From dinosaur bones to volcanoes, Mexico is famous for its natural wonders, beauty and antique look and feel. Mexico is a large country with a variety of landscapes that make it a paradise for travelers and locals alike. Mexico is home to large industrialized cities, high class resorts, and ancient ruins. This blend of the old and new, intertwined with natural surroundings is what gives Mexico its charm. Some of the most visited tourist attractions in Mexico consist of the Frida Kahlo Museum, which is a museum that displays the life work of Frida Kahlo, who is a famous artist of the 20th century. Another is Zocalo, which is a plaza that is open to the public and which happens to be one of the largest in the world. Cancun a Mayan is an ecological park that is widely popular. And of course you wouldn’t want to miss the Billy the Kid Museum, or the Caelsbad Caverns, which are home to some of the largest caves in Mexico and in the world.

An interesting celebration that travelers would not want to miss if given the opportunity is Mexico’s Dia de Muertos, or Day of the Dead Festival. The Tarasco people that are of pre-Hispanic origin, believed that spirits of the dead only had the ability to return to their homes for one day of the year. If you happen to be in Mexico at this time, you may see yellow marigolds which are sometimes displayed in homes as a doorway from the underworld to the world of the living. This is done in order to help the spirits of the dead find their way.

In the past wrought with crime and pollution, Mexico City was to be avoided as a tourist destination. However, today, Mexico City is a full of lively neighborhoods, a variety of fine restaurants, and an emerging art scene. One of the better ways to get acquainted with the various neighborhoods of Mexico City is to venture out from Centro Historico, (a UNESCO world heritage site) which is home to a variety of the city’s more interesting museums and notable landmarks. The central focal point of the area is called Zocalo, this is a huge plaza that overlooks the main cathedral in the city, as well as other enormous and interesting government buildings. Also located in this area is the Palacio Nacional, which was once the site of a palace which was build centuries ago by the Aztec Emporer Montezuma II. Unfortunately the palace was destroyed by Cortes in 1521, who built a fortress on the grounds. This fortress was then destroyed in riots that occurred in 1692. It was again rebuilt some time later. The area is still sought after real estate as it is now the home to the offices of the president of Mexico, as well as the treasury, and a variety of murals by the famous Diego Rivera, which tell the story of the start of the Mexican civilization. The area is full of wonderful places for the traveler to experience. There are museums, old churches, and the Palacio Postal. Designed by Adam Boari, early in the 1900’s, amazingly the Palacio Postal is a functional post office to this day. With a marble interior and Italian architectural flare that stands out among others, this is a destination that is not to be missed. Not far from here stands another stunning work of architecture, the Casa de los Azulejos, or the House of Tiles. In the 16th century, this was the home to a nobleman. The courtyard which is adorned by a 1925, Jose Clemente mural, is now a popular restaurant and a great place to order up some coffee along with a dish of huevos rancheros.

If the bustle of the city is not for you, there are plenty of places to go to enjoy a day amongst natures finest. Chapultepec contains a zoo, and forest from days past, vast amounts of vegetation, outdoor eateries, and a variety of wonderful museums. If you like museums you will certainly want to visit the Museum Nacional de Antropologia. Designed by Pedro Ramirez Vasques in the 1950’s, it is an architectural wonder that features a lengthy courtyard with a large bronze column in the shape of a large umbrella that rises from its center with water that cascades down the curved exterior. It contains a a large collection of pre-Colombian works of art that originate from some of Mexico’s earlier native cultures. This is home to the famous Aztec Sun Stone, which is an Olmec head that weighs in at 20 tons. There is also an amazing replica of the King Pakal tomb which has been built to scale.

If shopping in small boutiques and visiting nice café’s, bars, and restaraunts that are geared toward the younger crowd, try a day trip to Condesa, or the nearby Roma.
This area is home to Mexico’s flourishing art community which can be experienced at the OMR gallery. Since the 1990’s, this gallery has been displaying works from the best local as well as international artists. The OMR gallery sits inside of an older house that was built in the 20th century, and that overlooks one of the nicer public squares in Roma. Roma is also known Mexico for its fine dining. For people watching, enjoying the quaint art-deco buildings, and great food, anyone traveling to Mexico should put aside a small allotment of time to spend in Roma.

For nightlife in Mexico, one can’t go wrong in Condesa. Condesa is the home to an active bar scene which is a great starting point for an adventurous night out. For a taste of the past check out La Opera which has a hole in its ceiling which is purportedly the work of the famous Pancho Villa, a revolutionary who arrived in the area in 1910.