Mexico City – Hold Your Breath
At the airport you can pick up the key for your hire car. Our first tip. Leave the car in the garage. Take the subway or a taxi into the city and with the hire car at most, drive far around it. Mexico City is a shock. 25 million people crowd the streets. Add to that more than three million cars. The thin air at high altitude, Mexico is located at 2,240 meters above sea level, combined with the perpetual smog, ensures that many a newcomer gets health problems. So take your city stroll slowly.
Perhaps visit one of the city’s parks first, such as Parque Alameda in the center of town. Once you’ve acclimatized a bit, it’s time to take in Mexico City. Visit the Palacio Nacional, the seat of the President, or have your first encounter with the Aztec culture at the Templo Mayor. There are endless things to discover in Mexico City. But the flâneur who doesn’t just tick off the sights will experience the most. Let yourself drift, enjoy life, sit down at a café or enjoy the fiery Mexican cuisine during a visit to a restaurant. This is the best way to get a taste of the country’s lifestyle.
The journey begins
Mexico City is now behind you and you board your hire car. Maybe you are lucky and get a classic VW Beetle, which was still built in Mexico until a few years ago. At the airport, the real road trip begins.
From the highlands, you’ll head to the coast. Acapulco is the next destination. Acapulco attracts with dreamlike beaches and is not called the pearl of the Caribbean for nothing. At the same time, Acapulco is also a city with 1.5 million inhabitants. So the tourist can expect countless restaurants, a lot of beach fun and also a nightlife that is worth seeing. A tourist must is a visit to the rock jumpers of Acapulco. Young men throw themselves from 35 meter high cliffs into the sea. Many rocks are waiting at the bottom. A small mistake during the jump can be fatal.
The past catches up with you
Now leave the holiday El Dorado behind and immerse yourself in Mexico’s past. In Oaxaca the last destination of this road trip, the colonial heritage comes to life. The downtown area is protected as a historic monument and is reminiscent of Spain in olden times.
Enjoy the relaxation after the exciting metropolises of Mexico City and Acapulco. And book a special hotel. The Camino Real is one of the most beautiful hotels in Mexico and takes guests back to a bygone era. Formerly a convent, this hostel is now known for elegance and a very special atmosphere.
Mexican cultural property
Near Oaxaca are several historic sites worth visiting. Monte Albán, about 12 km from Oaxaca, was the capital of the Zapotecs. The site has been considered settled since the 8th century BC. In 1987, it was included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Also worth visiting is Mitla, about 44 km from Oaxaca. 200 after Christ the oldest still existing buildings were built. Archaeologists assume, however, that the place was already inhabited in 500 BC. Especially the ornaments on the palace walls inspire culture enthusiasts from all over the world.
This road trip ends here. But the fascinating Mexico has infinitely more to offer.