Bosque de Chapultepec, Mexico City

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Chapultepec Park is a great place to visit on weekends. From the hostel that I was staying at behind the cathedral in Zocalo I got on the underground metro and took a quick ride to Chapultepec. On weekends the whole park is very crowded with locals, street vendors, and performers. Besides walking through the park I also visited the famous Museo Anthropologia (one of the national museum next to the Chapultepec Park) and Castillo Maxim. Outside the Museo Anthropologia I was fortunately enough to see something odd flying in the sky. It was some performers performing a traditional ritual which they are suspended by a rope and swings about a central pole as they descend. It was one of the coolest thing I have ever seen. These performer deserved a big tip from me after their performance.

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Bosque de Chapultepec or Chapultepec Park, is a 1,600 acre haven of lakes, centuries old forest and outdoor cafes. It is also home to a zoo, a castle and at least 3 museums including the Museum of Anthropology. It has been a public park since the 16th century when Spanish King Carlos V declared it a national reserve.

We watched boaters on the lake and munched on cheese puffs with chili sauce. The locals love to squirt chili sauce on everything, even popcorn. There were stands that offered munchies that came in all shapes and colors, which were popular among the young folk. The climate couldn't have been more perfect, it was sunny with a crisp cool breeze. The park was abuzz with people but there were also many quiet pockets here and there. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we didn’t notice the time and when we finally reached the Castle, it was too late go in. A reason to come back someday. :)

Not too far from downtown you can find the area called Chapultepec: it's actually a very big forest with a lake in it (where you can rent boats to row in the lake) and with a Zoo park inside too. This is close to a zone called Zona Rosa ("Pink Zone"), full of hotels and restaurants and night clubs, and also to a zone called Polanco where the most luxurious hotels are placed, as well as very nice and old houses.

Within this park there's the Chapultepec Castle, which is REALLY beautiful and was recently refurbished, very worth seeing. Just look at the picture, but be aware that it's much nicer on the inside, of course! It's the place where emperor Maximilian von Habsburg lived during his stay in Mexico and it looks like some of the castles you can find in Europe.

There are lots of museums around this area as well, one of those being the Anthropology Museum, one of our biggest & best ones in town.

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Chapultepec Castle is an amazing place, and a must see on any visit to Mexico City. It sits atop Chapultepec Hill at the end of Paseo de la Reforma Avenue. A centuries-old forest surrounds it and the castle itself houses the Museum of Natural History. The surrounding area has numerous cultural centers, the Museum of Anthropology, amusement parks, and even a zoo.

A visit to the Castle itself is incredible. This used to be the home of Emperor Maximilian of Hapsburg and his wife Carlotta. But the amazing European decorations weren't added until later by the dictator Porfirio Diaz. Don't forget to spend some time looking at the old carriages.

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Chapultepec is a free space in the city. It's divided in three sections and plenty things to visit and do.
There are several museums, like "Chapultepec Castle" - from there you can have a nice view from the city.
Antropology Museum, Natural History Museum, Papalote Museum - A museum for kid.
Also you can enjoy of some restaurantes in the third section (check el Lago restaurant tip) or just enjoy a nice walk.

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This 18th century fairy tale "castle" stands atop a hill in the middle of the Bosque de Chapultepec with stunning views of the city. Previously serving as an imperial residence, the palace is now a museum exhibiting beautiful artwork from Catholic Mexico and preserved living quarters from imperial times. The Castillo is open for visits, but beware, it's a long uphill road to reach the palace. Fortunately, there is a little bus to transport people (for a small fee).

This is the ancient forest from the times of the Aztecs, even longer, that is now preserved as a heritage for Mexicans. I find it hard to see how it could remind locals and visitors alike of the Aztec environment if they were not told of the significance of the area.

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In addition to the Anthropology Museum, there are many more sights to see at Chapultepec Park. This is an enormous public park that includes lakes, monuments, sporting fields, vendors, and vast green spaces for pleasant relaxation. The city's main zoo is located here along with the Modern Art Museum and the Rufino Tamayo Museum. You'll also find the Natural History Museum and technology museum and a children's museum as well as Maximillion's castle on top of Chapultepec Hill and the impressive Ninos Heroes monument that sits below it.

On 6th of july 1923, about 400 years after the destruction of Tenochtitlan, the construction of the Chapultepec Zoo began. For Mexicans, opening a zoological garden does have double significance, as zoos find there place in pre-hispanic Aztec history as well as they open a new door to education and getting to know how to respect mother nature.
The zoo counts with over 2000 animals of 200 species, divided into birds, mammals, amfibios amd reptiles.
The place in the woods of Chapultepec was chosen. Chapultepec means "Hill of the Grasshoppers" in nahuatl, the Aztec language of Mexico.

Many people believe that the Lago de Chapultepec is what remains of old Lago de Texcoco because Chapultepec lies on what used to be its shores, but in fact, this is an artificial lake. It was excavated in early 20th century as part of the remodeling ordered by President Porfirio Diaz. Boats have been available for hire since that time. During the months of February, March and April Swan Lake ballet has been performed on an island of this lake by the National Dance Company for the past 25 years.