Why Mexico City is the Paris of the Americas

“Mexico City is the center of art and culture and politics and has been and continues to be for Latin America in a way that I think really called to me as an artistic person, as someone that was interested in the politics of Latin America, you know. God, every single famous person in Latin American history and art and politics seems to have found their way to Mexico City.”
­– Junot Diaz

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How does one define a magnificent city?

By its architecture? The caliber of its cuisine? The number of times its mentioned in literature and history? Is it in the distinct way people dress? The way they carry themselves down the street, what they order at a café, or how they saunter through the grocery? Or is it defined by its numbers—by the population size, the economy, the value of its dollar?

Perhaps it’s simply a feeling — a sensation of wonder — that overcomes you while crossing a tree-lined avenue. Perhaps it’s the way a flock of birds flies past the turret of a distant cathedral. The click of new high-heeled shoes on ancient stone. The smells of century-old recipes. Ever-changing political theories. Perhaps it’s a compilation of many things, of beauty and pain and humanity. A magnificent city, in this sense, is a society that exhibits the art of living.

For many, Paris is the first example that comes to mind. With its assortment of galleries, restaurants, and photogenic street corners, Paris has long been a cultural illustration for artists, thinkers, and romantic travelers alike. Mexico City, with its own take on magnificence, is the Paris of the Americas. Here, grounded in Aztec origins and painted Spanish by the colonial era, Mexico City offers an enlightened cultural experience for both its residents and tourists from around the globe.

La mejor manera de conocer la Ciudad de México es por bici.

And it’s quite easy to do. The city expertly offers bike rentals – the largest public bike system in Latin America – available for pick-up and drop-off every few blocks. Zip down tree-lined bike paths that separate the sides of the street. Whether you have a destination or not, enjoy biking across historic plazas, through city parks, past statues, cafebrerías, shops – the list goes on. As you do, the city will come to life.

Stop in at a cafebrería to read a chapter over coffee. The city is full of these unique bookstore-cafés, where the literary landscape meets coffee culture. El Pendulo – perhaps the most popular of local cafebrería chains – has distinct locations in Condesa, Polanco, Roma, and Zona Rosa, with smaller mall storefronts in Santa Fe and Perisur. El Péndulo’s chill and sophisticated atmosphere is a great way to spend an hour. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases feature titles in Spanish and English and the café menu offers classic espresso beverages.

Enjoy dinner and a glass of wine at any of Mexico City’s exquisite restaurants. Like in Paris, the restaurant scene here is grounded in a proud culinary history: in century-old recipes and techniques that, over time, have evolved into this unique mezcla of flavors that cross regions and inspire palettes.

Rosetta highlights a high-end menu and plant-inspired décor, tucked into a restored sidewalk-front in Roma Norte.

Tres, with exposed beams and large windows overlooking a plaza, also offers an innovative menu and a fun assortment of cocktails. At the right time of day, you may catch live mariachi outside.

Whether you’re in the mood for a decadent upscale experience in Polanco or Roma Norte, a casual stop for tacos in Zona Rosa, or a churro moment after dinner, you’ll do your taste buds a favor eating your way through Mexico City.

Every great city has a great park. Here, that’s Bosque de Chapultepec. The 1,700-acre park includes lakes, gardens, bike paths, vendors, ancient Aztec structures, and many museums—including the National History Museum (located inside of the Chapultepec Castle), El Museo de Arte Moderno, and El Museo Nacional de Antropología (my favorite). On par with New York’s Central Park or Paris’s Bois de Boulogne, this lush urban greenspace is a peaceful haven in the middle of Mexico City’s bustling metro.

Other museums to visit include the Frida Kahlo Museum in Coyoacán and the Museo de Bellas Artes in the Centro Histórico.

Mexico City is like a living banana tree nested inside a cathedral with graffitied walls. From its museums and galleries to artisan street vendors, the art scene is historic, contemporary, and organic all at once. Much of Frida Kahlo’s self-portraiture explores the beauty of pain and the duality of self. Contemporary artist Alejandro Magallanes – featured at Galería le Laboratoire in Condesa – pulls from the past for dark and humorous commentary on cultural norms. Street art engages the surrounding society almost by accident, rendering the urban fabric more thoughtful. The art here embodies a collision between values, peoples, and time; and uniquely bridges the city’s cutting-edge, contemporary heartbeat with the customs of old-world tradition made new.

This cultural polarity is expressed through clothes, too. From Polanco’s high-end prêt-à-porter to Roma’s swath of vintage boutiques, there are shopping options for all lifestyles. And in the style of Parisian ateliers, local in-house designers keep the fashion scene ahead of the current. Consider a visit to Caravana Americana, an upscale craftsman market, which showcases emerging designers from across Latin America.

No matter how your days are spent here, you will miss Mexico City the minute you’ve left. Tucked between mountains and over 7,000 feet in the air, this sprawling urban enclave is a Mexican city, a Latin American city, and a global city in synchrony. Book yourself for the day exploring the sights, amble slowly down neighborhood streets, or (like me) hop on a bici and do a bit of both. Regardless, don’t forget to try the tequila.

Words and Images by Andrew Tamarkin