage – from vibrant Pre-Hispanic folk-art to the works of the great muralists of the 20th century, there is a colourful art tradition as well a thriving music and literature scene. Tiempo Libre (www.tiempolibre.com.mx), a comprehensive listings guide to all cultural events taking place in the city, comes out every Thursday and costs M$10. The monthly programme, Guía de Programación, is available free from the Bellas Artes bookshop and tourist offices. Ticketmaster (tel: (55) 5325 9000; website: www.ticketmaster.com.mx) sells tickets for most major events in Mexico City and publishes the monthly entertainment guide, ¿Qué hacemos? (‘What shall we do?’). Music: The Orquesta Filarmónica de la Ciudad de México (OFCM) (Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra) has its own concert hall, the Sala Silvestre Revueltas, Periferico Sur 5141 (tel: (55) 5606 8191 or 6089; website: www.ofcm.com.mx). The state-owned Auditorio Nacional, Paseo de la Reforma 50 (tel: (55) 5280 9250; e-mail: auditorionacional@com.mx; website: www.auditorio.com.mx), is the biggest music and entertainment venue in Mexico City. Perhaps the most typical Mexican music is the mariachi, where roaming groups of trumpeters, violinists, guitarists and a singer peddle their tunes (see Live Music in Nightlife for venues). Theatre: There are plenty of theatres to choose from, although virtually every play staged in Mexico City is in Spanish. Alternatively, there are a number of Teatro-Bars, which offer a more informal environment and content for the non-Spanish speaker, as they stage lively variety shows and cabarets with singers, dancers, comedians, ventriloquists and magicians. La Planta de Luz, Plaza Loreto, in San Angel (tel: (55) 5616 4761), has such shows from Monday to Thursday, complemented by La Bodega, Popocatépetl 25, in Condesa (tel: (55) 5511 7390), on Fridays and Saturdays. The avant-garde El Hábito, Madrid 13, in Coyoacán (tel: (55) 5554 6414), has Thursday and Friday shows, while at Teatro La Blanquita, Avenida Lázaro Cárdenas Sur 16 (tel: (55) 5512 0855), they perform nightly. Worth looking out for are the Lebanese-born cabaret artist Astrid Haddad, who packs in the crowds, and the irreverent satirist Jesusa Rodriguez, who makes for an entertaining night out. Dance: Colourful traditional indigenous dances are an important part of many Mexican regional fiesta. The Palacio de Bellas Artes is home to the Ballet Folclórico de México, a bright and spectacular performance of Mexican music and dance from all over the country, which takes place every Wednesday and Sunday. The box office opens at 1100, where tickets can be purchased for M$320, M$250 and M$180 for the balcony (these are not recommended as some of the set is obscured). Film: American and other foreign films (with the exception of animations) are shown in their original language with Spanish subtitles. Cineteca Nacional, Avenida México, Coyoacán (tel: (55) 5422 1100; website: http://cineteca.conaculta.gob.mx), Cinemanía, Plaza Loreto in San Angel (tel: (55) 5616 4836), and Centro Cultural Universitario, Avenida Insurgentes Sur 3000 (tel: (55) 5665 0709), all screen classic and art-house films. For art blockbusters, Cinemex Casa de Arte, Avenida Presidente Masaryk 393 (website: www.cinepolis.com.mx) is a modern multi-screen cinema in the Plaza Masaryk; tickets are usually about M$20 and half price on Wednesdays. Mexican cinema has recently experienced a revival, with Amores Perros, directed by Iturbide Gonzalez, nominated for an Oscar for best foreign film in 2001, while Y Tu Mama Tambien, directed by Alfonso Cuaron, became the Mexican hit of 2002. Cultural events: The Festival del Centro Histórico takes place in March and is a three-week festival of classical and popular music, dance, exhibitions and other cultural events. The festival attracts performers from all over Mexico and events are staged in the plazas and theatres throughout the Centro Histórico. Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is celebrated on November 2 and is a day when the souls of the dead are believed to return to the earth. It is a fabulously colourful and cheerful celebration. Families build altars in their homes and lay decorous garlands on the graves of their loved ones. The Zócalo becomes the focus of the national celebration. Literary Notes Pre-Hispanic poems and history have survived in the form of codices, colourful inscriptions painted on skin or bark paper, but History of the Conquest of New Spain is considered to be the first work of Mexican literature. Written by Bernal Díaz del Castillo, one of Cortés’ lieutenants, it is an eyewitness account of the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. Mexico boasts a number of internationally acclaimed writers including the late Octavio Paz, a Nobel Prize winner and essayist who wrote an in-depth examination of Mexican myths and the Mexican character, The Labyrinth of the Solitude (1950). Carlos Fuentes is Mexico’s most famous writer – his book, Where the Air is Clear (1958), is set in Mexico City and follows the lives of a number of its inhabitants through the decades after the Mexican Revolution. Laura Esquivel is the author of a more contemporary hit, Como Agua para Chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate, 1990); the film based on the novel also became an instant international success. Nightlife The nightlife in Mexico City is as lively and varied as everything else the city has to offer. From gentle supper clubs with floorshows to loud, brash nightclubs, and from piano bars to antros (or disco-bars) and bars that offer traditional Mexican music – all tastes are catered for. The most popular districts are Polanco, San Angel, Coyoacán and, more recently, Condesa (a residential neighbourhood just south of La Zona Rosa). La Zona Rosa is still a popular nightspot but has lost ground to Polanco and Condesa in recent years. Nightlife starts late in Mexico and ends late. There are no licensing hours but many bars and nightclubs are closed on Sundays. Prices of drinks and admission vary enormously depending on the area. When drinking alcohol, it is worth remembering that, because of the high altitude, one drink in Mexico City can have the effect of two at lower altitudes. The minimum age for drinking in Mexico is 18 years old. In the popular districts, thieves are rife, so remember to keep your wallet well guarded. Tiempo Libre (website: www.tiempolibre.com.mx), published every Thursday, is the weekly listings magazine (in Spanish only) and costs US$1 at newspaper-stands. The English-language newspaper, The News (website: www.thenewsmexico.com), has a brief what’s-on guide at the weekend. Bars: In the Centro Histórico, La Opera Bar, Avenida Cinco de Mayo 10, is a late 19th-century establishment with a lively atmosphere (see Restaurants). Look out for a bullet hole in the ceiling, said to have come from Pancho Villa’s revolver. For another Mexican speciality, head for La Casa de las Sirenas, Guatemala 32, a bar and restaurant offering over 250 varieties of tequila. In Polanco, the cool bar of the moment is Lotus, in the shopping plaza, Plaza Zentro, at Avenida Presidente Masaryk 407. Across the way, Cosmo is a funky alternative with a DJ and exotic cocktails. Further down Avenida Presidente Masaryk at 201, the rooftop bar terrace of the Habitat hotel has a fun atmosphere and is good for people-watching. Less hip but more relaxed is the Bar Euro, Avenida Presidente Masaryk 134, with indoor and outdoor seating. Mezzanote, also located in Plaza Zentro, Avenida Presidente Masaryk 407, is a lively restaurant and bar, with disco music Thursday to Saturday. The nostalgic ex-pat Shelty, Avenida Campos Eliseos 204 (facing Chapultepec Park), is a wood-panelled English pub in the Nikko Hotel. In Coyoacán, the popular Hijo del Cuervo, Jardín del Centenario 17, attracts a youthful mix of Mexicans and foreigners and occasionally features live music. In the trendy Condesa neighbourhood, the place to be seen (but with stuffy door policy) is Bar Rioma, Avenida Insurgentes Sur 377. Barracuda, Nuevo Leon 4, is a hip, chilled bar offering food and cocktails and occasionally has a DJ spinning tunes. Rexo, Saltillo 1, is another bar/restaurant popular with young professionals, as is Cinna on Nuevo Leon, below the cinema. For a more Mexican experience, the Centenario cantina, Michoacan 42, is always packed and has live musicians, guaranteeing a good night out. Casinos: Casinos are illegal in Mexico. Clubs: The Colmillo, Versailles 49, in a colonial house in the Juárez district, was founded by two English men and remains one of the hottest clubs in Mexico City, with DJs playing acid jazz upstairs and techno below. The Pervert Lounge, Uruguay 70, in the Centro Histórico, is another funky alternative. In the bohemian Roma district, Avant-Garde, Puebla 310, pumps hardcore techno to a devoted crowd, while the Living Room, Orizaba 146, in a delightful high-ceilinged colonial mansion, is one of the most popular gay clubs in town. Also in Roma is the fun Mama Rumba, Queretaro 230, an institution with salsa lovers, who groove the night away to live bands. Mauna Loa, Avenida San Jeronimo 240, is a popular Polynesian nightclub with live music for dancing and a Polynesian floorshow. Restaurant Chez’ar in Hotel Aristos, Paseo de la Reforma 276, has a band playing live dance music, from the rumba to the fox trot, while Antillanos, Francisco Pimentel 78, is the place to go for salsa dancing, with its large dance floor and enthusiastic crowd. For salsa in a traditional setting, bandleader Pepe Avelavo and his orchestra provide live music at El Gran Leon, Queretaro 225, Colonia Roma. Live music: Mexico City attracts big-name international rock and pop acts. The main venues are Auditorio Nacional, Paseo de la Reforma 50, Teatro Metropólitan, Indepencia 90, and the Palacio de los Deportes, corner of Avenida Río Churubusco and Añil. For more home-grown acts try Rockotitlán, Avenida Insurgentes Sur 953, on Plaza Baja California. New Orleans Jazz, Avenida Revolucion 1655, San Angel, is classic jazz bar. Bar Jorongo, in the Sheraton Maria Isabel Hotel, Paseo de la Reforma 325, has been one of the city’s popular nightspots for more than 25 years, where big-name mariachis play Mexican music. Alternatively, visit Plaza Garibaldi, on Eje Central between Republica de Honduras and Republica de Peru. This square, lined with bars and restaurants, comes alive from about 2000-2400 when the mariachi bands gather, dressed in black, silver-studded suits and large hats. Café Tenampa is a long-standing institution on the square, where clients are serenaded by mariachis and can test their virility with a popular electric shock game. City Statistics Location: Estado de México, Mexico. Country dialling code: 52. Population: 8.5 million (Distrito Federal); 20 million (Mexico City region). Time zone: GMT - 6 (GMT - 5 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October). Electricity: 110 volts; US-style two-pin plugs are standard. Average January temperature: 20ºC (68ºF). Average July temperature: 25ºC (77ºF). Annual rainfall: 660mm (25.7 inches). Special Events Semana Santa (Holy Week), re-enactment of the crucifixion; hooded penitents hobble on bloodied knees flagellating themselves with thorny whips to Church, 8-15 Apr, Taxco Día del Trabajo (Labour Day), 1 May Día de la madre (Mother’s Day), Mexicans, for whom the mother is the central figure in the family, hold big fiestas to celebrate Mother’s Day, 10 May Día de la Independencia (Independence Day), commemoration of the start of Mexico’s war with Spain for independence; thousands of people gather the night before to hear the president recite the Grito de Dolores (Cry of Dolores) and ring the ceremonial Bell of Dolores, 16 Sep, Zócalo Día de la Raza, commemoration of Columbus’ discovery of the Americas, 12 Oct Día de Todos Santos (All Saints’ Day), when the souls of deceased children are believed to return to earth, 1 Nov Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), when the souls of dead adults are believed to return to the earth; families build extravagant altars in their homes, decorated with candles, flowers and skull-shaped candy and bread; believers cook up a feast for their dead relatives, offering up their favourite food and drink in the hope of enticing them back for the day, 2 Nov, Zócalo and suburb of Mixquic where the graveyard is lit up by waist-high candles and huge bouquets of flowers in traditional style Día de la Revolución (anniversary of the 1910 Mexican Revolution), 20 Nov Día de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Patron Saint’s Day), 12 Dec, La Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Cost of Living Mexican Nuevo Pesos are actually demarcated with a $ sign, so to distinguish from the US Dollars (US$) that are also in use, especially in areas frequented by tourists, the symbols M$, N$ or NP are found. It is worthwhile keeping the current exchange rate in mind, as some establishments offer better deals when paying in Dollars rather than Pesos and vice versa. One-litre bottle of mineral water: M$5 33cl bottle of beer: M$8 Financial Times newspapers: British newspapers not available 36-exposure colour film: M$55 City-centre bus ticket: M$2 Adult football ticket: M$30-250 Three course meal with wine/beer: M$250 1 Mexican Nuevo Peso (M$1) = £0.06; US$0.09; C$0.14; A$0.15; €0.08 1 American Dollar (US$1) = M$11.06; £0.64; C$1.49; A$1.65; €0.93 Currency conversion rates as of February 2003 Copyright © 2003 Columbus Travel Publishing Ltd.