LIFE IN MEXICO
Mexico is a country made up of many colors and infinity of flavors and multiple places.
The dynamic spirit that plays with the new as well as the traditional has made, and keeps making of Mexico a destination of inexhaustible experiences.
INTERESTING NEIGHBORHOODS
MEXICO CITY
Old Tenochtitlán, the legendary capital of the Azteca Empire that fell to the Spaniards en 1521, is now a huge metropolis. From its ancient pre-Hispanic traditions, up to the most modern and cosmopolitan cultural endeavors, Mexico City’s entire history is on display. To walk the streets is to journey through an eclectic landscape of parks and museums, historic mansions, new skyscrapers, markets, shopping malls and a never-ending culinary experience that will stay with you for a lifetime.
The Condesa, a classic neighborhood became the SoHo of Mexico City. Lined by elegant Art Deco buildings and Porfirian houses, their streets are full of boutiques, galleries restaurants and bars.
This neighborhood is the meeting point for artists and Young people.
These neighborhoods started as provincial towns that were absorbed by the city. However, they retain the charm of the colonial era, with old churches and cobbled streets and some decorated stone mansions.
Saturdays in San Ángel are made for a visit to the bazaar of crafts in Plaza San Jacinto.
Declared a Heritage of Humanity Site by UNESCO in 1988, the Historic Center is the site that means the most to the Mexican people. People gather in the main square to celebrate their Independence, listen to a concert or join a political protest. Home to the ruins of the ancient city of Tenochtitlan, this used to be the capital of the Mexica Empire and was eventually lost to the Spaniards in 1521.
Walking the streets you will discover the architecture of the Vice Regal period as well as the modernity brought by the Porfiriato era. To visit this zone is to enjoy different architectural styles. From the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso to the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Palacio de Bellas Artes, to the Palacio Postal and the Torre Latinoamericana, you will find many of Mexico’s historical eras represented.
A burgeoning upscale suburb to the west that’s home to many corporate offices and a growing number of residents fleeing the congestion of the city center.
It’s the capital’s newest urban development, with a high concentration of business with first class hotels and fine restaurants; and it’s home to the city’s most complete shopping centres, Centro Santa Fe and Samara Shops.
Construction of the neighborhood began in 1920’s on land once belonging to the old Hacienda de los Morales. Polanco is today a major comercial district.
While Presidente Masaryk Avenue is Polanco’s undisputed shopping Street, Emilio Castelar Street has evolved into the epicenter of dining and nightlife. It bustles in the evenings, with revelers packed into or spilling out of trendy sidewalk restaurant-bars that face the Lincoln Park.
GUADALAJARA
The soul of Guadalajara can be found in its markets, mariachis, and fountains. With multiple colonial buildings and many squares, countless wonders captivate visitors, among them the magnificent Orozco mural ‘Hombre en Llamas’ at the Cabañas Cultural Institute, the agave fields, the region’s colorful arts and crafts, and its unexpectedly spicy cuisine. In Zapopan, you can visit the Museo de Arte Zapopan a small space dedicated to modern art and works by regional artists. The quaint Museo de Arte Huichol Wixárika lies along the Basilica, featuring the artistic creations of this indigenous culture.
MONTERREY
Monterrey, capital city of the state of Nuevo Leon and one of the most developed cities in Mexico, has been investing in both its economic as well as cultural growth. The city is bustling with business and activity, but is also home to museums and educational facilities, including a former steel plant that has been transformed into a recreational park. A visit to the city, famous for its Cerro de la Silla, wouldn’t be complete without getting to know San Pedro Garza García, the thriving and modern township of broad avenues and shops located within the metropolitan area.
MEXICAN DELIGHTS
The magic of Mexico lies in the markets, the kitchens, and the land itself, where the ingredients that make our celebrated culinary tradition possible, grow.
Declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010, Mexican cuisine would not be the same if not for the Spanish and their contribution to Mexican culinary history.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Mexico is a multicultural nation inhabited by 62 ethnic groups with 85 different spoken languages.
These remaining cultures remind us of
Mexico´s pre-hispanic history, while enriching its present with customs, traditions, festivals and wisdom.
MUSEUMS
Built in 1964. Among its permanent collection you will find works by Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Leonora Carrington.
It features 11 rooms with archaeology and ethnography collections.
Emblematic work of the architect Juan O´Gorman, who designed these two houses connected by a bridge, one for Diegoand one for Frida. The museum displays works of both artists as well as collection of their personal items.
Located in the former Palace of Communications built during the Porfiriato period exhibit a collect ion of 3,769 works of art from the 16 th to the 20 th century
Designed by the Mexican architect Fernando Romero, is a private museum in Mexico City. It is a non-profit cultural institution that has over 66,000 works from 30 centuries of art including sculptures from Pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica,
19th- and 20th-century Mexican art and an extensive repertoire of works by European old masters and masters of modern western art such as Auguste Rodin, Salvador Dalí, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo and Tintoretto.
Source: Travelers Guide to Mexico