Southwest Airlines is already preparing for spring break next year with new flights to Belize, Los Cabos, and San Juan.
21.07.2023 - 07:40 / roughguides.com / Diego Rivera
Home to more than 25 million people, Mexico City is one of the world's true megacities. First-time visitors cannot fail to be impressed by the city, occupying a shallow mountain bowl at over 2,400m above sea level. Life here is equal parts laid back, edgy and cosmopolitan. The city's sheer size can be overwhelming – so deciding to base yourself can prove crucial. Our guide will help you to decide where to stay in Mexico City.
This article is inspired by our Rough Guide to Mexico — your essential guide for travelling in Mexico.
The Centro Histórico or old town corresponds roughly to the old colonial capital. Centred like all the cities of Spanish America around the main square, the giant Zócalo, which was built on top of the former centre of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlán.
Extraordinary uncovered ruins – chief of which is the Templo Mayor – provide the Zócalo’s most compelling attraction, but there’s also a wealth of great colonial buildings, among them the huge cathedral and the Palacio Nacional with its striking Diego Rivera murals.
Find accommodations at any budget in Centro Historico, Mexico City.
Mexico City Zocalo © Shutterstock
Polanco offers the best of both worlds: it’s beautiful and achingly cool but it’s also one of the busiest districts and makes the perfect base for explorations further afield. This is where to stay in Mexico city if you want to find the city’s top restaurants (we recommend El Turix, regarded as one of the city’s best taquerias) and art galleries.
The Galería Lopez Quiroga is excellent, where you’ll find photos, sculptures and paintings by Mexico’s top artists. Polanco is also one of the city’s best shopping areas, albeit for those with cash to splash. Start with a visit to Antara, which has a great selection of designer labels as well as high street stores such as Sephora.
Looking for inspiration for your trip? Don't miss our guide to the best things to do in Mexico.
Where to stay in Mexico City? Try Las Alcobas hotel © Las Alcobas
A once-gritty neighbourhood, Colonia Juarez is hipster heaven, thanks to the growing number of chefs, artists and designers setting up shop here. The result? Some of Mexico City’s best restaurants, bars and boutiques – without the eye-watering price tags you’ll find in upscale neighbourhoods.
Here there is plenty of architectural eye candy. Seek out the wonderfully sleek minimalism of Milán 44 (a market-style grocery store which also offers yoga classes) or the neighbourhood’s historic cantinas, many of which date back to the 1920s. Colonia Juarez is also very accessible, just a few kilometres from the city centre and bordered by three main arteries: Avenida Chapultepec, Insurgentes and Paseo de la Reforma.
Ready to immerse yourself into Mexico
Southwest Airlines is already preparing for spring break next year with new flights to Belize, Los Cabos, and San Juan.
For years now, hipsters have created their own modern trends by drawing inspiration from things that are classically Mexican. Consider woven blankets, huarache sandals, and of course the national fruit of both Mexico and hipsterdom— avocados.
If you’re headed to one of the most popular destinations in the world for spring break—yes, it’s Mexico—then check out these cheap Mexico vacations before you book.
The recent attention focused on a 60 Minutes report covering Allegiant’s maintenance problems may have overshadowed another airline horror story: Sun Country canceled two return flights from Minneapolis-St Paul—one to Mazatlan, the other to Los Cabos—this weekend, leaving somewhere around 250 passengers with return reservations stranded in Mexico.
Choosing a destination can be a difficult decision when you’re looking to maximize your travel budget. By choosing a destination with a favorable exchange rate and strong U.S. dollar, you can make the most of every penny spent in 2019.
On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will completely block out the Sun. The eclipse will start over the South Pacific Ocean and then pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Although a partial solar eclipse will be visible from almost everywhere in North America, you’ll only be able to see totality in certain areas.
Seen from the outside, Red Jane, a new bakery in the center of Chania, a Greek port city on the island of Crete, looks like a Berlin nightclub, with no obvious sign and a concrete facade covered in graffiti. Inside, it might pass for a New York boutique: There are Italian tiles on the floor and an exposed-brick ceiling and on a long red marble counter, lit by minimalist pendant lamps, pastries are laid out like jewels in a glass vitrine. Owned by Nikos Tsepetis, the hotelier behind the nearby beach resort Ammos (a favorite of the art and design crowd), the space is the first fully realized interiors project overseen by the London-based lighting and furniture designer Michael Anastassiades. Eyal Schwartz, the former head baker and co-owner of London’s E5 Bakehouse, created the menu. On its opening day this month, Red Jane sold out of its chocolate-filled croissants, koulouri (Greek sesame-topped bagels) and baklava swirls by noon. Locals lingered for an hour after, despite the fact that Tsepetis and Anastassiades designed the space without tables.
One of the most celebrated painters in history and a feminist icon, Frida Kahlo has her own museum in Mexico City: the Frida Kahlo Museum, otherwise known as La Casa Azul (The Blue House). La Casa Azul is not just any building, it is the bright cobalt blue house where the artist was born, grew up, and spent most of her life until her death at age 47 in 1954. According to Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera’s wishes, a few years after her passing, La Casa Azul was transformed into a museum where her paintings, personal objects, furniture, folk art, clothing, etc. are displayed for the enjoyment of all those who are fascinated by Kahlo’s work and life.
Seville, the sun-drenched capital of Andalusia in southern Spain, is a city packed with cobbled alleys, terraza bars that spill into plazas filled with orange trees, and live flamenco. Known for its magnificent architecture, Seville is home to a stunning array of historical landmarks. The centerpiece is undoubtedly the Seville Cathedral, the world’s largest Gothic cathedral, standing in the heart of the city. Seville’s culinary scene is a delightful journey through hole-in-the-wall tapas bars. At local tavernas like El Rinconcillo, the city’s oldest bar, you can savor traditional tapas such as espinacas con garbanzos (spinach with chickpeas) or solomillo al whisky (pork in whisky sauce), paired perfectly with a glass of crisp, local sherry or vermouth. Choosing where to base yourself in the city is depends what style you’re into. The old centre is a tangle of narrow medieval streets, while the neighbourhood of Triana, one of the birthplaces of flamenco, has become the city’s hippest hangout. To help you out, here’s a selection of top-rated hotels famed for their level of service, design aesthetic, and location close to must-see attractions.
Panama City Beach has over 27 miles of white sandy beach. And while that’s undeniably one of the main draws for anyone looking to visit, even people who prefer to stay sand free won’t run out of things to do in town. You can get in touch with nature at Camp Helen State Park, take a deep sea fishing charter trip, stroll along Pier Park boardwalk, and, of course, enjoy lots of delicious seafood at marina restaurants.
Visitors flock to this Yucatán Peninsula hotspot for its beautiful beaches, the pulsating energy of Cancún’s nightlife, and the region’s rich history. But the allure of Cancún does not end there — it extends to its remarkable accommodations. From beachfront resorts with incredible sea views to award-winning boutique properties, Cancún hotels are more than just a place to crash after a night out. So, whether you’re dreaming of waking up to the sound of waves gently lapping against the shore, dining in world-class hotel restaurants, or unwinding in state-of-the-art spas, here’s the cream of the crop in Cancún.
Mexico is one of the world’s most biologically diverse countries. Whether you have your sights set on the grey whale migration of Baja, swinging spider monkeys of the rainforests, or adorable coatis on Cozumel island, there's a whole host of interesting animals in Mexico. Though you might not want to get too close to Mexico's national animal – the jaguar!