Mexico City extends outward from the centro roughly 10km to the north, 8km to the east, 20km to the south, and 10km to the west, though there is much debate about where the city actually begins and ends. Few tourists venture past La Basílica de Guadalupe to the north, the airport to the east, San Ángel and the UNAM to the south, or the Bosque de Chapultepec to the west; this roughly corresponds to the extent of Metro coverage. A rectangular series of routes (the Circuito Interior) and a system of thoroughfares (Ejes Viales) help make cross-city travel manageable. Of these, the Eje Central, commonly known as Lázaro Cárdenas, is the central north-south route. At a more local level, the city is difficult to know well; even locals don’t have it all down. What’s more, many different neighborhoods use the same street names. Still, it is only a matter of cardinal directions and good old-fashioned trial and error before you’ve mastered the basics of this megalopolis. The most important thing is to know the name of the colonia (neighborhood). Mexico City has over 350 such colonias; Col. Polanco, Zona Rosa, Col. Roma, and Col. Juárez are some of the most touristed. Disregard street numbers and orient yourself using nearby monuments, museums, glorietas (traffic circles), cathedrals, and skyscrapers. If you are brave enough to drive around the city, a good map of the outer routes is essential. The Guía Roji Ciudad de México (170 pesos) is a comprehensive street atlas perfect for those planning to stay in the city for some time.
Aside from the large thoroughfares—Insurgentes, Reforma, Chapultepec, and Miguel Alemán—the majority of traffic is routed through the Circuito Interior and via the system of ejes viales (axis roads) ...more
As huge as Mexico City is, most tourist areas lie within easy reach of the city center. Many attractions are on or just off Paseo de la Reforma, the broad concourse that runs southwest-northeast, or ...more
The Northern Districts. Approximately 3km north of the zócalo is the district of Tlatelolco, famous for its archaeological site and Plaza de las Tres Culturas. Metro: Tlatelolco, Line 3. Approximately ...more
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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