Top Places to Visit in Mexico City

Unfortunately, Mexico City has gotten a bum rap about crime and unhealthy drinking water. Both are overplayed, and there is so much to see in this fabulous city. Here are just a few of the wonderful things to do.

• Our Lady of Guadalupe
• Chapultepec Castle
• Chapultepec Zoo
• Pyramids of the Sun and Moon
• Franz Mayer Museum

1. December 9, 1531, a peasant Juan Diego, saw a vision of a young woman, surrounded by a halo. He quickly recognized her as the Virgin Mary, who asked him in his native tongue to build a church in her honor. Diego went to the Archbishop Juan de Zumarraga, who told him to go back to the area and ask the virgin to perform a miracle to prove that it was actually her. The first miracle was the healing of his uncle. Second, she told him to go to the top of the hill and pick flowers. In December, there are no flowers growing on this usually barren hill. He found Castilian Roses, not native to Mexico and the virgin arranged them and placed them in his cloak. When he opened his cloak before the Arch Bishop, the flowers fell out and in their place in the cloak was an image of the virgin. The beautiful icon is displayed in the Basilica of the Lady of Guadalupe.


2. Chapultepec Castle is built on Chapultepec Hill at a height of 7,628 feet. It is one of only two in the Americas. It was built in 1775 by Viceroy Bernardo de Galvez. Today it houses a beautiful museum telling the story of Mexico's history and is open Tuesday to Sunday.


3. The Chapultepec Zoo houses a collection of over 2,000 animals from over 200 species. The zoo is enormous, so allow plenty of time. There is a McDonalds and a Domino's Pizza, so it is easy to spend the day here, especially if you have children. A lovely gift shop provides memorabilia of your visit.


4. The Pyramids of the Sun and Moon date back as early as 200 A.D. and is one of the largest pyramids ever built in the Americas.


5. The Franz Mayer museum contains over 9,500 pieces of art, 1,400 pieces of ceramic and 10,000 books. The museum is one of the few places in the world where Mexican and European pieces of art are exhibited together. Some of the European art dates back to the 14th century.


6. The Caricature Museum is one of the most notable museums in Mexico, if not the world. It contains hundreds of cartoons and caricatures of public figures as well and the general public. A fun place to visit and one you will enjoy.

Mexico City is an exciting city, and it is impossible to list all of the wonderful things to do here. A week is not even enough.

I have over 20 published books on Amazon.com. I am a travel professional and do travel consulting for groups. Website is http://www.eo.travelwithus.com. My personal website is: http://www.joetwhite.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_T._White