Travel & Tourism

TRAVEL & TRANSPORT: 

Tourist Visa: You may require a Tourist Visa to visit Mexico.  Citizens from: Canada, Chile, Colombia, EU-Schengen, Japan, Peru, USA and UK do not currently require a visa. Please check with the Mexican Embassy in your own country to verify current visa requirements to visit Mexico.

International travel: Mexico’s Capital City airport (MEX) has direct flights by many airlines to/from many locations in Asia, Europe and North and South America. Airlines currently operating services to MEX are:-

Dates: The World Congress dates from Wednesday 6^th to Friday 8^th September allow opportunities for tourism before and after in Mexico City, which has many sights to interest visitors over an extended stay.  Mexico City Airport also offers direct links to many other South and North American tourism destinations. For a beach holiday, you could take a short flight to the resort of Cancun, located at the far Eastern point of Mexico on the Gulf coast, with nearby resorts of Playa del Carmen and Tulum.

City Transport: The city has excellent and inexpensive public transport with metro services to/from the UNAM Congress Venue to MEX international airport, and the city centre, as shown below. Taxis are also available at the airport.  

HISTORY & TOURISM: 

Brief History: Mexico City is built on the ruins of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan.  Legend tells that the leader of the nomadic Aztec people dreamt that the god of war commanded him to seek an Eagle sitting on a Cactus eating a snake, as the sign to cease their nomadic life and build a city.  He found this sign on a swamp island in a large lake. So, the Aztec people founded their city at this place, creating extended islands, linked by canals. Some canals still exist today providing a favourite tourist boat trip. Later the Spanish Conquistadors began building the metropolis that is Mexico City today – one of the largest cities in the world.  You can still see the Eagle sign on the Mexican flag..

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Tourism outline: The historical perspective outlined produced stunning architectural variety in this vibrant city of countless museums, restaurants and parks  with a fusion of city life and historic preservation.  Its historic central area was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1987. Structures and buildings span several era, from Aztec remains, to the first Spanish Cathedral (allegedly using Aztec temple stone), to neo-classical, Art Nouveau, and large squares with impressive civic buildings, to avenues bordered by skyscrapers, and ultramodern buildings and spaces.

Below, the Avenida Paseo de la Reforma with its many skyscrapers is overlooked by the  Ángel de la Independencia statue. Nearby the amazing Soumaya Museum houses one of largest private art collections in the World, and is free to visit. It includes the largest number of Rodin sculptures outside France.

The City has more than 150 museums covering art, history from the Aztec era, to the Conquistadors, to the present day.  Favourite places include the ancient city of Teotihuacan and Frida Kahlo’s museum. The National Anthropology Museum (https://www.mna.inah.gob.mx/) holds world class archaeological collections.  The National History Museum (https://mnh.inah.gob.mx/) in the ancient park of Chapultepec (below left) offers a unique perspective of Mexican history.  The Palace of Fine Arts https://palacio.inba.gob.mx/ (below right) offers a wide range of performance art.

The City in its wide valley surrounded by mountains also has many outdoor parks, canals with traditional boat trips, festivals, and varieties of food to enjoy.

Other famous tourist sites are nearby.  Trip Advisor notes 234 Sights.  Also see: www.visitmexico.com.

Restaurants: 1000’s of restaurants provide a wide variety of worldwide cuisines. Trip Advisor provides statistics: -

410 Seafood, 

200 Steak, 

476 Italian, 

285 Japanese,

2500 Mexican.

 

Please revisit this page for updated details.

 

Images: Courtesy of Pexels