Mexico City/Centro

The old city center or Centro Histórico of Mexico City, around the Plaza de la Constitución, is an area clearly different from the rest of the city. Its colonial and European architecture and narrow cobblestone streets set it apart from the rest of Mexico City. It has an enormous number of stores, street vendors, and especially crowds. Without a doubt, this area is one of the most popular areas in Mexico City.

Understand
The Centro Histórico, the original foundation of Mexico City, was built on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec empire capital established in 1325 and destroyed by the Spanish in 1521. It contains a lot of old buildings that date back to the 16th century. Due to its importance, it was designated as a in 1987. The designated historic area comprises more than 9,000 buildings, almost a quarter of which are historically significant structures. While many of the buildings are from the colonial era, many others were significant during the Mexican War of Independence, the Post-Independence era, or even opulent art deco buildings from the time of the Mexican Revolution.

Organ grinders
The streets of the Centro Historico often resound with the nostalgic sound of organ grinder, cranking away on their historic instruments that have typically been handed down through generations of grinders. The tradition began more than 130 years ago, during the Porfiriato era. According to local lore, Porfirio Diaz wanted Mexico to emulate European traditions, one of which was the sound of street music in Berlin coming from a seemingly endless number of organ grinders. The organ grinders adopted to the khaki uniform style of Diaz's soldiers and the people of Mexico enjoyed the sounds of the small organs as they strolled downtown streets.

Organ grinders are considered part of the city's intangible culture. Although they can be found in cities across Mexico, it's in the capital where most still ply their trade, particularly in Centro Historico. The tradition is slowly dying though. Fewer organ grinders walk the streets than they once did. Youngsters rarely want to follow in their fathers' footsteps and new organs are almost unheard of since most of the instruments were manufactured in Germany, which hasn't exported the organs since World War II. If you hear the quaint sound of a street organ, understand that you are hearing a tradition with more than 130 years behind it. If you appreciate it, throw a few pesos in the hat of the organ grinder. He's working for tips!

Aztec dancers
Traditional Aztec dancers are a fixture in the Centro Historico, especially in the Zocalo between the Catedral Metropolitano and the Templo Mayor. The dancers are called concheros, and while their dances are not necessarily based on oral tradition passed down through the local indigenous community, they take their dancing seriously and try their best to learn as much as they can about instruments, music, costumes, dances, and astronomical and religious events that mattered to the Aztecs, so that what you see and hear is as close to an authentic Aztec cultural experience as most tourists are likely to experience. Watch, appreciate, and tip the performers!

By Metro
This is probably the best way to reach the Centro Histórico, however, all the stations in the area are consistently crowded, so be prepared and alert for pickpockets.

There are various Metro lines that connect the Centro Histórico with the rest of the city.
 * Line 1 (pink):, and  stations.
 * Line 2 (blue): Pino Suarez, (your best choice for direct access),, ,  and  stations.
 * Line 3 (light green): Hidalgo, and  stations.
 * Line 8 (dark green):, Bellas Artes, and Salto del Agua stations.

By Turibus
The hop-in hop-off double-decker bus makes a stop just north of the Zócalo in Monte de Piedad street in the west side of the cathedral. The one-day pass costs M$140 (M$160 for English version of the excursion – do not forget to ask for your headphone!)

By Metrobús
Line 4 (orange) of the Metrobús system has two branches that ride through the Centro Histórico. Both branches run from the (Buenavista train station) to the  (San Lazáro station) adjacent to the East Bus Terminal (TAPO). In both branches there are a few specially-marked buses that continue beyond San Lazáro to Mexico City's airport, serving both terminals. Buses going to or coming from the airport charge M$30 instead of the regular Metrobús fare (M$6), and you must have a travel card which can be purchased in 7-Elevens and in machines if you can find them (the one at the airport are near the exits).

By train
Commuter trains from communities in Estado de Mexico provide fast transport to the heart of the city. The Tren Suburbano routes end at Estacion Buenavista, which is also the terminus of Metro Line B and a major Metrobus stop with buses traveling along Av. Insurgentes.

By trolley bus
The Trolley Bus rides along Eje Central Avenue. Ask the driver to drop you off at Madero street.

By car
This is the least recommended way to get around Centro Histórico since the streets are always jammed with hundreds of cars especially during weekdays. Many downtown streets are closed to vehicles on Sunday when bicycling is encouraged (free loaner bikes on Paseo de la Reforma). Most streets are one-way only and many are permanently closed to car traffic. If you dare to enter the area by car, you can do so from the west through Reforma and turning right at Avenida Juárez, or if you're coming from the south, you can reach the Centro Historico through Calzada de Tlalpan which later becomes Avenida 20 de Noviembre.

There are several parking lots in the area (valet service) that charge M$14 an hour. A non-valet but expensive is available at Bellas Artes.

On foot
The best way to get around the Centro Histórico is definitely by foot. All tourist attractions are within walking distance. Because of traffic and the distance between metro stops, walking is generally the fastest way to explore the area.

By tourist trolley
This trolley (in Spanish Tranvia Turístico) departs from Avenida Juarez 66, between the Alameda and the Palacio de Bellas Artes. The ride lasts 45 minutes around many interesting spots in the area. Operating hours daily 10:00-17:00.

By pedicab
There are a few pedicabs that can carry you within the Centro Histórico.

Museums
Mexico City prides itself in having the largest number of museums in the world, and most of these museums are in Centro Historico. Highly recommended are the Museo Nacional de Arte, Museo del Templo Mayor and Museo Franz Mayer. Remember most museums are closed on Mondays.

Other attractions

 * The main attraction for visitors is the building's collection of large murals on the 2nd and 3rd floors, by David Siqueiros, Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, and Juan O'Gorman. Of these, highlights include Siqueiros' masterpiece Nueva democracia and Rivera's El hombre contralor del Universo, a reproduction of the original commissioned and destroyed by Nelson Rockefeller in New York.
 * Ballet Folklorico de Amalia Hernandez is a renowned dance theatre show that performs regularly in the Palacio de Bellas Artes when the show is not touring internationally. The theatre is a stunning art deco venue with a stained glass curtain created by Dr. Atl. Show times and tickets are available on TicketMaster.
 * Ballet Folklorico de Amalia Hernandez is a renowned dance theatre show that performs regularly in the Palacio de Bellas Artes when the show is not touring internationally. The theatre is a stunning art deco venue with a stained glass curtain created by Dr. Atl. Show times and tickets are available on TicketMaster.

Bicycling
Bicycle your way through the city center on Sunday morning. Paseo de la Reforma is closed to vehicle traffic and so are a lot of other downtown streets. The Mexico City government makes it easy to join in the fun. Go to Glorieta de las Palmas on Paseo Reforma and look for the big tents. There you'll find bikes you can borrow for up to 2 hours --- no charge --- just show your ID and fill out a form. Bikes are available starting at 8am and must be returned by 2pm.

Buy
Until the 1950s the Centro Histórico was the main shopping district of the city. Many of the prestigious department stores of the country such as Liverpool and El Palacio de Hierro opened their first stores here. Today, the area is still one of the busiest shopping areas of the city. The area has several streets dedicated to a particular kind of shopping, something inherited from the Spanish. Shopping in the Centro is a real back-in-time experience as many of the spaces where the stores are located are truly historic.

Shopping malls
There are a few shopping malls in and around the Centro Histórico.



Street food
There are many places of street food in the center.



Drink
The Centro Histórico is the best place to partake in traditional cantina fare, including drinks where light meals and appetizers, called botanas, are served alongside for free. There are cantinas everywhere in the neighborhood, all with interesting historical significance, live music, and interesting business types from the area. They are typically a male hangout, but women are accepted and safe, just be prepared to get some special attention if you show up. For nonalcoholic refreshments, juguerias selling twenty kinds of smoothies from M$25 are found on nearly every block during the day. For a genuine Mexican experience, visit a pulqueria and try a traditional regional drink made from fermented agave --- only in Mexico!





Budget
There are several low-priced decent hotels with hot water and private bathroom for around M$320 (April 2022).

Stay safe
Overall, walking in the Centro Historico is safe, but its an area where you need to keep your eyes open, and be aware of your surroundings. The shopping streets and old department stores are fun, but be aware that shops close down noticeably earlier than in other places, and the streets begin to become quiet by 21:00 most nights. The Centro becomes ritzier going west toward the Zona Rosa, and grittier going east toward the Merced and Sonora markets. A conservative suggestion would be to avoid the areas east of the Zócalo after dark and avoid the Tepito neighborhood at all times (locals go there for cheap bootleg goods, but foreigners are more likely to have their pockets picked than to get a bargain). Plaza Garibaldi has been a sketchy place, but since 2020 the city has stepped up police presence there and has been cleaning up the plaza after several years of declining tourist traffic. There's still plenty of mariachis there and plenty of tequila and tacos, but its another area where you might want to visit during daylight hours, stick to places with lots of people, and avoid excessive drinking.

Connect
Cell phone services in Mexico City are excellent. 5G coverage is the norm as of 2023, particularly with Telcel, and dark spots with no coverage are virtually unheard of in Centro Historico. Free Wifi is available at most hotels, restaurants and other tourist spots. The city government provides free Wifi service to everyone in public parks and plazas, including the Alameda in Centro Historico.