Mexico's Catedral Metropolitana (Metropolitan Cathedral), off the Zocalo in the city center is a magnificent work of Spanish colonial architecture, although other parts have been added since its original construction. Engineers have reinforced the Cathedral's foundations to stop it from sinking into Mexico City's soft foundations (the city was built on top of Lake Texcoco, now drained), which means that scaffolding has had to be erected inside while this work continues, but the Cathedral is a must-see on a tour of Colonial Mexico City.

On Avenida Lázaro Cárdenas, east of Alameda park, towers the massive marble building of the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts). Commissioned during the presidency of the dictator Porfirio Díaz and designed mainly by the Italian architect Adamo Boari, it clearly shows Art Nouveau and Art Deco influences. Although begun in 1900 it was not completed until 1934. The weight of the heavy Carrara marble has caused it to sink more than 4 m (13 ft) into the ground, in spite of attempts to lighten it by removing part of the facing of the dome. During construction work in front of the palace in 1993/94, no fewer than 2000 pre-Hispanic items, including 700 examples of Aztec ceramic ware, were uncovered, together with 200 graves dating from the colonial period, and the remains of the 17th c. Santa Isabel convent. The headquarters since 1946 of the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, the palace now serves primarily as an opera-house and concert hall.

The Plaza de la Constitution, more commonly known as the "Zocalo" is a must on any visitor's list of things to do in Mexico City. This is a great place to get a feel for the areas history and to start your exploration of the city. Within just a few blocks of the Zocalo, in all directions, are some of the city's finest examples of city history, architecture and art. More than 1500 buildings in this relatively small area of the city have been declared historic or artistic monuments.

Once a quaint town on the outskirts, now a suburb for the rich and/or famous with cobblestone streets and leafy lanes. Some of the houses here are more modern, but there is also a great selection of colonial houses, mansions and haciendas. Some of these places have been turned into fine restaurants and fashionable night clubs. San Angel is also one of Mexico City's prime night spots (see When Night Falls - below).

The Central Plaza is a classic - with its street performers and ambulant vendors; a real family place on a Saturday afternoon. The streets in this area are all cobbled; the area is home to some of Mexico City's finest mansions and great museums. Many present-day celebrities live around here, as past celebrities have, including: Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Leon Trotsky.

The National Museum of Anthropology in Chapultepec (Grasshopper) Park in Mexico City is one of the most extensive of its kind in the world. There are numerous rooms that house archaeological artifacts (originals or replicas) from the numerous ancient cultures in Mexico, including Olmec, Mexica, Maya, Golfo, Aztec and others. In one courtyard there is a reproduction of an entire building that has an intricate facade of carvings and designs that are very distinctive. One of the most valuable pieces in the museum, according to the guidebook, is a "Monkey Cup" made of black obsidian. One reason that it is so valuable, besides its antiquity, is that the ancient Mexicans did not have access to diamonds, so carving an entire cup with the form of a monkey on it and polishing it in a medium as hard as obsidian (similar to glass and quartz in hardness) was no easy task. Some scientists say it took generations to create such a piece. The folk dancers and other entertainers which perform in the park near the museum are also excellent and authentic, as are the vendors with their foodstuffs, etc. laid out on blankets in the park plaza.

This was home to the enigmatic painter Frida Kahlo (often called "the paintbrush of angst") where she occasionally lived with her husband Diego Rivera. Personal objects such as jewelery, unfinished canvases propped on easels, her typical tehuana ornate dresses, papier mache and pre-Hispanic objects, as well as her wheelchair, are on display in the studio where she painted. Works by Mexican painters such as Jose María Velasco, Claussel and Orozco among others, are exhibited alongside some of Frida's own paintings. No photography is allowed. Admission prices: MXN20 adults; MXN10 students and teachers; free for seniors.

A living testimony to the canals of Mexico before the conquest, Xochimilco also attests to the period of the Viceroyalty. Meaning "Land of Flowers," it is a landscape of 176 kilometers of ancient canals called chinampas, built for irrigation and transportation by the Aztecs. Artificial islets were created by layering logs, earth, mud and roots tied with vine, and planting ahuejote, a native plant whose tough roots bind the walls of the chinampas. Today, Xochimilco has been regenerated and visitors can take a trip on wooden boats trimmed with beautiful fresh flowers. The 14 kilometers of navigable waterway are lined with vendors selling their wares and delicacies, and groups of mariachi or marimba serenading them from wooden boats.

The Castillo de Chapultepec was built between 1780 and 1790, constructed on top of an Aztec fortress with panoramic views of the city. The gardens surrounding the palace were designed by Empress Carlota during the French occupation and offer a beautiful stroll. It once served as the Colegio Militar (Military Academy) and was also the official presidential residence until 1939, when President Cárdenas converted the palace into the Museo Nacional de Historia. Restoration efforts have significantly enhanced the construction as well as the design of the interiors.