Information for foreigners coming to Mexico to learn Spanish.
Mexico City has been an urban area since the pre-Columbian 12th century, here you can see historic buildings and monuments from all eras. It is also known as the city of palaces thanks to its large number of very modern buildings, especially in the historic center.
Join one of the school’s many outings or check out our selection of activities in Mexico City below.
Going any direction you will find quesadillas on almost every corner, alongside quiet cafes and restaurants. You won’t see mariachi musicians everywhere, but you can sing along with them in “Plaza Garibaldi”. Ancient archaeological sites are present alongside Catholic churches, near the Tequila and Mezcal museums.
You can participate in a soul purification ritual in the main town square of “El Zócalo”.
Even though these kinds of scenes stem mostly from stereotypical ideas about Mexico, the country has conformed to them to appeal to visitors like you and your friends. Here you will find modern apartment buildings and shopping centers, and some of the best restaurants in the world; just like in New York City or London
Every Thursday at 8 p.m., we meet in a bar near the school to share a beer with other school´s students and friends, practice the language and be part of an international network. Many friendships were formed through this activity, and some learners even ended up working together.
You will be able to go to the best places in the city, meet other learners, teachers and Mexicans. You will have the opportunity to taste different local drinks, food and craft beers. An experienced teacher will be present at each session to help you with the language and if you have any questions.
To put your recently acquired skills into practice, L&C organizes various school excursions: guided tours to admire Diego Rivera’s work at the National Palace and the Palace of Fine Arts, guided tours to the National University “UNAM”, walks or circuits by public transport in the city, which includes visits to local markets, where you can taste delicious and inexpensive food, etc.
The purpose of this activities, beyond enjoying your stay in this beautiful city, is to put into practice what you have learned during your lessons, to understand and use different expressions to ask for directions, to have small conversations, ordering food and drinks, interacting with locals in real contexts.
All of this has been conscientiously put in place to give you a good experience suited to your skill level. If you are a beginner, the activities will be adapted to your knowledge, if you are intermediate or advanced, the interactions will be adapted and personalized to your level. There is a certain type of vocabulary / cultural information about where to go and what activities to do, you can choose to use the appropriate vocabulary or just enjoy the trip. This remains optional, if you prefer to take only lessons you can, just be sure to inform your teacher.
Plaza de la Constitución: better known as “Zócalo”, in the historic center (historic city center) is one of the largest squares in the world, surrounded by historic buildings, including the town hall and the cathedral.
La Catedral: the largest in America. It contains many altars, its main altar is in solid gold.
Angel de la Independencia or known as “El Angel” is a monument on Reforma Avenue and Florencia Street, near Zona Rosa. This monument celebrates Mexico’s independence in 1810.
Basílica de Guadalupe: the holiest place of Catholicism in America, welcoming pilgrims from all over the world, especially during the annual feast of December 12. Located at La Villa de Guadalupe, this is the shrine that keeps Juan Diego’s poncho which contains the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and is located in the northernmost part of the city.
Ciudad Universitaria: The main campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Located on Insurgentes Sur Avenue, it is one of the largest universities in the world, with more than 270,000 students each semester. It was declared an ancient heritage place by UNESCO in 2007.
Coyoacán: Historic Colonial Arts District which hosted, among others, Frida Kahlo, Leon Trotsky and Diego Rivera
Plaza Garibaldi-Mariachi: The Square is surrounded by cafes and restaurants popular with tourists, where you can see musicians playing music. Most of the groups are “Mariachis” from Jalisco, dressed in a “Charro” costume and playing trumpet, violin, guitar and bass. There is a payment for each song, but it is also possible to organize longer performances. People are setting up bars looking like lemonade stands to sell you cheap cocktails while you enjoy the music. A visit to Mexico isn’t complete until you’ve discovered the fantastic Mariachi bands.
Mexico City is the city with the largest number of museums in the world, to name a few of the most popular:
National Museum of Anthropology, Chapultepec: One of the best museums in the world, built in the 1960s and designed by Ramirez Vasquez. You can see a huge fountain in the courtyard. It is packed with the best collection of sculptures, jewelry and crafts from ancient Mexican cultures, it will take you several hours to discover it all. There are also some very interesting special international exhibitions. The cashier only accepts cash, if you wish to pay by credit card you will find an ATM to your left upon entering (apart from the cashiers). Tours in English are available in the morning, you can request the tour schedule at the information desk.
Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Tlatelolco: Here, you´ll find examples of modern, colonial and pre-Columbian architecture surrounding the square.
Museum of Modern Art, Chapultepec: There you will find paintings by Frida Kahlo, Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo, as well as a garden full of sculptures.
Dolores Olmedo Museum, Xochimilco: An art philanthropist who left her old home, the great “Hacienda La Noria”, as a museum exhibiting the works of her friend Diego Rivera. At least 137 of his works are stored there, as well as 25 paintings by Frida Kahlo. The premises also have beautiful gardens full of peacocks and a strange species of Aztec dog.
Palace of Fine Arts (Palacio de Bellas Artes) – downtown: A concert hall and arts center, it houses some of Mexico’s finest murals and the Art Deco interior is well worth a visit.
Rufino Tamayo Museum, Chapultepec: The work of the Mexican painter Rufino Tamayo is exhibited there.
José Luis Cuevas Museum, downtown: Opened in 1992 and contains nearly 1,000 paintings, drawings and sculptures by the well-known artist, Jose Cuevas.
National History Museum, in Chapultepec Castle, Chapultepec: The 19 rooms of the Museum contain, in addition to a collection of pre-Columbian material and reproductions of ancient manuscripts, a wide range of exhibits illustrating the history of Mexico since the Spanish conquest.
Soumaya Museum, Polanco: This museum contains the art collection of Carlos Slim, the most renowned Mexican businessman and one of the richest men in the world. It has a large collection of paintings by Renoir, Monet, Dali and many others. The museum has impressive architecture to visit.
Papalote, Children’s Museum – Chapultepec: If you have kids they will love this place! Bright, colorful, and full of educational experiences for children of all ages.
Universum (National University Museum), Coyoacán: A science museum run by UNAM, the largest university in Latin America. Take the time to walk around the campus.
Casa Mural Diego Rivera, downtown: Contains murals by acclaimed artist Diego Rivera.
National Palace (Zócalo), downtown: There you can see impressive frescoes by Diego Rivera. You will need an ID to enter the premises.
San Idelfonso Museum, downtown: Some of Orozco’s best frescoes can be found there. Temporary exhibitions are generally very interesting.
Franz Meyer Museum, downtown: Showcases the collections of Franz Mayer, it houses the largest collection of decorative art in Mexico and also hosts temporary exhibitions on design and photography
Mexico City Museum, downtown: This is the perfect place to learn about Mexico City’s eclectic history.
Templo Mayor Museum (Zócalo), downtown: Contains the ruins and last vestiges of the Aztec Empire, attached to the immense archaeological site where the foundations of the temple were accidentally found in the 1970s.
San Carlos Museum, downtown: The San Carlos Museum contains some of the best paintings in Mexico and displays paintings dating from the 15th and 16th centuries.
National Arts Museum, downtown: This museum houses a rich collection of Mexican art ranging from the 16th to the first half of the 20th century.
Frida Kahlo Museum, Coyoacán: Also called Casa Azul, is the former home of Frida Kahlo (from birth to death), and is full of some of her works as well as many of her personal possessions.
Anahuacalli Museum, Coyoacán: An impressive modern representation of Mayan architecture, home to Diego Rivera’s collection of Aztec sculptures and other pre-Columbian cultures.
Leon Trotsky Museum, Coyoacán: The house where Trotsky lived in exile for the last year and a half of his life before being killed by one of Stalin’s agents. Guided tours are organized by members of the Workers / Revolutionary Party.
Mexico City is full of various plazas scattered through every neighborhood, but the following are some of the biggest, prettiest, most interesting, or best-know.
