Mexico City Holiday

Mexico City (Ciudad de Mexico) is a noisy, colourful, bustling metropolis that has a dizzying array of attractions for visitors.

The capital of Mexico and the nation's largest city, Mexico city is located in the Valley of Mexico in the high plateaus, or altiplano.

Situated in the centre of Mexico, the city is based on the ruins of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan, which was founded in 1325 and became the centre of the flourishing empire.

Mexico City is the third largest metropolis in the world after Tokyo and New York City and is surrounded by towering volcanoes. The exotic city is full of Latin passion, excitement and glamour, attracting hoards of people year round to its chaotic streets.

Mexico City itself was founded by Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes in 1521 following a lengthy siege and it was originally positioned in the centre of Lake Texcoco, which has since been drained. It became the capital of Nueva Espana, with streets and buildings constructed in Spanish designs using the local pale red volcanic rock.

The city suffered floods throughout its history and played a key role in the battle for Mexican independence in the early 1800s, with the country finally gaining autonomy in 1821. Mexico City grew rapidly during the 19th century, with railways and industries built and numerous public buildings springing up.

The city has witnessed meteoric growth during the 20th century and has suffered acutely from problems of poverty, overcrowding and pollution as a result. Recent attempts to tackle crime and corruption are starting to take effect.

Mexico City has hundreds of tourist attractions, museums, plazas, colonial buildings, galleries, archaeological sites and other places to visit.

Some of the sightseeing highlights of Mexico City include the vibrant murals dotted around the city, the imposing Basílica de Guadalupe, the impressive Centro Historico, or historic centre, with its colonial architecture and plazas, the Catedral Metropolitana, the Museo de Arte Moderno and the Museo Franz Mayer.

The Alameda Central park is an oasis of greenery in the centre of the metropolis, with food vendors, benches and fountains beneath the trees. The Bosque de Chapultepec is the city's largest park, with a zoo, museums, a lake, the current presidential residence and a former presidential palace.

Families will enjoy the festival periods, such as Semana Santa, the Day of the Dead, Christmas and New Year are busy, with events, processions, music and dancing in abundance.

Mexico City enjoys relatively warm weather year round and is at its hottest and most polluted in April. The city has a good transport network, with an extensive metro system, and large numbers of buses and taxis.

As befits a city of its immense size, Mexico City has scores of places to eat, with various cuisines, tastes and budgets catered for and numerous cheap and authentic places to sample spicy Mexican dishes. Similarly, accommodation ranges from basic hostels to five star luxury, with everything in between, though hotels in good areas in the city centre can be expensive.

Mexico City's entertainment and nightlife scene is excellent, with great bars, clubs and cantinas open till the small hours. Shoppers will delight in the myriad shops, stalls, malls and markets, stocking everything from designer goods to traditional handicrafts and jewellery.

Served by Mexico City International Airport, flights are available to Mexico City from the UK and Europe. Package deals are available to Mexico City, many of which include trips to other interesting places in Mexico.