Where to stay

For an excellent perspective of European and Mexican art, book a hotel in Polanco and visit the amazing collections in the Soumaya Museum. See the National Museum of Anthropology here too. Coyoacan is a great place to stay to explore museums with subjects ranging from Leon Trotsky to Frida Kahlo. A hotel in the La Condesa neighborhood is convenient for visiting the Jewish Historical and Holocaust Museum. For an interesting perspective on Mexican Catholicism, book accommodations in Lindavista and join thousands of pilgrims visiting the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe each day. Stay in San Rafael, where multiple theaters offer a range of evening entertainment. Enjoy lucha libre, professional wrestlers competing while wearing colorful masks, at the Arena Mexico in the Doctores neighborhood.

One of the best things about dining in Mexico City is that the Mexican food is authentic, with fresh produce, spices, mole and just the right amount of heat to match any appetite. Condesa is a great place to book accommodations to enjoy street food while exploring the Parque México and Parque España. Try chilaquiles, churros and Mexican chocolate. Stay for the nightlife on its winding streets. Book a hotel in the small neighborhood of Zona Rosa in Juarez, perfect for finding coffee shops and restaurants while touring the sites along Paseo de la Reforma. Polanco is a popular spot for visitors, as it has high-end hotels and upscale Mexican restaurants as well as American chains.

For an excellent start to a tour of Mexico City's past, begin with the architecture in the Historic Center. Book a hotel near the Zócalo, the main plaza of the city, which is surrounded by important buildings: the National Cultural Museum, the Palacio Nacional, the Catedral Metropolitana, Templo Mayor and a museum of beautifully crafted blue tiles. Stay in the Polanco neighborhood to tour the Castillo de Chapultepec, the site of a patriotic battle during the Mexican-American War. Hotels in Colonia Roma are convenient for strolling past colonial homes restored after a 1985 earthquake that devastated the city.

Perhaps surprisingly, the middle of one of the world's largest cities has some very appealing outdoor activities. Stay in Polanco to visit the very large Bosque de Chapultepec, which contains a zoo, children's park, several museums and extensive forested land just off major commercial areas. Hotels in the Historic Centro neighborhood are near Alameda Central, a large park filled with statues, fountains and shady paths. Book accommodations near Paseo de la Reforma, a large boulevard passing through Cuauhtemoc. On Sunday this street is closed to automobile traffic, allowing leisurely wandering to admire the Angel of Independence and other statues and monuments.