After breakfast, our guide will pick you up from the hotel and take you to the
National Museum of Anthropology, which presents a comprehensive history of the rise and fall of ancient Indian civilizations and the culture and life of the peoples of Mexico before the arrival of Europeans. Navigate through its vast halls with numerous treasures, and encounter the unmissable Stone of the Sun (or Aztec Calendar Stone). Weighing 24 tons and 3.6 meters in diameter, this disc stone with exquisite artistic carvings conveys the unique Mexican cosmology and serves as a national symbol. Once a monument dedicated by the Aztecs to the sun god, it originally adorned the walls of the Templo Mayor. The arrival of the Spanish destroyed the temple, but the stone miraculously survived.
What secrets does it hold? Let our knowledgeable guide decipher the patterns and symbols of the Aztec calendar carved on the stone. See the face of Tonatiuh, the Mexican sun god of the 5th erea, gazing outwards from the center of the stone, surrounded by patterns of wind, tiger, fire, and water, representing the four past eras. The outer circle, divided into 20 day grids with images of crocodiles, wind, and rain. This is in accordance with the Aztec solar calendar, which divides a year into 18 months of 20 days each, totaling 360 days. Five non-named days represented by blank spaces bring the total to 365, very close to our modern calendar. What a miracle that people thousands of years ago could accurately track the celestial movements and the laws of nature!
► Go for a Xochimilco Lake boat tour instead when the Museum of Anthropology is closed on Monday.
Mexico City has every turn unveiling a new wonder. Next, head to
Coyoacan to visit the
Frida Kahlo Museum, also known as the Blue House, to learn about the life and art of the famous Mexican female painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954). Stepping into the cobalt-hued house where Kahlo was born and died, and where she spent most of her life, you'll get a real sense of her brilliant but tragic fate. Born with a beautiful face, she suffered fatal illnesses and frustration - Carol suffered from childhood polio, and was unfortunately disabled in a car accident at the age of 18. Despite challenges, she found solace in painting while bedridden, revealing an astonishing talent. Soon after, she met the love of her life, the renowned artist Diego Rivera, who later became her husband. Rivera guided her painting and introduced her to the world of American art, propelling Kahlo onto the international stage. Her self-portraits with unibrows were praised by Picasso as unforgettable. Kahlo’s work primarily focused on self-portraits, lonely and fragmented, a subject she was most familiar with. Huge fame could not reduce her pain. Kahlo’s marriage, divorce, and entanglements with Rivera, had greatly influenced her emotions. Admire the paintings, personal belongings and collections of Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera in the museum, and experience the passionate intensity of Kahlo’s work, where Mexican culture meets her personal struggles.
► Fee for photography in the museum is generously included.
► If it falls on a Monday when the Frida Kahlo Museum is closed, see the exterior and visit the nearby Coyoacan Market instead.
In the afternoon, let’s return to the historic center of the Old City and step around the bustling
Zocalo (Plaza de la Constitución) and its circle of colonial architectural marvels, such as the
Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana de la Ciudad de México),
Templo Mayor Museum (exterior), and National Palace (Palacio Nacional). In the
National Palace, you can see the monumental murals depicting the history of Mexico completed by Diego Rivera between 1929 and 1935. Our guide can escort you back to the hotel, just a 3-minute walk away, or you can stay here longer on your own. The costumed performances and exorcism cultural rituals on the square are intriguing.
► Visit the nearby Estanquillo Museum (Museo del Estanquillo) instead when the National Palace is closed on Monday.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Zocalo Central, Mexico City (4 stars) or similar
