"Mexico City" a Mexico City Travel Page by ephobius

Yes, this is Mexico City! On a clear day you can see these snow capped mountains, 70 kms away.
At left, Iztaccíhuatl, "Sleeping Woman" in Náhuatl language (it resembles a woman; from left to right: her head, breast, legs and feet). At right, Popocatépetl, "Smoking Mountain" (it is a volcano). A legend says it is a prince waiting for his bride to awaken. More about these mountains in Off beaten path tips.

Mexico City is the national capital, it lies in a federal district (Distrito Federal). It has grown so much it surpassed the district limits and spreaded on the neighboring Mexico State.

Distrito Federal population is 8 million people. Metropolitan area has more than 8 million people (census 2000). Thus, total population of Greater Mexico City is about 17 million.

These are the names of the bordering cities in Mexico State: Ciudad Satélite (Naucalpan), Tlalnepantla, Cuautitlán, Cuautitlán Izcalli, Ecatepec, Nezahualcóyotl (Neza, in short). They are mainly industrial and residential areas. Few touristic places are in those cities: Parque Naucalli (Naucalli Park), Skatorama (ice skating), Divertido (amusement park), and some malls (see below).

Like shopping? Mexico City has very large American-style malls: Galerías, Pabellón Polanco, Perisur, Santa Fe, Plaza Inn, Plaza Satélite (Ciudad Satélite), Mundo E (Tlalnepantla), Perinorte (Cuautitlán).

Need help from your embassy? In Polanco neighborhood are many embassies.

Looking for the rich and famous? Lomas de Chapultepec and El Pedregal are fancy neighborhoods (These are the Mexican Beverly Hills). World renowned singers, actors, politicians, business people and millionaires live there.

This is a license plate of the Distrito Federal. It has a drawing of the famed Angel. See more about this monument in activities tips.