The Centro Histórico
The Centro Histórico: the Zócalo, the Templo Mayor and Madero
Neighbourhood guide
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © ProtoplasmaKid · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout The Centro Histórico: the Zócalo, the Templo Mayor and Madero
The Centro Histórico is the old city on the island of Tenochtitlan: the Zócalo, the Catedral Metropolitana and the Palacio Nacional, the Templo Mayor, and the streets west to Bellas Artes and the Alameda. UNESCO inscribed it, with Xochimilco, as a World Heritage site in 1987.
Sights
The Zócalo and the cathedral, the Templo Mayor, the Palacio Nacional, San Ildefonso, the Palacio Postal, Bellas Artes, the Torre Latinoamericana and the Alameda.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Eneas De Troya from Mexico City, México · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia CommonsEating and drinking
Masala y Maíz (One MICHELIN Star), Taqueria Los Cocuyos (Bib Gourmand), Café de Tacuba, Sanborns de los Azulejos, El Moro, Bar La Ópera and the Salón Tenampa.
Come early, on foot, and end the day at Bar La Ópera.
Staying
The Gran Hotel de la Ciudad de México, Downtown Mexico and Círculo Mexicano.
Our advice: the Centro is at its best on a weekday morning; at night, take a taxi rather than walk long distances.
Why it's on our list
- Sights
- Eating and drinking
- Staying
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The Centro Histórico: the Zócalo, the Templo Mayor and Madero before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from The Centro Histórico: the Zócalo, the Templo Mayor and Madero are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 12 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest Metro stations
- AllendeLine 2600 m7 min walk
- Pino SuárezLine 1Line 2850 m11 min walk
- Isabel la CatólicaLine 1950 m12 min walk
Key sights
- The Templo Mayor200 mWalk 2 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 9 min
- The Zócalo200 mWalk 2 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 9 min
- Bellas Artes1.0 kmWalk 12 minCycle 5 minCar or taxi 12 min
- The Castillo de Chapultepec5.4 kmCycle 27 minCar or taxi 30 min
- The Museo Nacional de Antropología5.8 kmCycle 29 minCar or taxi 31 min
- The airport (AICM)6.1 kmCycle 31 minCar or taxi 33 min
- The Casa Azul9.2 kmCar or taxi 45 min
Train and coach terminals
- Buenavista station2.6 kmWalk 33 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 19 min
- TAPO (coaches east)6.3 kmCycle 32 minCar or taxi 33 min
- Observatorio (El Insurgente)8.2 kmCycle 41 minCar or taxi 41 min