Things to Do in Central Mexico

The only palace on the continent, Chapultepec Castle sits more than 7,000 feet (2,133 meters) above sea level in Mexico City’s Chapultepec Park. It has housed royalty, served as a military academy, and was even an observatory. In 1996, the castle was transformed into Capulet Mansion for the movieWilliam Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

Built on Aztec temple ruins, no building better exemplifies the history of Mexico City than the Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana). The vast stone edifice blends architectural styles and building innovations across four centuries. Highlights include the gilded Altar of Forgiveness and the painted canvases lining the sacristy.

With fewer visitors than other butterfly reserves and handy proximity to Mexico City, the Piedra Herrada Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary is one of the best spots to admire the orange-and-black creatures. Hike or ride a horse through the forest to reach the butterflies, which coat the fir trees before bursting into flight and fluttering among the treetops.

The National Palace (Palacio Nacional) has served as the seat of the Mexican federal government since the age of the Aztecs. Although it’s a working building with many offices that are off limits to visitors, there’s still plenty to explore and admire, including Diego Rivera’s famous panoramic mural, The History of Mexico.

What remains of the Aztecs’ Great Temple (Templo Mayor) sits right in the middle of Mexico City, but many tourists miss it. In 1978, a massive, 8-ton (7,000-kilogram) stone depicting Coyolxauhqui (the Aztec goddess of the moon) was unearthed, marking the location of the temple, a gathering place sacred for the Aztecs during the 1300s and 1400s.

Architecture, art, and pre-Hispanic culture combine at the pyramid-shaped Anahuacalli Museum, conceptualized by Mexican artist Diego Rivera and Juan O’Gorman and built from black volcanic rock. Opened in 1964, this singular museum houses Rivera’s collection of about 2,000 pre-Hispanic artifacts, murals, mosaics, and more.

Chapultepec Park, named for the Aztec word chapoltepec (at the grasshopper’s hill), is one of the world's largest city parks. The green space spans 1,695 acres (686 hectares) and is dissected by walking paths connecting quiet ponds, monumental buildings, and museums, including the Museum of Anthropology and the Rufino Tamayo Museum.

Once the largest lucha libre venue in Mexico, Arena Mexico remains one of the most atmospheric places to attend a Mexican wrestling spectacular. Three nights a week, watch the goodies face off against the baddies during this sporting-slash-entertainment event unique to Mexico, cheer for your masked luchador of choice, and suspend disbelief as the wrestlers work through a series of acrobatic bouts at Arena Mexico.

One of the most enigmatic yet well-preserved archaeological ruins in the state of Veracruz, the UNESCO-recognized El Tajín is characterized by relief carvings, dozens of ball courts, and unique architectural features not found at other Mesoamerican sites. Highlights of this expansive complex include the 6-story Pyramid of the Niches, the Southern Ball Court, and the regular "Danza de los Voladores" performances.

Once the tallest building in Latin America, the Latin-American Tower (Torre Latinoamericana) was originally built in 1956 and remains a major landmark of downtown Mexico City as well as remarkably earthquake resistant. Here, visitors can marvel over panoramic views from the 44th floor observation deck, sip cocktails at the 41st floor bar, and stop by the two on-site museums.

Keeping guard over the Port of Veracruz since the 16th century, the imposing San Juan de Ulúa Fortress was once one of the most important strongholds of the Spanish Empire in the Americas. Now preserved as a national historic monument; the long-abandoned fortress stands testament to the city’s colonial past.

Founded in 1551, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) is one of the country’s largest, oldest, and most prestigious universities. However, it’s the UNESCO-recognized Mexico City campus—known as Ciudad Universitaria (University City)— which is of most interest. Visitors can freely explore the grounds, admire the murals, and drop by the on-campus art, history, and science museums.

Just north of Mexico City’s Chapultepec Park (Bosque de Chapultepec), the upscale district of Polanco is home to some of the country’s wealthiest families. In addition to high-end real estate, the city’s most luxurious hotels and priciest restaurants line the streets of the district’s five neighborhoods. At the center of it all is the welcoming green space of Parque Lincoln.

While best known for vanilla production, proximity to the El Tajín ruins, and views of the striking Sierra Papanteca mountains, Papantla is also an attractive pueblo mágico (magic town) with a rich indigenous culture. Here, learn about the Totonac people at the Takilhsukut Theme Park and catch a live "Danza de los Voladores" performance.