Guided Cultural Journeys

Our visitors ask us for two types of cultural journeys:

There are those who have never been here, and want to see the main historical, cultural, architectural, artistic sites. We connect them with the best guide for their purposes -- some are more interested in colonial or modern architecture, others in prehispanic culture and belief systems ...

There are others who see the main sites on their own, and come to us to go "off the beaten track" -- or as we call it, "beyond the surface". In these cases, we walk around the city and take public transportation, with a focus on witnessing the most common aspects of life here. With the insights we provide, you don't just see (for example) a busy low-income neighborhood or street life and markets, you understand how it works, why it makes sense, why things are the way they are.

.Below are just a few ideas; we can develop others to match your interests. Some, like Centro Histórico, can take up to three days if you want to see everything on our list. Ask us for more details on the options that interest you.

It may have already occurred to you that the line between education and culture is rather arbitrary ... this means that some of the topics included here can easily be included in an Educational Journey.

• Centro Histórico: Murals of Palacio de Bellas Artes, Alameda Central, Murals of Palacio Nacional, Catedral, Templo Mayor ...
• Parque de Chapultepec - Museum of Modern Art, of Anthropology, of Mexican History (Castillo de Chapultepec), Rufino Tamayo Museum, paddle boats and lake, children's petting zoo, weekend favorite for low-income Mexican families and friends
• Prehispanic Mexico City - Teotihuacán (1 day), Templo Mayor, Tlatelolco, Cuicuilco, Metro Pino Suárez, the prehispanic legacy (literally) underneath principal Catholic sites like the Cathedral or the Basilica de Guadalupe.
• Mexican Catholicism: Basilica de Guadalupe, Día de Muertos, Semana Santa
• The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the largest public university in Latin America; a beautiful campus on volcanic rock, with massive stone and mosaic murals by Juan O'Gorman, Siquieros, Chavez Morado. Botanical Garden, Sculpture Garden ("Espacio Escultórico").
• Handicrafts: La Ciudadela, Bazar Sabado (San Angel).
• Xochimilco floating gardens, Dolores Olmedo Museum
• Coyoacán - Colonial-era resort for the Spanish, Frida Kahlo Museum, Trotsky Museum, Museum of Popular Culture, upper-class artsy-bohemian meeting place for musicians, artisans, intellectuals
• Martes de Arte en Tepito (Tuesdays only) - taking over a public plaza to offer a public service: music and dance, free art and handicrafts workshops in a low-income neighborhood.
• Bazar del Chopo - alternative/counterculture art and music street market (Saturdays only)
• Get to know daily aspects of different neighborhoods: markets, street markets, schools, residential areas.

Independent Cultural Journeys

This is a good option for those who like exploring on their own but want some good information on what to do. It is also the cheapest option. We help plan the day according to your interests, and meet with you prior to that day. At that time, we provide you with maps and precise directions of how to get to where you want. You can choose from the same list of topics as the guided cultural journeys, or make up your own itinerary.