9 Best Sights in Mexico City, Mexico

These infectiously festive plazas function as Coyoacán's zócalo and are barely separated from each other by a narrow, slow-moving street. The Jardín, with its shading trees, an oft-photographed fountain with two snarling coyotes, and a fringe of lively patio bars and restaurants (of varying culinary repute), is the more commercial—but also arguably the prettier—of the two.

The larger Plaza Hidalgo hosts children's fairs, musical and dance performances, clowns, bubble blowers, and cotton candy and balloon sellers, especially on weekends and holidays. It's anchored by an ornate old bandstand and the impressive Parroquia de San Juan Bautista, one of the first churches to be built in New Spain. Each afternoon of September 15, before the crowds become suffocating at nightfall, these delightful plazas are perhaps the best place in the capital to enjoy Independence Day celebrations. More recently, they've become the city's must-go for Día de Muertos in early November, with throngs of people of all ages cavorting about in costume and face paint. Both plazas are filled with landscaped courtyards, public art installations, and dozens of park benches, and they're a memorable destination for people-watching. You'll see passersby of all ages and backgrounds, from multigenerational families and young couples of all sexual orientations cuddling, kissing, and holding hands, to tourists from all over the world, and locals walking their dogs (who are often gussied up in sweaters and bows).

Condesa's other green lung, the 22-acre Parque México lies just southeast of its slightly smaller and slightly older sister, Parque España. Among its many enchanting features, you'll find a gracious duck pond, a large children's playground, fountains, a strikingly ornate art deco iron clocktower, and dozens of footpaths passing by emerald gardens, topiary shrubs, and towering specimen trees. The park was constructed in 1927 on the site of a former racetrack, which explains the circular road, Avenida México, looping its perimeter and the name of the colonia in which its officially located, Hipódromo (hippodrome) Condesa. The park is lined with handsome buildings, including some of the best examples of art deco in the city. Dozens of cafés, taquerias, and healthy markets are within a couple of blocks of the park, making it a great spot to enjoy a casual bite to eat.

This picturesque plaza lined with palatial 18th- and 19th-century homes as well as a number of galleries, boutiques, and restaurants constitutes the heart of San Ángel. On the north side of the plaza, the excellent arts-and-crafts market Bazaar Sábado is held all day Saturday, and just west up Calle Benito Juarez there's an additional covered market on weekends where you can find cheaper knickknacks and goods. Continue a block down the hill along shop-lined Calle Madero to reach Plaza del Carmen, a smaller park with pathways and benches where still more artists sell their works on Saturday. A memorial plaque on Plaza San Jacinto's west side lists the names of about 50 Irish soldiers from St. Patrick's Battalion who helped Mexico during the "unjust North American invasion" of 1847. These men had been enticed to desert the ranks of U.S. General Zachary Taylor by appeals to the historic and religious ties between Spain and Ireland, siding with the Mexicans in the Mexican-American War. Following their capture by U.S. forces, all were hanged (16 of them on Plaza San Jacinto).

Roma's main east–west boulevard is wide and tree-lined, with a central promenade that's studded with sculptures and fountains. With dozens of restaurants, bars, cafés, and shops lining either side, Álvaro Obregón is an ideal place to stroll and take in occasional cultural exhibitions and events like classic car shows and public art displays.

The Cultural Center of Spain is an art space, restaurant, and bar in the heart of the neighborhood, just steps away from the Cathedral and the Templo Mayor and with beautiful views of both from its open-air rooftop. It was built in an area that Hernán Cortés himself assigned to his butler, Diego de Soto, though the land changed hands many times and the current building was constructed in the 18th century, well after the years of Cortés. Temporary exhibits housed in the seven exhibition rooms often highlight young artists and showcase current artistic trends. While the exhibitions are worth a look, there are also conferences and workshops held on a nearly daily basis for anyone interested in art and culture. The rooftop bar, which hosts frequent live music events, is one of the neighborhood's better-kept secrets, with a balcony opening directly onto the Cathedral's magnificent dome and buttresses: easily one of the area's best views. Check out the center's website for listings.

Built between 1779 and 1785, this baroque palace—note the imposing door and its carved-stone trimmings—was originally a residence for the Counts of Moncada and the Marquises of Jaral de Berrio, a title created only five years earlier. The palace takes its name from Agustín de Iturbide, who stayed here for a short time in 1822. One of the military heroes of the independence movement, the misguided Iturbide proclaimed himself emperor of Mexico once the country finally achieved freedom from Spain. He was staying in the palace when he became emperor, a position he held for less than a year before being driven into exile. In the two centuries since, the house has been a school, a café, and a hotel. In 1964, the Palacio Iturbide became the property of Banamex, which oversaw its restoration and eventually reopened the space in 2004 as a cultural center, showing major exhibitions in the grand central atrium.

The Plaza Loreto branch of the famed art museum in Polanco contains several huge exhibition rooms set inside the upper level of a colonial-era warehouse building that now houses shops and restaurants. It's a bit south of the heart of San Ángel, and not necessarily worth a trip all on its own, but the rotating exhibits can sometimes be quite interesting, and admission is free.

Mexico City's main post office building, designed by Italian architect Adamo Boari and Mexican engineer Gonzalo Garita, is a fine example of Renaissance Revival architecture. Constructed of cream-color sandstone from Teayo, Puebla, and Carrara, Italy, it epitomizes the grand Eurocentric architecture common in Mexico during the Porfiriato—the long dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz (1876–1911). For many, it's one of Mexico's most splendid buildings. Though the Palacio's on-site museum is currently closed for renovations, tours in Spanish are available at 6 pm on the last Wednesday of every month. Tours in English can be arranged over the phone with two days advance notice.