Cultural Excursion to Mexico City
The Globe-Trotters Collective
Located and developed on the site of former Aztec capital Tenochtitlan, Mexico City (a.k.a. Mexico D.F.) is one of Latin America’s most incredible cities in terms of art and modernist architecture. One only needs to walk around the esplanade of the UNAM university campus to appreciate the sophistication of Mexican architecture and experience one of the best expressions of an authentic Latin American modernist identity.
Our globe-trotting friend Laura González Fierro, a talented architect and designer from Mexico City, shared her favorite spots in her hometown with a focus on architecture, history and local flavors. Laura is the founder of +ADD, a studio dedicated to [Architecture + Design + Development]. She lived and practiced architecture in Mexico City, Paris and New York, and her practice is currently in NYC and Sao Paulo.
WHAT TO SEE AND VISIT
Note on Mexico City's Organization: Mexico City is divided into Delegaciones (Del.), which are "districts" within the city, and Colonias (Col.), which are "neighborhoods" within a delegación. For more info, check out El Defe's website, which has great maps of Mexico City by colonia and delegación!
Note on Museums: most museums are closed on Mondays...
The fountain @ Museo Nacional de Antropologia (photo credit: @mnantropologia)
Museo Nacional de Antropologia
A beautiful building designed by Architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez in 1964. The fountain at the entrance is very famous and the museum is fantastic!
Address: Av. Paseo de la Reforma y Calzada Gandhi S/N, Col. Chapultepec Polanco, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, 11560 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 4040 5300
Nearest Metro Station: Auditorio (Line 7) / Chapultepec (Line 1)
Museo Tamayo (photo credit: @eneltamayo)
Museo Tamayo
Located in Polanco, a very good museum of contemporary art, designed by Architects Teodoro González de León and Abraham Zabludovsky.
Address: Paseo de la Reforma 51 / esq. Gandhi, Col. Bosque de Chapultepec, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, 11580 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 4122 8200
Nearest Metro Station: Chapultepec (Line 1) / Auditorio (Line 7)
The terrace @ Casa Luis Berragan (photo credit: Museo Casa Luis Barragán)
Museo Casa Luis Barragán
Our very own Mexican Pritzker winner – Luis Barragán. This place is magical, very nice experience in D.F.
Note: Visits are by appointment only so make sure you book in advance! For more info, check out the Casa Barragán website.
Address: General Francisco Ramírez 12-14, Col. Ampliación Daniel Garza, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, 11840 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 5515 4908
Nearest Metro Station: Constituyentes (Line 7)
Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo (photo credit: Estudio Diego Rivera)
San Angel Neighborhood
If you go to San Angel Inn (see Restaurants section below for more info), take a walk through San Angel neighborhood, it’s very nice. It is also the neighborhood where the Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo is located. If you’re in the area, make sure you stop by!
Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo
The House-Studio of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo was designed by Mexican Painter and Architect Juan O'Gorman, who was a close friend of Diego Rivera. Built in 1931, it was one of the first buildings in Mexico City to combine organic Mexican Architecture with modern design ideals such as efficiency and functionality.
Address: Av. Altavista esq. Diego Rivera, Col. San Ángel Inn, Del. Álvaro Obregón, 01060 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 8647 5470
UNAM Library (photo credit: Visit Mexico)
UNAM
The National University, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (a.k.a UNAM), is a monument to Modern Architecture and its campus is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Make sure you see the Biblioteca Central, famous for its murals by Mexican Painter and Architect Juan O'Gorman. Also, in the cultural section you have the Espacio Escultórico de la UNAM, a very cool sculpture to visit.
Espacio Escultórico
Address: Mario de La Cueva, Col. Ciudad Universitaria, Del. Coyoacán, México, D.F. [MAP]
Bibilioteca Central
Address: Circuito Interior S/N, Col. Ciudad Universitaria, Del. Coyoacán, 04510 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 5622 1603
Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporáneo (photo credit: MUAC via CNN Mexico)
Casa Azul in Coyoacán (photo credit: Visit Mexico)
Coyoacán
Located in the south of the city in Colonia Coyoacán. The main plaza is beautiful and the Museo Frida Kahlo, the famous Casa Azul, is there.
Museo Frida Kahlo
Address: Londres 247, Col. Del Carmen, Del. Coyoacán, 04100 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 5554 5999
Zócalo a.k.a. Plaza de la Constitución (photo credit: Visit Mexico)
If you love books and have a thing for libraries (as we do), check out the following libraries!
Bookshop @ La Ciudadela - The City of Books (photo credit: Jaime Navarro via Dezeen)
La Ciudadela - The City of Books
In 2011, the National Council for Culture and the Arts, el Conaculta, launched the initiative to restore La Ciudadela as the “City of Books” and turn it into a cultural hub for Mexico DF housing a library as well as cultural programs and activities. Architects Bernardo Gómez-Pimienta and Alejandro Sánchez were selected to renovate the 18th century building with contemporary architecture and technologies. One of the renovated sections is a bookshop with hundreds of wooden boxes mounted to the walls and ceilings, and a glass floor giving the space a levitating effect. For more information on the renovation of this historic building, read this Dezeen article and the official Conaculta website (the latter is in Spanish only).
Address: Biblioteca de México, Plaza de la Ciudadela 4, Col. Centro, Del. Cuauhtémoc, 06040 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 4155 0830
Nearest Metro Station: Balderas (Lines 1 and 3)
Jaime García Terres Library designed by arquitectura 911sc (photo credit: Jaime Navarro)
Personal Libraries @ La Ciudadela
In addition to the renovation of La Ciudadela, el Conaculta organized a competition and commissioned 5 architects to design personal libraries for celebrated Mexican writers: José Luis Martínez, Antonio Castro Leal, Jaime García Terres, Alí Chumacero and Carlos Mosiváis. The intention was to design a dedicated library for each writer in order to house their private collections (donated to the state when they passed away). Some of the collections have up to 40,000 books! The result is beautiful and each library has its own defining character.
Address: Biblioteca de México, Plaza de la Ciudadela 4, Col. Centro, Del. Cuauhtémoc, 06040 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 4155 0830
Nearest Metro Station: Balderas (Lines 1 and 3)
The Biblioteca Vasconcelos was designed by Alberto Kalach, one of the best architects in Mexico at the moment. In this library, the bookshelves are hanging from the main slab, giving the impression they are suspended. In the middle of this beautiful space there is a sculpture by Gabriel Orozco called Mátrix Móvil (the skeleton of a whale with motifs in graphite).
Address: Eje 1 norte Mosqueta s/n esq. Aldama, Col. Buenavista, Del. Cuauhtémoc, 06350 México D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 9157 2800
Nearest Metro Station: Buenavista (Line B)
La Biblioteca Vasconcelos (photo credit: Tax Arquitectura via Design Boom)
WHERE TO STAY (in order of preference)
Rooftop Terrace @ Hotel Condesa DF (photo credit: Hotel Condesa)
Condesa DF
This hotel is really gorgeous and very well located. The terrace is really nice and the hotel is located in Condesa, which is a very boho neighborhood where many cool things are located.
Address: Av. Veracruz 102, Col. Condesa, Del. Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Mexico, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 5241 2600
Pool Terrace @ Downtown Mexico (photo credit: Downtown Mexico)
Downtown Mexico
This hotel is part of the same group but located in downtown (Centro), which is all colonial and absolutely gorgeous but it might be too intense for your first time in DF as El Centro Historico is crowded, dynamic, popular and intense in general. I LOVE el Centro but maybe you spend one morning or afternoon there rather than staying there. The good thing about this hotel is the building and great refurbishment in a modern style, great combination of old and new, plus it’s close to the Airport.
Address: Isabel la Católica 30, Col. Centro, Del. Cuauhtémoc, 06010 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: + 52 55 5130 6830
Terrace @ Hotel Habita (photo credit: Hotel Habita)
Hotel Habita
Same group but located in Polanco, which is a very nice area—more residential and upscale but less hip!
Address: Av. Presidente Masaryk 201, Col. Polanco, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, 11560 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 (55) 5282 3100
RESTAURANTS
Note: try to book restaurants in advance!
Contramar (photo credit: Contramar via Conde Nast Traveler)
Contramar
This is an iconic place you just can't miss!!! The ambiance is fabulous and the food excellent (order Tostadas de atun Contramar y Pescado a la talla), it’s where all the hip and creative people go to all the time. Mau the host is adorable! The idea is to go there at 3PM and leave at 6, 7, or 8! Fridays are amazing there. Located in Roma-Condesa.
Address: Durango 200, Col. Roma, Del. Cuauhtémoc, 06700 México D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 55 5514 3169
MeroToro (photo credit: Sabores de Mexico)
Rosetta Restaurante (photo credit: Rosetta)
Rosetta
Located in Colonia Roma (one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in DF; it’s very parisian or french in a way, old houses from 1900's and little plazas). This restaurant is delicious and beautiful, great pastas and bread - all made there.
Address: Colima 166, Col. Roma, Del. Cuauhtémoc, 06700 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 5533 7804
Panadería Rosetta
Fabulous place for breakfast! They have 2 locations (one of them is in Roma) and make really really good bread (same owner as Rosetta).
HAVRE
Havre 73, Col. Juárez, Del. Cuauhtémoc, 06600 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 5207 7065
ROMA
Colima 179, Col. Roma, Del. Cuauhtémoc, 06700 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 5207 2976
Panadería Rosetta (photo credit: Rosetta)
Belmondo (photo credit: Time Out Mexico)
San Angel Inn
This was an old Hacienda located outside of Mexico City long time ago. As the city grew it ended up within the city in one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the southern part of DF. I try to go every time I am in the city, I love the ambiance and it’s a classic! Try to seat at the terrace, otherwise inside is very nice too and the service is amazing. It’s all Mexican food and really good.
Address: Diego Rivera 50 y Altavista, Col. San Angel Inn, Del. Álvaro Obregón, 01060 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 5616 1402
San Angel Inn (photo credit: The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences)
Pujol (photo credit: Fiamma Piacentini for Pujol)
Pujol
This place is amazing. The owner is famous Mexican chef Enrique Olvera and it’s a fantastic experience. You will experience a high end modern Mexican cuisine that makes you travel through the subconscious of Mexico. A MUST!
Address: Petrarca 254, Col. Polanco, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, 11550 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 5545 3507
Quintonil (photo credit: Quintonil)
Maximo Bistrot
Another disciple of Enrique Olvera. This place is amazing and located in Colonia Roma.
Address: Tonalá 133, Col. Roma, Del. Cuauhtémoc, 06700 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 5264 4291
Maximo Bistrot Local (photo credit: Maximo Bistrot)
CANTINAS AND BARS
Covadonga Cantina (photo credit: Art Deco Mexico)
Covadonga Cantina El Escudo
Located in Roma-Condesa this is a very cool cantina in a very well located neighborhood. It has become very hip also to spend afternoons in cantinas!
Address: Calle Puebla 121, Col. Roma Norte, Del. Cuauhtémoc, 06700 México, D.F. [MAP]
T: +52 55 5533 2701
La Opera Cantina (photo credit: Ciudad de México Zona WiFi)
La Faena (photo credit: Time Out Mexico)
M.N. Roy Exterior Facade (photo credit: Dezeen)
M.N. Roy Interior by Emmanuel Picault and Ludwig Godefroy. (photo credit: Dezeen)
Globe-Trotting Contributors
Recommendations by Laura González Fierro, originally from Mexico City (Mexico), currently living and working between Sao Paulo (Brazil) and NYC (USA)
Illustrations by Rafael Fernández and web design by Marie-Adélaïde Mol, previously based in Singapore and currently living in Panama City (Panama)
