The food is delicious… With street food on nearly every corner and a restaurant scene that boasts three of the world’s best (Quintonil, Pujol and Biko), Mexico City has it all. I became a regular at Tres Galeones for the fish tacos, Panederia Rosetta for the guava and cheese pastry, and Marisqueria el K-guamo for octopus ceviche tostadas, thanks to recommendations from travel concierge app Journy.Oh, just a typical Tuesday night in Mexico City 💃🏾#ItGoesDownInTheDF pic.twitter.com/mbbfjwOvab
— Charlise (@chartastical) August 17, 2016
A perfect cocktail is never too far… Steps from my Airbnb was one of the world’s 50 best bars, Licorería Limantour, where craft cocktails (and presentation) are taken very seriously. The Mezcal Stalk with pineapple, lemon and agave syrup was my favorite. Trendy food court Lucerna Comedor’s Sangria Iced Tea is made with a potent mix of red wine, mezcal and liqueur that kept me coming back for more. The architecture is gorgeous… Mexico City has a dizzying array of architectural eye candy from its colonial past, including Palacio de Bellas Artes, Casa de los Azulejos (House of Tiles) and Palacio Postal.
History runs deep… About an hour outside of Mexico City are the pyramids of Teotihuacan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ancient Mesoamerican city is thought to have been established in 100 BC.
Museums are everywhere… Mexico City has more than 150 museums, second only to Paris. Museo Soumaya is stunning inside and out. Other world-class museums in the D.F. include Museo Nacional de Antropología and Museo Nacional de Arte.
There’s a park with a castle… Bosque de Chapultepec is the largest city park in the Western Hemisphere. It’s home to Castillo de Chapultepec, an 18th century castle that once hosted armies, presidents and emperors, as well as museums, a zoo, and an amusement park.
Murals on murals… “Los Tres Grandes” (the three great ones), painters Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siquieros, are the godfathers of Mexican muralism. Their politically charged post Mexican Revolution murals can be found all over the city on public buildings, in parks, and in museums.
Frida Khalo, obviously… One of Mexico City’s most beloved residents is artist and international feminist icon Frida Khalo. The famous blue house where she lived and died, La Casa Azul, is now a historic house and art museum in the borough of Coyoacan.
P.S. Because of its high elevation, the CDC declared Mexico City safe from Zika. Are you ready to visit Mexico City? Send me a direct message on Instagram for more tips. Charlise is a travel writer and former editor at ESSENCE.com. Follow her travel diary on Instagram at @chartastical.