Mexico’s historical attractions ranging from the ancient ruins of the Olmecs, Maya, and Aztec, to the train routes used by the brash and legendary Pancho Villa – rank second only to the beaches of Cancun and Alcapulco are the main tourist magnets for the nation. The reason for this is simple: the tale of Mexico’s past, accompanied by an overwhelming amount of historical remnants beautifully preserved, is as romantic, dramatic, and complex as it can get.
The Plaza de la Constitución, or Zocalo:
This is the main square of Mexico City’s historic center. At 830 x 500 feet, it’s the second largest public square in the world (Moscow’s Red Square is bigger). The great expanse of paved space is decorated with a single huge Mexican flag in the center.
This is the heart of the city, the site of events, festivals and protests, and a good place to start your explorations.
Catedral Metropolitana (Metropolitan Cathedral):
The enormous cathedral on the North side of the Zocalo was built over a period of 250 years and has a mixture of architectural styles. Like many buildings in Mexico City’s historical center, it is slowly sinking into the ground.
An extensive engineering project was undertaken in the 1990s to rescue the building, not to stop it from sinking, but to ensure that the cathedral would sink uniformly.
Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe:
This is not only an impressive building but also the central religious shrine for every Catholic in Latin America. It is near Mexico City so you don’t have to navigate too much away from the city. If you are interested in politics, the house where Leon Trotsky lived during the last years of his life is also in Mexico City as is the Templo Mayor, which are the ruins of a temple that the Aztecs believed to be the center of the universe, will prove more than satisfying.
In Guadalajara there is the Jose Cuervo Distillary and the Plaza Tapatia where all of the tourist shops are located. In Oaxaca there are the Monte Alban ruins and if you have any chance to at all take the train ride through the Copper Canyon.
The hotels in and around the tourist spots are some of the finest in all of Mexico. Getting to Mexico for any tourist from any part of the world will never be a problem thanks to the many flights to Mexico from various parts of the world.