Best things to do in Mexico City
Find out more about those top places in Mexico City
Welcome to Mexico City, the capital and most important city of Mexico. Regarded as the cultural and financial center of the nation, it is the most populous city in Northern America with over 8.5 million people.
It is one of the major players when it comes to tourism in North America, which comes as no surprise due to the sheer amount of intriguing and amazing sites it has to offer – from ancient ruins to skyscrapers, incredible museums and beautiful neighborhoods.
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La Isla de las Munecas
Often described as one of the world’s creepiest places, the La Isla de las Munecas or the Island of Dolls is not a place for the fainthearted. Located on in the Xochimilco Borough 17 miles (27.36 kilometers) south of the center of Mexico City, the island is filled with hundreds of hanging dolls of different shapes and sizes. The dolls were said to be the handwork of Don Julian Santana who left the city to the island - according to him the dolls were to honor a young girl who died on the Teshuilo lake on the island.
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Biblioteca Vasconcelos
If you have pictured libraries to be boring or not worth the time, you are certainly going to have a change of heart after see the Biblioteca Vasconcelos – the biggest library in Mexico. Dedicated to Jose Vasconcelos, it was inaugurated on 16 May 2006 by then President of Mexico Vincente Fox - covering over 38,000 square meters, the library is surrounded by lush gardens and several sculptures. The interior is also quite impressive with its transparent walls and stacks of books.
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Soumaya Museum
One of Mexico City most visited sites is the Somaya Museum – a private museum donated and constructed by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helu. It has an impressive collection of over 66,000 works from pre-hispanic Mesoamerica to current times, most of which are works from Central America and Europe. Some of its most seen collections include Madonna of the Yarnwinder and several sculptures from Rodin and Salvador Dali. Admission into the museum is free and it is opened every day except on Tuesdays.
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Chapultepec Castle
Located on top of the Chapultepec Hill, the castle is recognized as the only one in North America to ever house actual sovereigns. Fully built in 1863, the building was designed and constructed by some of the nation’s best hands and it has a Neoclassical style. The building has been used for different functions over the years including a military academy, observatory and presidential resident – currently it houses the National Museum of History.
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Mercado de Sonara
At first glance the market which is found at the southeast of the historic center, seems like a regular market found in several major cities – but unlike most markets the Mercado de Sonara has a special side to it. The market is known as the largest esoteric market in Mexico, with several of its vendors divulging in traditional medicine and items related to magic and the occult. The best time to visit the Mercado de Sonara is on the “Day of the dead”, one of Mexico’s most popular festivals.
