Mexico City is a chic hot spot for pocos pesos

updated 2:57 p.m. ET Dec. 16, 2008

MEXICO CITY - Move over greasy tacos and tacky trinkets: Mexico City is home to a vast network of chic museums, top-notch restaurants and trendy night clubs. There's even an Icebar.

What's more, the city remains one of the globe's best budget stops.

With just a few pesos — preferably hidden deep inside one's clothing in case of mugging — visitors can view world-renowned art inside centuries-old buildings, wander through Aztec ruins in the heart of the city, and sip tequila at rooftop bars where DJs spin the latest international beats.

And amid the chaos of its more than 20 million people, the western hemisphere's largest city also has plenty of breathing space.

On weekends, you can take free salsa lessons in leafy plazas throughout town. You can try tango classes in the foreigner-friendly La Condesa neighborhood's Parque Espana around midday. You can ride a bike every Sunday to the city's sprawling main plaza, the Zocalo, when Reforma Avenue is shut to traffic.

No bike? No worries — the city will lend you one for free if you leave an ID.

But if the high-altitude, smog-choked air has you huffing and puffing, there are other ways to get around to the plethora of sights.

And despite Mexico City's reputation for crime, your personal safety can be greatly improved by taking a few precautions.

Getting around
Hop aboard the Turibus, a double-decker bus that gives you a bird's eye view while taking you to all the top attractions for under $12. For less than 20 cents, the subway can't be beat and is relatively safe.

During rush hour, women can head to the front for the all-female cars. If you want a taxi, make sure it is from an official stand called a "sitio." (This will keep you from falling prey to criminals who pose as cab drivers, take passengers to ATMs and force them to empty their accounts.)

Must-sees
With dozens of museums, you can easily OD on art in this town. Topping the list are the awe-inspiring murals by Diego Rivera and other Mexican legends in the Palacio de Bellas Artes, which also has temporary contemporary exhibits and a stunning performance called the Ballet Folklorico showcasing the country's traditional dances.

Then walk down Francisco Madero Street to the Zocalo, strolling past the colonial buildings — including a tile-covered 1596 count's mansion. Today the home is a two-story coffee shop and drug store called Sanborns.

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Off the Zocalo is the Palacio Nacional, or National Palace, where Rivera painted the entire history of Mexico on its walls. It's free and English-speaking guides are on hand to explain the details of the intricate work. Behind the main courtyard, the cactus and maguey gardens are a great place to take a break. On the other side of the Zocalo is the Metropolitan Cathedral, the oldest in the Americas.

Behind the cathedral, the Centro Cultural de Espana, funded by the Spanish Embassy, has extensive contemporary art exhibits and a rooftop cafe with mouthwatering tapas, most for under $5. On Thursday nights, top DJs spin their tunes.

Prehispanic ruins
The city is teeming with ruins. Archaeologists are still finding the buried treasures under plazas and buildings. One of the best is the Templo Mayor, or Great Temple, a site squashed between businesses and government buildings off the Zocalo.

Workers discovered the Aztec religious center in the mid-1970s. The Aztecs are believed to have built the temple in the 1300s. The ruins include a wall of stone skulls representing the human heads the Aztecs used to put on display after sacrificing people to the gods.

The entrance fee is less than $3. Better yet, on Sundays the museum is free. If you're still craving more history, hit the National Museum of Anthropology in Chapultepec Park, one of the world's best. Its entrance fee is less than $4.

Neighborhoods
La Roma and La Condesa are hubs of hipness and worth a day of strolling, stopping for Chiapas-grown coffee and people-watching in one of the funky cafes, or checking out the many art galleries. There are also plenty of boutiques of young designers who mesh colorful embroidered Indian fabrics into chic dresses, skirts and shirts. Start at Galeria OMR off the Rio de Janeiro plaza and wander down Orizaba street to Alvaro Obregon. Then head to Parque Mexico. Check this bilingual list of galleries.

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