With a combination of Aztec heritage and European flair, Mexico City is truly a contrast of Old and New World. A city that delights as a cultural and commerce haven and, who can forget, tequila.
Where to sleep?
Acclaimed designer India Mahdavi and architectural genius Javier Sanchez transformed a 1928 apartment building to create Condesa DF – a modern 40-room hotel in the heart of Mexico City (Balcony rooms start at $190 USD). We love La Terraza, the rooftop patio with a sushi bar and fabulous views of Parque Espana. For those cooler nights, the gracious staff at Condesa provided all guests with blankets (Oaxacan wool), as we sipped our mojitos and enjoyed the sunset.
Where to eat:
Situated in the hip Polanco district (think Toronto’s Yorkville) above the Louis Vuitton Store, Aguila y Sol is one of Mexico’s finest restaurants. Our favourites were the chicken mole (traditional sauce made with Mexican chocolate and spices) and the seared tuna with smoked chile. We also liked the flor de Jamaica (hibiscus flavoured drink) and for the bolder souls, the tequila selection (over 15 on the list) is worth a shot. (Ave. Moliere 42, Col. Polanco, $50-$80 for dinner for two.)
What to do:
Take a stroll through Coyoacan for a visit to the Museo Frida Kahlo. Also known as The Blue House, it’s the birthplace of surrealist artist Frida Kahlo, and where she later lived with her husband Diego Rivera. We loved all her personal artwork, Tehuana costumes, Columbian jewellery, love letters from Diego (for us romantics) and paintings by Rivera and Marcel Duchamp. (Londres 247, Col. Del Carmen, Coyoacán)