Where to stay in Mexico City

The historic heart of Mexico City, built on the ruins of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan: the Zocalo (one of the largest public squares in the world, free), the Metropolitan Cathedral (free - sinking 10cm per decade into the ancient lake bed, the interior tilted visibly), and the Templo Mayor ruins beneath the square (M80 entry - the main Aztec temple, excavated only since 1978, extraordinary). The Palacio Nacional murals by Diego Rivera (free) depict the entire history of Mexico across 1,200 square meters. The Mercado de la Merced (the largest traditional market in Latin America) is walking distance.

The village within the city: 30 minutes south by metro, Coyoacan is where Frida Kahlo was born, lived, and is buried. La Casa Azul (the Blue House, $270 MXN - book weeks ahead, sells out; the blue walls, the studio, the bed where she painted, the ashes in a pre-Columbian urn). The weekend market in the main plaza (the most pleasant market in Mexico City: food, crafts, live music, excellent chiles en nogada in season). Leon Trotsky's house (M80) where he was assassinated in 1940 is two blocks from Frida's.

The floating gardens south of the city: the last surviving Aztec chinampas (agricultural islands created by the Aztecs by piling lake sediment onto reed frames - the entire historic city was built this way). Rent a trajinera (a flat-bottomed boat painted with the name of a woman, $300-500 MXN for 2 hours) and spend a Sunday afternoon drifting through the canals with a mariachi boat alongside. The experience is quintessentially Mexican - chaotic, beautiful, and nothing like anything else. UNESCO World Heritage Site. 45 minutes south by metro + bus.

The antique and flea market district north of the Centro: La Lagunilla (Sunday only - the finest flea market in Mexico City, pre-Columbian replicas, vintage furniture, used books, retablos, and random objects from Mexican homes). Tepito itself is the most notorious neighborhood in the city (best avoided alone at night) but the Sunday market around its edges is extraordinary. The best vintage Lucha Libre posters, pre-owned everything, and the cheapest tacos in the city.

The most desirable neighborhood in Mexico City: tree-canopied boulevards, Art Deco apartment buildings, and the highest concentration of excellent restaurants in Latin America. Parque Mexico and Parque España are the twin green hearts - locals exercise, read, and eat tacos on the surrounding benches. Álvaro Obregon and Avenida Amsterdan are the main dining streets. The coffee culture here rivals Tokyo and Melbourne - single-origin pours, cold brew, and serious baristas in every block. Roma Norte has the best taco spots (El Turix for cochinita, Los Cocuyos for cabeza).

The wealthy northern neighborhood: the Museo Nacional de Antropologia (the greatest pre-Columbian museum in the world, $90 MXN) is here, in Bosque de Chapultepec park. Avenida Presidente Masaryk is the luxury shopping street (Louis Vuitton, Prada, Hermes). The restaurant scene includes Pujol and Quintonil (two of the World's 50 Best restaurants), Rosetta, and dozens of excellent mid-range options. The Soumaya Museum (free - Carlos Slim's private collection, 66,000 pieces, the largest collection of Rodin bronzes outside Paris) is in the Nuevo Polanco extension.