Fashionable and upmarket, Polanco is one of
Mexico City‘s most popular neighborhoods. Famous for its shopping and restaurants,
Polanco is also full of culture and history too. We pick the 10 must-dos while you’re in the area.
Plaza Uruguay
Plaza Uruguay is a small wooded park in the middle of Polanco, a relaxing location which is perfect for taking a break from the busy city. Inside the Plaza Uruguay, you can find a bronze statue of General José Artigas, a dignitary of Uruguay. Montevideo donated the statue to the park, thus giving it its name.
Plaza Uruguay, Polanco, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City, Mexico
Polyforum Siqueiros
The Sala de Arte Público Siqueiros is a fascinating display of the artwork by David Alfaro Siqueiros. The 20th Century Mexican artist, who specialized in murals, also created numerous paintings, drawings and graphic works. Before his death in 1974, Siqueiros donated all of his work to the public, opening the doors of the artist’s world to the citizens and tourists of Mexico.
Polyforum Siqueiros, Insurgentes Sur 701, Nápoles, Mexico City, Mexico, +52 55 5536 4520
Soumaya Museum
Museum
Soumaya Museum
The Soumaya Museum contains the Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim’s private collection of art, sculpture and other items. Painters such as Picasso, Renoir, Dali, Van Gogh and many notable Mexican artists feature in the exhibition. The collection of over 66,000 pieces has been split into two buildings due to the sheer quantity of items; one in Plaza Loreto which is itself a stunning piece of modern architecture, and the other in Plaza Carso.
Soumaya Museum, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra 303, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City, Mexico, +52 55 1103 9800
Tianguis
Tianguis is the Aztec name that was given to weekly street markets, and still used today. The idea of a temporary market that sets up either weekly or monthly is one which stretches far back through Mexican history and remains an important part of Mexican culture. Today, tianguis are full of fresh fruit and vegetables, tacos and other Mexican snacks, providing an easy way for tourists to taste the flavors of modern-day Mexico and immerse themselves in an authentic local scene.
Lincoln Park, Emilio Castelar 163, Polanco, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City, Mexico, +52 55 1295 3434
Restaurants
Dining and cuisine is a huge part of Polanco’s image and you can find some of Mexico’s and indeed Latin America’s best restaurants here, such as the renowned Pujol and Quintonil.
Shopping on Avenida Presidente Masaryk
Considered to be Mexico’s Champs-Élysées, Avenida Presidente Masaryk is famous for being one of the most expensive, yet most popular, shopping streets in the country. It is the cosmopolitan vibe of this boulevard that has helped Polanco to cement its reputation as an upmarket area. A wander down the avenue is a chance to buy all the top Mexican and international brands, albeit at a price.
Avenida Presidente Masaryk, Emilio Castelar, Polanco, Mexico City, Mexico
Teatro Telcel
This sophisticated and stylish theater is Polanco’s newest addition to its creative scene, supporting the arts and culture in all its forms. Six floors underground you’ll find the best-equipped auditorium in Latin America, with an advanced sound system so that everything on stage can be heard from any point in the audience as if it were only six meters away. With its platforms and terraces, the theater’s architecture is reminiscent of the ancient Aztec temples.
Teatro Telcel, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City, Mexico, +52 55 5207 1498
The Rufino Tamayo Gallery
The Rufino Tamayo Gallery offers contemporary art within the Bosque de Chapultepec. Its founder, Rufino Tamayo, a Mexican artist himself, opened the museum in 1981 to display the great works of modern artists such as Picasso and Fernand Léger. This gallery was the first of its kind to be built with private funds in Mexico, and is now operated by the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes.
Museo Rufino Tamayo, Paseo de la Reforma 51, Bosque de Chapultepec, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City, Mexico, +52 55 4122 8200
