© Getty ImagesTravel Guide: Mexican Grand PrixThe Mexican Grand Prix is one of the most colourful races of the season with a party atmosphere from the word go
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Mexico City is the oldest and most populated city in the entirety of North America. It is blessed with centuries of history, fanastic food, an amazing collection of architecture and so much more. Here’s what to do if you lucky enough to be heading to the Mexican Grand Prix…
ThingsToSeeAndDoWhilstInMexicoCity
As you’d expect from a city with a history dating back to 1325, there’s plenty to see and do. Let’s start by going all the way back to the 14th century and to the Temple Mayor (translated as Main Temple). The temple was at the heart of the ancient Aztec capital and built in 1325 on the marshes of Lake Texcoco. During the Spanish conquest in 1521 the temple was covered over and replaced with a cathedral. The site wasn’t excavated until the late 1970s when the original temple was discovered. You can walk through the temple today and then visit its museum.
If history isn’t your thing, the complete opposite is available: Lucha Libre, or Mexican wrestling. It is a cultural phenomenon in Mexico and is the biggest sport in the country, second only to football. Masked wrestlers battle it out night after night and with every bout there’s a good guy and bad guy to cheer for. There are two venues worth heading to for the wrestling, Arena Mexico and Arena Coliseo. You’ll be able to find a match on at least three nights of the week and a family show on Sundays.
Frida Kahlo, is one of Mexico’s most celebrated artists and she is instantly recognisable thanks to her collection of vibrant self-portraits. She is often considered one of the biggest promotors of Mexican culture. She lived in the city for most of her life in the Casa Azul (blue house), which has been a museum in her honour since 1958. The Casa Azul and its gardens display personal objects and paintings by Kahlo, folk art, Pre-Columbian sculpture, photos, documents, books, and furnishings that were part of her life.
Mexico City is also filled with stunning architecture, and one of the most beautiful buildings to see is the Gran Hotel Ciudad de Mexico, even if you’re not staying there, you have to go and see it. The building first opened in 1899 as a department store, and has been kept in stunning condition ever since. From the curved staircase – a replica of the on in Paris’ le Bon Marché – to the antique iron and concrete lift, everything is classically beautiful. But the highlight is the incredible Tiffany stained-glass ceiling, which was imported from France in 1908. Eagle-eyed James Bond fans might even recognise the hotel from Timothy Dalton’s Licence To Kill and Daniel Craig’s Spectre.
If you’re just looking for a few local souvenirs, or fancy taking home a whole new wardrobe, then you’re in luck in Mexico City.
La Lagunilla Market, is a loud and lively sprawling Sunday market where everyone from locals to tourists go to shop. You’ll be able to pick up everything from jewellery and furniture to vintage clothing and records. La Ciudadela is another market selling artisanal goods. Craftspeople come from all over the country to sell their handmade Mexican art, textiles, clothing and objects.
If you’re looking for brand names, head to the Avenida Presidente Masaryk, which is the city’s luxury shopping district. This long, chic street in the affluent Polanco neighbourhood is lined with designer stores, upmarket malls and top-end restaurants and hotels. If you get tired on the avenue, there are plenty of coffee shops to stop at and rest your feet.
Mexico City is also filled with more than 60 antique bookstores, so if you’re looking for a book that’s out of print, or a first edition of your favourite tome, you’ll find it in Mexico City. El Pendulo, a two-storey book shop with a winding staircase, is one of the best with a café and outside seating, perfect for reading, relaxing or just people watching.
After a day filled with culture and shopping, you’ll want to head out for some food – and maybe on to a club to dance the night away.
Street food is huge in Mexico City and if you’re struggling to choose somewhere to try, you can join Club Tango Hambre on a food tour that will show you the best road-side foods and offer a multi-stop tour of the lesser-known delights. Taqueria Orinoco is a retro-yet-trendy taqueria that serves delicious tacos over-the-counter.
Amaya is a fancy but relaxed restaurant that sells local wines with good food that is constantly evolving with the local tastes. Finding tacos in Mexico City isn’t a problem, but one restaurant that constantly comes up as a ‘must see’ is Los Cocuyos, a taco stand with cauldrons of bubbling meats and food ready to go. Each taco costs around $1, but the suadero taco (slow-cooked beef brisket) comes highly recommended.
If you fancy high-end traditional Mexican food then El Mirador de Chapultepec will be the one. With a 1950s feel, the food serves classic dishes such as hearts of palm salad, braised tongue, salt-baked fish, and surf-and-turf ceviche with shrimp and raw beef. Their signature dish however is the beef broth soup.
If the night is still young after your dinner, then there are clubs aplenty in Mexico City. Patrick Miller is a very popular venue where you’ll meet a varied clientele bopping away to dance music. Be warned, you’ll be sweaty after but it’ll be a night you’ll never forget. If you fancy something a bit more retro, the UTA Bar is all things 80s where you’ll hear hit after synth hit.
So there’s a few things to add to your list, but no matter what you do, or where you go, you’ll have a fantastic time!
