If you've ever planned a trip to Latin America, then Mexico was probably the first country you wanted to visit. Where is Mexico? We take the map, find North and South America and look right in the centre. Here it is, Mexico! Just under the United States, with which it borders, and you 100% saw a dozen films about the strictly guarded but always stormed by illegal immigrants border between Mexico and the United States.
Where is Mexico City?
Mexico City is the largest and capital city of Mexico. Officially, just under 9 million Mexican people live in Mexico City, and if you count the suburbs, satellites, and surroundings, then 22 million Mexican people. The language is Spanish. The currency is the Mexican dollar. The criminal situation is relatively peaceful for Mexico and very difficult for the average white man, who is not used to the fact that people can disappear on the streets they can shoot. Kidnaping and hop-stop with knives are the most popular and fashionable crafts of local criminals. However, everything is relative. Suppose you compare Mexico City with the Mexican criminal champion Ciudad Juarez, where they can easily shoot a disco with a machine gun. In that case, Mexico City is a stronghold of law and order. When we passed through passport control in Chicago, a handsome blue-eyed officer turned my passport over in his hands for a long time, looked at me in amazement, and kept asking: are you going to Mexico? The first time? In Mexico City? Why???". I had to explain that we were only in Mexico City for 3 days, and then to Cancun and the Riviera Maya. It convinced him a little of our adequacy, but when he handed over his passport, he looked deeply into his eyes and said: "order a taxi from the hotel or ask the airline service to order a taxi for you. In any case, do not take a car to the airport! And I ask you, very much: under no circumstances do you leave your documents even in the hotel safe and do not let your passport out of your hands." However, after Cancun, it is the most popular tourist destination in Mexico. And there are Instagrammable places in Mexico City.
1. Museo Soumaya
For many reasons, most of the galleries and museums in Mexico City are dedicated to contemporary art. By modern art, we mean the new (20th century) and the latest – that is, what is being done now. Personally, I've never been a fan of Andy Warhol or Frida Kahlo, so we avoided the galleries and museums in Mexico City. However, not the Sumaya Museum!
In general, Mexico is interesting precisely in the pre-colonial period, when the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, one of the world's largest cities, was located on the territory of modern Mexico City, the capital of Mexico. In the list of tourist attractions in Mexico City, only Templo mayor's archaeological complex can be attributed to that period.
For comparison, at those times when Kortekaas, together with a team of raiders, sailed to the New World and got involved in a war with the local population in Tenochtitlan, had 500 000 inhabitants! Just imagine – it was 10 times larger than Madrid, Spain's capital in which pigs and sheep grazed right on the streets of the city, and fewer than 50,000 people lived.
Well, all right. So, the Soumaya Museum. In 1994, billionaire Carlos Slim built a museum in his native Mexico City to showcase his art collections. This is a kind of Tretyakov Gallery in Mexico City, with the only difference being that the Tretyakov Gallery contains works by only Russian artists, and Carlos Slim had broad views and bottomless pockets. And he was very fond of his wife, after whom the museum is named.
Thank you, Karl, for collecting Rodin (the museum has the largest collection of sculptures in the world, out of 380), Degas, Renoir, and generally loved the Impressionists and France of the early 20th century.
The collections' cost is estimated at $ 700,000 million, and the building itself was sold for $ 34 million. Unusual architecture and a wonderful guy.
2. Monument to the Revolution
Every year billions of people get their Mexico tourist visa just to travel to this beautiful country. One of the key attractions in Mexico City is Monument to the Revolution. In any list of "Instagrammable places", there is it, the highest Arc de Triomphe in the world. You will not miss it; a photo with an arch in the frame is a must-do for anyone who has been to Mexico City. The arch is dedicated to the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1917 (according to some versions of 1920). If you love Jack London, then he has stories that mention these events. The cycle of revolts and civil war as a result of the rebels defeating the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz claimed more than 2 million lives; this is a terrible and bloody period in the history of Mexico of the 20th century. In honour of its completion in 1938, this arch was erected.
3. Alameda de Santa María Park
Not always "Instagram Stars" coincide with the list of tourist attractions in Mexico. So, in this case, it is just a covered gazebo in the park. Instagram and Arabic architecture made it a landmark, which, you will agree, is completely uncharacteristic for Mexico.
4. Coyoacan and street art
It is the local Champs-Elysees-the most bohemian, expensive, and bright area of Mexico City, the capital of Mexico. There live 70% of foreigners, there is the house-museum of Frida Kahlo, there are many souvenir shops, small galleries, and boutiques. You have to understand – this is an expensive area by Mexican standards, and Mexico is a cheap country. So there is something to see, what to try on, what to buy, and take a picture. You can wander around the area, eat-in street cafes (food-photo from Mexico is also a must-do for tourists). This is an area where Mexico street art is popular, from graffiti to performance, so if you're an amateur, you'll love it there. If you are not sure that you want to spend the whole day like this, take a ride on the tourist tram. It passes all the main attractions of the area, goes 40 minutes, and you just have time to decide whether to stay here or move on.
5. View from the Torre Latinoamericana
Torre Latinoamericana is the tallest building in Mexico City. This skyscraper occupies a place of honour among the attractions of Mexico City, several upper floors are occupied by glazed observation decks, cafes and souvenir shops, and on the 44th floor, there is an outdoor terrace where you can admire the capital of Mexico from a height of 44 floors and take most liked Instagram photos. In Mexico City, the houses are not too high, so the tower is a great landmark for tourists. By the way, from the observation deck, you can take a photo of the roof of the Palace of Fine Arts, another Instagram star; it is the most popular frame. The tower was built in 1958 in a seismically active zone and has already withstood 2 strong earthquakes, which the Mexicans are very proud of.
6. Palacio de Bellas Artes
Palacio de Bellas Artes is a grandiose structure; it is both an opera house and two museums. Construction was started in 1904 under the direction of the Italian architect Adamo Baori, but then there was a revolution and civil war. The opera's construction had to be postponed. The project was completed by Mexican architect Frederico Mariscal, and the project was successfully completed in 1934. It was not as long as the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona (which took more than 100 years to create), but the project was still considered long-term construction. The palace is particularly interesting for its frescoes by local artists, including Diego Rivera's famous "Man at the Crossroads" mural.
7. Chapultepec Forest and the royal castle
"Grasshopper Hill" (in the language of the Toltecs, who discovered this place) – another item in the list of Instagrammable places in Mexico City. Mexico City is located in a valley surrounded on all sides by volcanoes and mountains. The ecological situation, including the atmosphere in the city, to put it mildly, leaves much to be desired. Smog hangs in the city all the time. This park is the lungs of the city. Chapultepec is the largest park in the western hemisphere – Mexico loves everything big – it has 638 hectares. It is best to take a ride through the park on a small pleasure train, it will take you through all the sights, and you will choose where you will go next. There is much to see and photograph: the castle of the Viceroy of New Spain (1785), fountains, museums, including an archaeological one, a zoo and many other attractions for residents of Mexico City and tourists. The castle on the hill is an amazingly beautiful building, and there are many very Instagrammable places in the park itself. And there are deer and squirrels, quite tame. The brave squirrels of Chapultepec are not afraid of anything. If you have something edible in your hands, then you are guaranteed a fun company. They go "on the handles", with pleasure, give themselves to be stroked and pose for numerous tourists.
8. Xochimilco - Mexican Venice
It is an area on the outskirts of Mexico City, famous for canals created by the Aztecs. If you are a fan of architecture and ancient monuments, then you are not here. There they ride on trainer boats (a fantastically bright painted cross between a boat and a raft with a canopy, in the Mexican style), listen to local music (you can order it for $5, and Mariachi will play you personally), and eat local Mexican food. You will feel very peculiar; it is an opportunity to feel like local and exotic entertainment. There's not much to see. It makes sense to go for the feeling of "oh, I'm in a wild country" and street photos of everyday scenes.
9. Zocalo
Another Instagram star is the largest (by itself) square in Latin America. The Constitution Square. The history of the place is as follows. This square was a square back in Tenochtitlan. After the Aztecs victory, Cortez destroyed the city and installed the main source of drinking water in the square. Well, then the streets began to form slowly around. According to medieval fashion, a market was organized on the square, where both Indians and Spaniards traded; the market became the centre of social life and existed in this form from the beginning of the 16th century to the end of the 18th, almost 300 years. You are lucky if your visit to the city coincides with some holiday (New Year, Day of the Dead, and so on). Zocalo is cool to decorate, and you will have wonderful, most liked Instagram photos. On the square, there are 2 important sights of Mexico City, which are also on our list.
10. National Palace
It was built by order of the same Cortes in 1682. This is a very beautiful building, with magnificent interiors and a wonderful courtyard. This monument to colonial Spain exudes real imperial power. In the list of tourist attractions in Mexico, this is one of the main points.
11. Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral
As you may have guessed, it is one of the largest cathedrals in South America and one of the most Instagrammable places in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico. Take a picture of it; let your list of Instagrammable places in Mexico City be complete, but overall it's just a big and beautiful cathedral. Nothing special.
12. Street food
However, about street food in Mexico City, no one will say "nothing special". Mexican street food is delicious, bright, unusual, diverse, beautiful, and, if you do not keep track, very spicy! From the figures of Mexicans (especially Mexican women who do not play sports, it seems, in principle), you will guess that you have come to the right place if you like spicy, salty, sweet, flour, and fat. Mexican restaurants have made popular quesadillas, burritos, nachos, elotes (this is Mexican corn), tacos, fajitas, and chilli con carne, all of which you will find on the streets of the city. Mexican cuisine is included in the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List, so make sure that a portrait of your lunch decorates your Instagram. What to try? Try everything! The food in Mexico City is really cool and very cheap, so don't be afraid to experiment. Just pay attention to the hot tags. What is hot for them, you will be so sharp that it will burn even your fingers. ¡adios Amigos! Nos vemos en Cancun!
