Jason and I traveled to Mexico City in late February. It was my first time visiting the massive and ancient capital—home to more than 20 million people and with a history stretching back over 700 years.
Growing up, I was told a consistent narrative about Mexico in general and Mexico City in particular: that it was poor, dirty, scary, chaotic. But on this trip, I discovered just how far off the mark that was.
Mexico City is, in fact, one of the most civilized, welcoming, beautiful, and culturally rich places I’ve ever been.
Here are some highlights from the trip.
We stayed in the charming La Condesa neighborhood, where I fell completely in love with the Hipódromo area. Originally a horse racing track, it was transformed in the 1920s and ’30s into a ring-shaped marvel of Art Deco and International Style architecture, bordered by lush parks and tree-lined boulevards.
I could have spent the entire week walking the loop along Amsterdam Avenue, sampling each of the dozens of tiny, delicious coffee shops and bakeries.
Just a few blocks west of us lay the vast Chapultepec Park—a 1,700-acre wonderland of museums, gardens, and historic sites. Its centerpiece, at least for me, is the National Museum of Anthropology, which documents nearly 1,000 years of regional history and is itself a masterpiece of mid-century modern design.
We also loved exploring the excellent Museum of Modern Art, which focuses on Mexican artists of the 20th century, and the imposing Chapultepec Castle, once home to Emperor Maximilian I during his short-lived reign.
Another day, we hopped on cheap city bikes and rode along the surprisingly bike-friendly streets to Coyoacán, where we met up with my mom and cousin Susie for a tour of Frida Kahlo’s family home.
Equally fascinating was our walk to the city center, where I was floored by the murals of Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and other Mexican greats at the Palacio de Bellas Artes—an Art Deco gem in its own right.
I could keep gushing, but instead, I’ll just let some additional photos from my reel do the talking.
