Mexico City
Centro Historico
El Zocalo - ThePlaza de la Constitucion, called the Zocalo, is the heart of the historical zone in Mexico City. If you happen to be in the Zocalo at sundown, watch the large Mexican flag being ceremonially lowered from flag pole.
Stop into the Baroque Catedral Metropolitana, the largest cathedral in Latin America. For a visual history of Mexico, take a look at the Diego Rivera murals in the Palacio Nacional. The murals vividly depict scenes from the glory of the Aztec empire, the conquering Spanish, to Pancho Villa, the Mexican revolutionary hero.Templo Mayor - A block away from the Zocalo is a "must see," the Templo Mayor, ruins of the Great Temple of the Aztecs. The Templo Mayor originally had two shrines at the top, one to Huitzilopochitli, the god of sun and war, and Tlaloc, the god of rain. At the base of the temple was found the Coyolxauhqui stone, a disc with the goddess Coyolxauhqui who was killed by Huitzilopochitli - her head turned into the moon.
The Museo del Templo Mayor has ten rooms full of artifacts from the ruins, including skull masks and stone "face blades" used in sacrifices.Museo de la Ciudad de Mexico - This museum of Mexico City covers the history of Mexico, from the pre-Hispanic, through the colonial era and 19th and 20th century. There are excellent models of Tenochitlan, reproductions of Aztec maps and books.
Alameda Central (Parque Alemeda Central) - The oldest park in the city, with a Parisian style and lots of fountains. Stop by the Palacio de Bellas Artes to find out the schedule of performances of the world famous Ballet Folklorico. (If tickets are unavailable, ask at your hotel for other venues around the city.)
Torre Latinoamericano (Latin American Tower) - To get the big picture of Mexico City, take a ride up the Torre Latinoamericano. The Torre was the first skyscraper built in Mexico City. From the observation deck or restaurant you'll have a spreading view of the city. There's an aquarium on the 38th floor. On a clear day you can see the Popocatepetl volcano in the distance.
