Diveshops in Mexico City: Academia Mexicana De Buceo Y Espeleobuceo Buzo Servicio Sobuca II Centro Asturiano de Mexico Centro Mundial de Buceo Mexico Cetus Dive Center Dive Life Dive Surf & Ski School Espacio Profundo Expediciones Subacuatica De Mexico Grupo Tecnico Deportivo H2 Deep Mexicosub Nautilus, Escuela de Buceo Scuba Remora Seaspace

Mexico City Understand Mexico City, sometimes considered the world's largest and most populated city, forms a rough oval of about 60 by 40 kilometers, on the dry bed of lake Texcoco, surrounded on three sides by tall mountains and volcanoes such as the Ajusco, the Popocatepetl and the Ixtlacihuatl. It's a massive urban sprawl, stretching from Mexico State in the north, through the Federal District (Distrito Federal), and into the state of Morelos in the south. Estimates place the population of the full metropolitan area at somewhere between 25 and 30 million people. The Distrito Federal part of the city, which is where most tourists will spend the majority of their time, is divided up into 16 delegations, similar to the boroughs of New York, which in turn are divided into "colonies" (colonias), of which there are about 250. Knowing what colony you're going to is essential to getting around, almost all locals will know where a given colony is (however, beware that there are some colonies with duplicate or very similar names). As with many very large cities, the structure is relatively decentralized, with several parts of the city having their own miniature "downtown areas". However, the real downtown areas are Centro, the old city center, and Zona Rosa, the new business and entertainment district. The city is located 2200 meters above the sea level. Some people not used to high places have experienced difficulty when breathing, however these symptoms fade a few minutes after arrival. Mexico City's night life is like all other aspects of the city; it's huge. There is an enormous selection of venues: clubs, bars, restaurants, cafes, and variations and combinations thereof to choose from. There is incredible variation, from ultramodern lounges in Santa Fe and Reforma, to decades-old dance halls in Centro and Roma. There are also pubs in Tlalpan and Coyoacán and clubs of every stripe in Insurgentes, Polanco, and the Zona Rosa. Also, when going out, check the date, since this is an important indicator of how full places will generally be, and how long you might have to wait to get in. Salaries are usually paid twice per month, the 30th/31st-1st, and the 14th-15th. On or right after these dates is when most Mexicans will go out, especially if pay day coincides with a weekend. In the more expensive places, people might leave for Acapulco or vacations farther afield during the summer and long weekends. Mexican weekends, in the sense of when it's common to go out drinking, are Thursday night to Sunday morning, and sometimes throughout Sunday. History The origins of Mexico City date back to 1325, when the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan was founded and later destroyed in 1521 by Spanish conqueror Hernan Cortes. Then the city served as the capital of the Viceroyalty of the New Spain until the outbreak of the Independence War in 1810. The city became the capital of the Mexican Empire in 1821 and of the Mexican Republic in 1823 after the abdication of Agustin de Iturbide. During the Mexico... more travelguide information

	Hotel Imperial Reforma	Score 7.55 from 55 reviews
	Paseo de la Reforma #64 Col. Juárez
	The hotel has professional experts in the area of hotel keeper whose primary target is to make its guests feel as they deserve the best for themselves and be pending of each one of its necessities and surpassing its expectations. ... more
	Best Western Estoril	Score 0 from 0 reviews
	Luis Moya 93 Col. Centro
	Spacious and conformable guest rooms with all that the city's visitor or business traveler could need. Designed with the use of day light in mind and supported by a functional decoration. ... more
	Best Western Majestic Hotel	Score 0 from 0 reviews
	Madero # 73, Centro
	... more
	Hotel del Prado	Score 8.5 from 1 reviews
	Marina Nacional 399 Colonia Veronica
	Enjoy a variety of selections, from national to international dishes, by dining at El Café restaurant. Buffet breakfast to culinary dishes a la carte, are available for your enjoyment from 6:30am to 11pm daily. ... more
	Mision Reforma	Score 0 from 0 reviews
	Morelos 110 ESQ Paseo de la Reforma
	Privacy in a luxurious comodity of 160 rooms, is only pat of the charm the Hotel Reforma has to offer. In the interior of the hotel , executives and tourist discover on a daily basis the high level of customer service the hotel has to offer. All rooms are decorated with the idea of comfort and style. ... more
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Just east of the cathedral are the remnants of the Templo Mayor, the Aztecs' principal temple, and the stunning museum that houses the artifacts discovered at the site.

Within the northern city limits is the famous Basilica of Guadalupe, not just another church, but the central place of worship for Mexico's patron saint, and the home of the image responsible for uniting pre-Hispanic Indian mysticism with Catholic beliefs. The Virgin of Guadalupe is the most revered image in the country, and you will no doubt see her countenance wherever you travel in Mexico.

The basilica is located on the site where, on December 9, 1531, a poor Indian named Juan Diego is reputed to have seen a vision of a beautiful lady in a blue mantle. The local bishop, Zumarraga, was reluctant to confirm that Juan had indeed seen the Virgin Mary, so he asked the peasant for some evidence. Juan saw the vision a second time, on December 12, and when he asked her for proof, she instructed him to collect the roses that began blooming in the rocky soil at Juan Diego's feet. He gathered the flowers in his cloak and returned to the bishop. When he unfurled his cloak, the flowers dropped to the ground and the image of the Virgin was miraculously emblazoned on the rough-hewn cloth. The bishop immediately ordered the building of a church on the spot, and upon its completion the image was hung in a place of honor, framed in gold. Since that time, millions of the devout and the curious have come to view the miraculous image that experts, it is said, are at a loss to explain. The blue-mantled Virgin of Guadalupe is the patron saint of Mexico.

So heavy was the flow of visitors--many approached for hundreds of yards on their knees--that the old church, already fragile, was insufficient to handle them. An audacious New Basilica was built, designed by Pedro Ramírez Vazquez, the same architect who did the breathtaking Museo Nacional de Antropología. The miracle cloak hangs behind bullet-proof glass above the altar. Electric people-movers going in two directions move the crowds a distance below the cloak. If you want to see it again, take the people mover going in the opposite direction; you can do it as many times as you wish. To the right of the modern basilica is the Old Basilica, actually the second one built to house the cloak--the first one is higher up on the hill. Unfortunately, the Old Basilica is tilting precariously, and is not open to visitors. Restoration has been ongoing for at least 10 years, but is moving more rapidly now. To the back of it is the entrance to the Basilica Museum, with a very good display of religious art in restored rooms. One of the side chapels, with a silver altar, is adjacent to the museum. Outside the museum is a garden commemorating the moment Juan Diego showed the cloak to the archbishop. Numerous photographers with colorful backdrops gather there to capture your visit on film. At the top of the hill, behind the basilica, is the Panteón del Tepeyac, a cemetery for Mexico's more infamous folk (Santa Anna among them), and several gift shops specializing in religious objects and other folk art. The steps up this hill are lined with flowers, shrubs, and waterfalls, and the climb, although tiring, is worthwhile for the view from the top. If you visit Mexico City on December 12, you can witness the grand festival in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The square in front of the basilica fills up with the pious and the party-minded as prayers, dances, and a carnival atmosphere attract thousands of the devout. Many visitors combine a trip to the basilica with one to the ruins of Teotihuacán, since both are out of the city center in the same direction. It is virtually impossible to understand Mexico and its culture without appreciating the national devotion for the Virgin of Our Lady of Guadalupe.