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Why?  Not only is it one of the world's biggest cities, but it is a hip, happening place to be, so it is not surprising that trendy travellers are choosing to holiday in Mexico City. A sprawling, untidy modern metropolis with ancient Aztec undertones, people are attracted to travel to Mexico City by its paradoxically chic, inexpensive restaurants, wild and varied nightlife, dozens of wonderful museums, and colourful craft markets.

When?  The climate of Mexico City is generally mild all year round. The best time to travel to Mexico City is during spring, the warmest months (April and May). Winter (December/January) can be rather cold and the city's smog is at its worst during this period. The rainy season runs from May to October, but if you choose to holiday in Mexico City during this period you will still have plenty of sunny days in between the downpours.

Who for?  Anyone who enjoys a fast-paced urban playground will find a holiday in Mexico City to their taste. Many travel to Mexico City to use it as a base for excursions to the nearby ancient city of Teotihuacán.

More info:  Mexico City is so vast and has so much to see and do that it is not possible to cover everything in a single holiday. Therefore, before you travel to Mexico City, plan your holiday carefully to take in as much as possible with the help of our detailed Mexico City travel guide. The guide not only lists attractions, events, excursions and basic information, but also explains how to get around on the public transport system.

Overview

Sprawling across a valley encircled by ice-capped volcanoes and mountains, atop an ancient Aztec civilisation, Mexico City is North America's highest city, and one of the worlds most densely populated. With a long and fascinating history that runs from ancient native civilisations through to the invasion of the Conquistadors and subsequent colonial rule, Mexico City has a vast number of fascinating sights and attractions.

In the city centre, constructed out of the stones of the ancient palaces and temples, is the vast open space of the Zocalo - Mexico's city square - said to be the second largest in the world after Moscow's Red Square. At La Merced you'll discover the city's largest and most vibrant market, with a vast array of bizarre and exciting stalls, while the huge expanse of the Bosque de Chapultepec park houses the National Museum of Anthropology, with a fascinating collection of pre-Hispanic artefacts. At Teotihuac visitors will discover one of the most impressive and mysterious archaeological sites in Mexico, constructed by an ancient, and long forgotten culture.

The sprawling capital is a place to both love and hate, with everything you'd anticipate in a large city. It has world-class museums and galleries, a remarkable architectural legacy and elegant buildings, palaces and cathedrals, green open spaces and colonial suburbs, historical ruins, attractive squares, modern skyscrapers and great economic, cultural and political importance. It also has poverty, overcrowding and slums, incredible pollution, traffic congestion, crime, unemployment, and a constant cacophony of people and noise. It is exhilarating, frenetic and fascinating, an unabated reserve of vibrancy and life.

Despite its problems and somewhat bewildering energy Mexico City is a magnet for Mexicans and tourists alike: a modern, cosmopolitan and ever growing city that is attractive in so many ways. Despite its renown for the appalling, throat-rasping levels of pollution, Mexico City's skies often remain remarkably clear, and it does make for incredible sunsets.