3. Polanco, Anthropology and Chapultepec Park
If you have at least a day in Mexico City, you must visit the Museum of Anthropology. This monumental museum exhibits the best of the Aztec and other pre-Hispanic civilizations. It is on the border of the Polanco neighborhood and Chapultepec Park, along Reforma.
The Aztec “Calendar Stone” (Piedra del Sol) at the Museum of Anthropology
Aztec sculpture in the Mexica hall of the Museum of Anthropology
Polanco is the Upper West Side of Mexico City, affluent with the city’s most upscale shopping, restaurants, and apartments, although 1950s “California colonial” style houses and mansions remain on the side streets.
Chapultepec Park
Chapultepec Park is bigger and better than it’s ever been. The second and third sections, west across the Periférico, were rebuilt and joined to the first. The first section is closed on Mondays.
Map key: 1Niños Héroes monument · 2Chapultepec Castle · 3Museum of Modern Art · 4Rufino Tamayo Museum · 5Museum of Anthropology · 6Starbucks with the swings · 7Los Pinos · 8Cablebús Los Pinos/Constituyentes station · 9Calzada Flotante · 10LagoAlgo · 11Aztlán
1Enter Chapultepec Park from Reforma next to the BBVA Tower, through grand gates and a bridge. Pay respects at the Niños Héroes monument; the “boy heroes” attempted to defend the castle from the invading Americans. (Yes!)
2Chapultepec Castle (Tue–Sun 9 AM – 5 PM · 210 pesos / ~11 USD), built for a Spanish viceroy, later home to the French-imposed emperor Maximilian, and now the National Museum of History
4Rufino Tamayo Museum (Tue–Sun 10 AM – 6 PM · 95 pesos / ~5 USD, free Sundays; closed until 9 November 2026), rivaling MUAC as the city’s best contemporary art museum (also on Dua Lipa’s list)
3Museum of Modern Art (Tue–Sun 10:15 AM – 5:45 PM · 95 pesos / ~5 USD), small but sometimes good exhibits
5Museum of Anthropology (Tue–Sun 9 AM – 6 PM · 210 pesos / ~11 USD), as mentioned above. Outside on Reforma the Voladores de Papantla spin down from a tall pole on ropes several times a day. They live on tips, so give something
6Starbucks at the park entrance on Reforma, across from the Museum of Anthropology. It’s open-air, under the trees, and the seats are swings. Closed Mondays
7Los Pinos, the presidential residence until 2018. Now it’s a free museum (Complejo Cultural Los Pinos) and you can walk through the presidents’ houses and gardens. Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM – 6 PM
8The Cablebús Line 3 station Los Pinos/Constituyentes is next to Gate 1 of Los Pinos and Metro Constituyentes; the cable car goes over the second and third sections to Santa Fe (see Cable Car, Train and Santa Fe
9Calzada Flotante, Gabriel Orozco’s footbridge over the Periférico, between the first and second sections. The red line on the map is the walk from Los Pinos over the bridge to Aztlán, about 1.1 km
10LagoAlgo – Lago Mayor, 2nd section – this is the old Restaurante del Lago, a 1964 modernist building on the lake. It’s been restored as a restaurant (LAGO) and an art space (ALGO). Free entry
11Aztlán, a new amusement park in the second section with an 85-meter Ferris wheel and great views from the top. Free entry, pay per ride. Closed Mondays
Cineteca Chapultepec, the new national film center in the fourth section, with eight screens and gardens
Casa Luis Barragán (Dua Lipa’s list) – General Francisco Ramírez 12, Tacubaya, just south of Chapultepec – the house and studio of architect Luis Barragán, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Guided visits only; book online well ahead (12 and up)
Chapultepec Park and the castle from above
Polanco walking tour
Walking tour: about 3.1 km (2 miles) or 40 minutes of walking without stops, starting at Polanquito and Lincoln Park, then Pasaje Polanco, Avenida Masaryk, Palacio de Hierro, Antara, Museo Soumaya, Museo Jumex and City Market at Plaza Carso.
Map key: 1Polanquito & Lincoln Park · 2Pasaje Polanco · 3Avenida Masaryk · 4Palacio de Hierro · 5Antara & Casa Palacio · 6Museo Soumaya · 7Museo Jumex · 8City Market
1. Polanquito and Lincoln Park
Start at Polanquito, a few blocks of sidewalk restaurants on Oscar Wilde, Virgilio, Julio Verne and Emilio Castelar streets. I like Nobu and Spuntino.
2. Pasaje Polanco
Pasaje Polanco is a little open-air arcade of shops in “California colonial” style. It has an excellent crafts shop.
3. Avenida Masaryk
Avenida Masaryk is the city’s Rodeo Drive. The big global brands are mostly between Polanquito and Avenida Moliere.
4. Palacio de Hierro
Palacio de Hierro has its flagship store here, the largest department store in Latin America. Are you in Paris?
5. Antara and Casa Palacio
Antara open air high-end shopping mall. The Casa Palacio home store may be the most gorgeous one you’ll ever see, anywhere.
6. Museo Soumaya
Museo Soumaya (daily 10:30 AM – 6:30 PM, free) houses Carlos Slim’s personal art collection. Many Rodin sculptures and some impressionists, but in the end somehow not world-class.
7. Museo Jumex
Museo Jumex (Tue–Sun 10 AM – 5 PM, Sat to 7 PM, free) has the contemporary art collection of a juice family. Some of it is so cutting edge that it’s hard to “get”, even for us cosmopolitan types.
8. City Market at Plaza Carso
Plaza Carso is a more functional mall across the street from Antara to the north – visit City Market, a huge supermarket and food hall, and you’ll see just how much money some people in this city have.
Walking tour photos from Wikimedia Commons: randreu (CC BY 3.0), Isador (CC BY-SA 4.0), Joaogabriel (CC BY-SA 3.0), JavierDo (CC BY-SA 3.0), Raystormxc (CC BY-SA 3.0), Fundación Jumex (CC BY 4.0), Gzzz (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Where to eat in Polanco & Lomas
Places recognized by outside guides are marked in brackets – see the key.
My favorites in Polanco
There are a few “top” fancy places in Polanco that always make the lists. Not usually our style, but fun for seeing the Mexico City elite, and the food is genuinely outstanding.
12Pujol · website · Michelin 2 stars · 50 Best #51 · Dua Lipa’s list
Very, very hard to get into.
13Quintonil · Isaac Newton 55 · website · Michelin 2 stars · 50 Best #7
17Spuntino · Emilio Castelar 95, on Lincoln Park
Only if you’re in Polanco or at the Anthropology Museum and want an Argentinian steakhouse with bistro tables on Lincoln Park. Not a must; many other good places line the north side of the park.
11Nobu · Anatole France 74 · website
Also on the park, at less than half of US prices.
Polanquito is the pedestrian-friendly area around Oscar Wilde, Virgilio and Julio Verne streets, full of restaurants with outdoor seating.
Restaurants
1Aúna · Anatole France 139 · Time Out
Casual farm-to-table café-restaurant.
2Comedor Jacinta · Virgilio 40 · website · Michelin Bib Gourmand
Edgar Núñez’s casual Mexican home-style classics.
3Entremar · Hegel 307 · website · Michelin selected
Gabriela Cámara’s Polanco seafood place, sister to Contramar.
4Er Rre un Bistró · Polanco 8 · Michelin selected
Small classic French bistro.
5Gruta Ehden · Lope de Vega 334
Lebanese.
6Guzina Oaxaca · Masaryk 513 · Michelin selected
Alejandro Ruiz’s Oaxacan cooking; moles and tlayudas.
7La Barra de Fran · Emilio Castelar 185 · website · Michelin selected
Spanish tapas.
8Lampuga · Anatole France 78 · website
Upscale seafood bistro.
9Malix · Isaac Newton 104 · Michelin selected
Bistro with Yucatán touches.
10Matsuba · Moliere 63 · Instagram · Time Out
Thirteen-seat sushi bar, omakase.
11Nobu · Anatole France 74 · website
At less than half of US prices.
12Pujol · website · Michelin 2 stars · 50 Best #51 · Dua Lipa’s list
Tennyson 133 – Enrique Olvera’s tasting menu and famous mole madre; very very hard to get into.
13Quintonil · Isaac Newton 55 · website · Michelin 2 stars · 50 Best #7
Jorge Vallejo’s tasting menu of native produce.
14Raíz · Schiller 331 · Michelin Bib Gourmand
Contemporary Mexican set menu at moderate prices.
15Siembra Comedor · Ejército Nacional 314 · website · Time Out
Heirloom-corn antojitos, escamoles sope.
16Siembra Taquería · Isaac Newton 256 · website · Michelin Bib Gourmand
Heirloom-corn tacos and masa dishes.
17Spuntino · Emilio Castelar 95, on Lincoln Park
Argentinian grill as good as the best in Buenos Aires; excellent steaks and homemade pastas.
Also in Lomas (not on the map)
Carmela y Sal · Torre Virreyes, Pedregal 24, Lomas · website · Michelin selected
Gaby Ruiz’s Tabasco-inspired cooking.
La Once Mil · Monte Everest 780, Lomas · Instagram · Michelin 1 star
Small taco counter with house-ground tortillas and prime cuts.