Explore ancient wonders ofthe Aztec world with a city tour

Mexico City

Explore ancient wonders ofthe Aztec world with a city tour

As the most populated and one of the most polluted cities in the world, Mexico City is not an obvious tourist destination.

But it is a fascinating city and visitors who skip it en route to the country’s colonial towns or coastline are missing out.

Not only does the metropolis offer some great sightseeing and shopping, it also gives visitors an insight into the country’s chequered history.

The modern city is built on the ancient city of Tenochtitlán, the centre of the Aztec Empire.

While little is left of the metropolis that Hernán Cortés and his conquistadors des-troyed in 1521, the Square of the Three Cultures does have some restored Aztec buildings.

But to get a real idea of the architectural wonders of the Aztecs, Mayas and several other pre-Columbian cultures, the Anthropological Museum is a must, especially for those intending to visit the ancient Mayan cities in the Yucatan.

In the city’s huge main square, the zócalo, visitors can see the cathedral, the remains of an Aztec temple and the National Palace, the walls of which are decorated with murals by artist Diego Rivera.

In the city suburbs are the floating gardens of the ancient waterways at Xochimilco, where you can rent a punt for the afternoon, while the ancient city of Teotihuacan, boasting some of the best ruins in the world including the magnificent pyramids of the sun and the moon, is just 30 miles away.

The zócalo: the world’s second largest square

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Mundi Color can arrange a five-night stay in Mexico City with tours from £867 per person, including flights, room only accommodation and transfers. The operator recommends you combine Mexico City with other parts of the country.

Journey Latin America can tailor-make a 7-night holiday based in Mexico City, from £829 per person, on a room-only basis. The tour also includes a day excursion to Cuernavaca, a traditional retreat for Mexico’s rich and famous, where fabulous residences have been converted into galleries and museums, and the silver mining town of Taxco. Puebla and Cholula are also visited on a separate day trip.

Distant Dreams has extended its Mexico programme to feature Mexico City in a seven-night tour which begins in the capital and ends in Cancun, visiting Merida in the Yucatan en route. The week-long Aztec Adventure costs from £1,159 per person but can be extended with a 5-night stay in Acapulco or with all-Inclusive packages in Cancun.