The colours of Mexico are bright and gemlike, and its passionate people warm and welcoming. Mexico City is marked by its vibrant art and political history, not to mention some of the country's greatest cuisine.
Explore streets illuminated by famous murals and learn about the famous personalities who have called the city home. Celebrate the internationally renowned Day of the Dead festival and visit the centre of the world on package holidays in Mexico City.
Flights to and hotels in Mexico City are straightforward to organise from the UK. Flights from Dublin to Mexico City depart as frequently as flights from Cork. Mexico City is seven hours behind the UK, and the currency is the Mexican peso. Most Mexicans speak English well, alongside Spanish. Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX) is well connected with the city centre via public transport.
Dia de Muertos (November 1 and 2) attracts visitors from around the globe with its thrilling antimasque. Carnival-goers fill the streets bearing giant calavera (skeleton puppets). Costumed dancers and live music complete the pageantry. Between March and May, the weather is perfect, though the footfall is higher than during the rainy season and winter. Precipitation peaks in September, and it remains warm until late November.
Explore anthropology at the Museo Nacional de Antropologia. This top-notch museum takes visitors on a fascinating tour of the history of Mexico, from pre-Hispanic times through to contemporary culture. Whereas there's more to see here than can be covered in a single visit, free English tours give a good overview.
Visit the Leon Trotsky House Museum for insight into this historical figure. Trotsky took refuge in the country after his expulsion from the Soviet Union in 1929. Bullet holes from a failed assassination are visible in the bedroom, while the courtyard houses Trotsky's tomb.
Marvel at the Mexican Secretariat of Public Education's murals, painted by Diego Rivera in the 1920s. They tell the story of Mexican culture, taking onlookers on a visual journey. Note the probable portrait of Frida Khalo in the first panel, dressed as an arsenal labourer.
City breaks in Mexico City abound in unforgettable images. Here are the most unmissable sights in the city:
Pujol is considered by many to be the best restaurant in all of Mexico – does it merit this impressive title? Celebrity chef Enrique Olvera reinterprets classic Mexican dishes with immense tenderness and flair. Be sure to book ahead. However, if you can't get a table, never fear. Mexico is home to the world's best coffee, and the aromas of beans from Veracruz, Oaxaca and Chiapas beckon in each aromatic cupful. Visit Mercado Medellín and stock up on delectable mole paste, the basis for so many Mexican dishes. Procure top-notch chocolate at New Art Xocolatl and Qué Bo!
If you've become enthralled with the area's cuisine during your holiday, pick yourself up a molinillo, an instrument used to whip Mexico's distinctive hot chocolate into creamy sublimity. Alternatively, wear your newfound love of Mexico City on your sleeve by purchasing a huipil, the traditional garment worn by women. Elaborate embroidery in bright colours makes these traditional items just as desirable today. Be sure to haggle!