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Borough of Mexico City
Photo: (WT-en) Fabz at English Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 1.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Tlalpan and Pedregal is a district of Mexico City. Tlalpan is best known as the location of most hospitals in Mexico City and most natural parks. Pedregal is a wealthy residential area built on top of, and using lava rock from, the Xitle volcano. The San Ángel Ecological Reserve is in Pedregal.
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Church and former convent from the 17th century. Beautiful interior courtyard and grounds. Tlalpan used to be called "San Agustín de las Cuevas".
Leafy park close to the zocalo. Shady walking paths and a modern children's playscape. Includes a nice Fondo de Cultura Económica book store and café.
Previously, the home of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, Mexican president. Today, offices of an insurance company.
For 2 years, in the late 1800s, this building housed the Mexican Mint, today is a secondary school.
Zona Ecologico Cuicuilco
A large uneven circular pyramid (known as Pirámide de Tenantongo) is the most significant structure at these ruins, which archaeologists say is the oldest settlement in central Mexico, having been settled around 1400 BC. The pyramid itself dates from 800 BC, which is when the first layer of the pyramid was constructed (upper layers were not completed until as late as 600 BC). The pyramid also has a sub-basement, which is open to the public. Two smaller temples have also been excavated as well as a building that was believed to have served local government functions. Cuicuilco thrived for a millennium, growing to a population of about 20,000 before it was destroyed between 245 and 315 AD by the eruption of the Xitle volcano, which buried the city under a layer of black volcanic rock. These lava stones were ultimately used to construct colonial era buildings in Tlalpan. Major excavations at the site occurred in the 1920s, 1960s, and 1990s. As of 2023, INAH is conducting further active excavations, though the site remains open to visitors daily. A small site museum displays some of the excavated relics from the site, mostly ceramics, but some human skeletons.
The housing complex used for the Mexico City 1968 olympics. There are a couple of other minor ruins from Cuicuilco inside the complex.
The route of the Periférico was once used for large-scale sculptures by international artists made for the 1968 Olympics. After the construction of the elevated toll road over the Periférico, most sculptures have been relocated to the interchanges between Insurgentes and Viaducto Tlalpan with Periférico.
Heroic Military Academy of Mexico
This is Mexico's foremost military academy, training army and air force officers. A separate academy in Veracruz trains naval officers.
Small community church dating back to the 17th century. Celebrates the feast day of the Virgin on December 8.
The original church was built by the Dominican missionaries in the 18th century. A new , very modern church was built next to it with a striking tent-like appearance. The older church is still used and has a number of noteworthy artworks, most striking of which is a painting depicting the death of St. Peter of Verona with an axe sticking out of his head. (Peter was murdered by a heretic in 1252.)
St. Andrew the Apostle Church
This parish church was built between 1770 and 1773, it was refurbished in 1965. The church attracts pilgrims who come to celebrate the feast of St. Andrew in November each year.
This chapel, dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, was built in the 17th century. The church contains a large stone sculpture of St. Michael. A small, unassuming but tranquil place to be.
Estadio Banorte
The largest stadium in Latin America is also the eighth biggest soccer stadium in the world. Built in 1961, it has an official capacity of 95,500 but frequently packing in several thousand more. It's the home of El Tri, the Mexico men's national team, and also home to two of the country's most famous soccer top-tier professional clubs: Club América and Cruz Azul. It also serves as venue for concerts and for occasional NFL regular-season games outside the United States. Prices for soccer usually start from M$200 up to M$600 for field level seats, but will be higher for national team matches. Beware of resellers, as they will often sell fake tickets. The stadium is undergoing renovations as it prepares to host the opening games of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The largest amusement park in Mexico City. Roller coasters, thrill rides, shows and more.
A simulated city theme park where children can play and pretend to do adult jobs as they navigate through the child-sized city.
Ollin Yoliztli Concert Hall
This concert hall houses the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of Scott Yoo. There are concerts every weekend as well as other cultural activities. Weekend concerts are Saturday at 18:00 and Sunday at 12:30.
Fuentes Brotantes National Park
Forested area with natural springs just across Insurgentes Sur from the Centro Histórico.
A national forest (Natural Protected Area), it is a hilly forest 1 km west of the Centro Histórico. There are plenty of free courses and activities at the Casa de la Cultura (cultural centre). The impressive building facade was once located in the Condesa and was a pumping station used to bring water from Xochimilco to Mexico City.
Green area in the springs of what used to be a paper factory. There is a restaurant, as well as examples of green technologies, such as rainfall capture systems and sustainable housing.
Containing the highest peak in Mexico City (3,900 meters), the Ajusco National Park is a dense pine and oak forest that is home to small mammals, reptiles, and several dozen bird species. It covers an area of just under 1,000 hectares and natural mountain springs provide the source of the Lerma and the Balsas rivers. The park can be accessed by going South along the Picacho-Ajusco road from the Periférico. The road leads to a circuit where one can drive all the way around the mountain and towards the State of Mexico. It is a popular day trip for people from Mexico City. In the winter, there is often snow on the mountain and the circuit road may be closed when conditions are icy.
Xitle
Hiking trails go up to the top of the dormant volcano and also lead through cool forests to a natural cave, an historic ranching areas, and other natural attractions in the park. The Xitle volcano erupted in 245 AD, destroying the Mesoamerican city of Cuicuilco and burying the entire area of what is today the Pedregal district of Mexico City under a thick layer of lava flow. The eruptions continued for 70 years until 315 AD. After Mexico City was conquered by the Spanish in the 16th century, settlers built many structures in Tlalpan and Pedregal using black volcanic stone cut from Xitle's hardened lava flow.
Tlalpan Forest National Park
Large forested area with walking paths. 5km jogging path. Picnic areas available. Sunday flea market. No dogs, bicycles or scooters allowed.
Casa Pedregal
Luis Barragan, one of Mexico's most renown architects, designed this structure as a library that would integrate Pedregal's volcanic rock base with its natural environment to create a tranquil space for learning and study. The site was restored in 2017 and today operates as a casual traditional coffee shop and restaurant (lined with bookshelves that you can browse) as well as a holistic healing center offering yoga classes and similar activities. The site is a must for travelers interested in modern architecture.
Lively traditional Mexican restaurant specializing in birria. Locals recommend the birria de maciza. Nice variety of homemade salsas. Handmade tortillas. Live music.
Casual neighborhood restaurant serving traditional Mexican dishes including soups and guisadas, but the pancitas are the specialty.
Small cozy restaurant with about 10 tables. Excellent breakfast packages for about M$200 including main dish, coffee, juice and rolls. If you're really looking to try some blue corn, order the masa Azul chilaquiles. Enchiladas are good here as are the breads and coffee drinks.
This place in the heart of Tlalpan in an estate from 1837 has a colonial feel with peacocks and big plates of food.
Elegant and sophisticated restaurant serving nouveau Mexican cuisine that is often a fusion of ancient ingredients with modern embellishments. Superb presentation and flawless service. A Michelin-starred restaurant.
4-star hotel. Clean, spacious rooms with WiFi, cable TV, air conditioning. Next to Perferico.
Upscale hotel with modern facilities. Spacious, clean rooms with a/c, WiFi, and cable TV. Indoor parking garage available.
Small boutique luxury hotel in a restored 17th century hacienda. Manicured gardens in the courtyard, high-end toiletries and linens. Cable TV, WiFi, air conditioning. Off-street parking available. 24-hour fitness center. Well-behaved pets welcome (additional fee).
Modern, business-oriented tower hotel with clean, spacious rooms and attentive service. On-site restaurant available. Across a busy highway from the Artz shopping mall.
Mercado Tlalpan
This public market is one of the oldest in Mexico City and is the last "Porfirian" style that remains in Mexico City. Travelers interested in public architecture of the late 19th century will admire the elaborate brick facade, the black tile floors, and the stone pillars inside. As with all traditional marketplaces, it's a great place to buy fresh fruits and vegetables or authentic Mexican and regional prepared dishes.
The largest shopping mall in the South of Mexico City.
Shopping mall housed in a former paper factory.
Large modern mall featuring art exhibitions, shopping, restaurants, a cinema, bowling alley, and indoor go-kart track.
By bike
The Mexico City government established a 30-km long bike route from Plaza Tlaxcoaque in Centro Historico to Estadio Azteca in Tlalpan.
The Centro Historico of Tlalpan comprises an area of maybe 6 x 6 blocks bordered by Insurgentes Sur to the West, Calzada de Tlalpan to the East and San Fernando to the North.
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