The Top Things To See And Do In San Ngel Mexico City

Peaceful and picturesque, San Ángel is a culturally important neighborhood in Mexico City. It houses several art galleries, beautiful churches and artisan markets. Explore the history, culture and colors of this thriving neighborhood with our guide to some of the best attractions in the area.

>> Want to see more than just San Ángel? Check out these tours in Mexico City!

Browse one of Mexico City’s most beautiful bookstores

Building

The Librería Octavio Paz, named for one of Mexico’s most iconic writers, is a branch of the Fondo de Cultura Ecónomica publishing house which can be found just outside of San Ángel, in Chimalistac. Aside from being a great place to pick up some light reading, it’s also one of the singularly most beautiful bookstores in the capital. A modernist masterpiece, the front of the building is encased in sheets of glass that allow you a sneak peek inside. Recommended by Lauren Cocking.

Plaza San Jacinto

Architectural Landmark

City Tour

Plaza San Jacinto marks the heart of San Ángel and is a square well known for having outstanding beauty and bloody history. The square saw the hanging of Irish deserters who, during the Mexican-American War, abandoned the Americans and sided with the Mexicans; a memorial plaque has been placed in the square listing the names of the Irish soldiers. Nowadays this square is home to the Bazaar Sábado, excellent restaurants and many beautiful and historical buildings.

Pay a visit to the Casa Blanca

Less somewhere you need to dedicate half a day to, and more somewhere you can simply wander past and snap a quick picture of, the 17th century Casa Blanca in San Ángel is an entrenched feature of local myth and legend. As the story goes, the wrought-iron balcony you can see from the street was the spot where a local woman grew old and eventually died waiting for her lover to return. A local curiosity that’s worth ten minutes of your time, for sure. Recommended by Lauren Cocking.

Shop for artisanal clothing at Amanoarte

With an aesthetic inspired by traditional indigenous clothing, the pieces at Amanoarte make for a socially conscious and beautifully handcrafted souvenir to pick up in San Ángel. If you’re not a fan of clothing though, you can also pick up some pieces of art. The great thing is that some proceeds of sales in Amanoarte go towards preserving the traditions associated with the clothing and art’s production and helping the indigenous communities they come from. Recommended by Lauren Cocking.

El Bazaar Sábado

Bazaar, Market

It is easy to spend a whole Saturday at El Bazaar Sábado, the lively and upmarket San Ángel bazaar at which the best handicrafts from all over Mexico are available. From fine jewelry and textiles to woodwork and ceramics, this bazaar showcases the skills and styles of the best Mexican artisans. Start the day with a delicious Mexican brunch in the courtyard before heading to the many shops and boutiques clustered together over two floors. Live performers often make appearances, and artists line the streets with their work.

Museo Carrillo Gil

Building, Museum

Mexico City Tours

If you prefer contemporary art, especially when it’s housed inside an architecturally fascinating building, then Museo Carrillo Gil would make for a better San Ángel option. This museum houses some of the best 20th century Mexican artworks from big names like José Clemente Orozco and Diego Rivera among others. Their rotating temporary exhibitions are also not to be sniffed at. Recommended by Lauren Cocking.

Take a class at the Centro Cultural Fertilizando El Esfuerzo

Building

A beautiful and peaceful colonial building, in the same style as that of Museo del Carmen, the Centro Cultural Fertilizando El Esfuerzo offers all manner of classes designed to promote sustainability and social development, from flamenco dancing to gymnastics. The workshops offered here are open to all and usually have a small cost associated with them, they are a great way to meet the locals and try out something new when in San Ángel. If you don’t want to take a class, you can always go there for lunch! Recommended by Lauren Cocking.

Museo Casa del Risco

Museum

Museo Casa del Risco is a mansion from the late 17th century and is one of the prettiest houses facing the square. The museum is home to an excellent collection of 17th- and 18th-century European and colonial Mexican artwork. The house, with the collection of art, was donated by the previous owners, Isidro Fabela and his wife Josephine de Fabela, in 1958.

Templo y Ex-Convento del Carmen

Monastery, Museum

Construction on this monastery began in 1615 and over the years became the place with which the people of San Ángel could identify the most. It has huge gardens, which once contained more than 13,000 fruit-producing trees. The facade and three domes highlight the impressive architectural work, alongside a beautiful bell tower. The temple was turned into a museum in 1955 and now holds a collection of paintings and statues, as well as the mummies of unidentified people.

Borola Café

professional coffee bean roasting machine

If you’re just looking for a place to grab a coffee though, then Borola Café might be more up your street. Tucked away, it isn’t super frequented by visitors but it is well worth stopping by – here they offer a range of coffee blends and brewing methods from Chemex to Aeropress. Overall, this well-recommended spot offers a truly immersive coffee drinking experience, all served up by competent and informed baristas. Recommended by Lauren Cocking.

Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo

Museum, Art Gallery, Historical Landmark

The Museo Casa Estudio offers you the chance to see the art studio of the famous Mexican artist and muralist Diego Rivera as well as some of Frida Kahlo’s work. The exhibition sits inside a building designed by Juan O’Gorman, a friend of Rivera, which is among the first functional architectural projects in Latin America. Although it is a small museum, there is a beautiful intimacy between painter and visitor.

Yunik Helados de Autor

Ice Cream Parlour

Book Food Tour

The sweet tooths amongst you will want to stop by Yunik Helados de Autor as a rite of passage when in San Ángel. Described as a gourmet ice cream parlour, everything from alcoholic delights to savoury scoops can be found here; in fact, they offer a ridiculous 140+ flavours. That’s not all, the presentation of their imaginative desserts and dairy-based treats is pretty impressive too. Recommended by Lauren Cocking.

Mesón Del Carmen

Vermut and croquetas in Sitges, Barcelona

Finally, if you fancy a very Spanish treat whilst you’re in Mexico City, Mesón Del Carmen serves up some of the best in San Ángel. Rivalled only by Churrería El Convento, at Mesón Del Carmen you can stick to the traditional sugary version or go for a churro relleno,one filled with chocolate, caramel or other equally delicious sauces. If all that doesn’t sound sweet enough, you can wash it down with a Spanish inspired mug of hot chocolate. Recommended by Lauren Cocking.

Museo Soumaya Plaza Loreto

Museum

Blurred motion of young woman walking through paintings on the wall in art gallery

Historical Private Tour

The Museo Soumaya Plaza Loreto is the first installment of two Soumaya museums, the second of which is situated in Polanco. The Museo Soumaya Plaza is in a stunning villa-like building from the colonial era and a sight worth witnessing in itself. The museum, founded in 1994, contains Carlos Slim’s art collection and is dedicated to the protection, investigation and exposition of the displayed works. With four viewing rooms, this museum offers the chance to see prized paintings by celebrated European and Mexican artists.

Parroquia San Jacinto

Church

Nature embraces the Parroquia de San Jacinto, with its picturesque green gardens. Bougainvillea leans on a huge tree, while the church invites you to relax and leave the burdens of life behind in this peaceful haven. Dating back to the end of the 16th century, the Parroquia de San Jacinto, with its bright blue facade and volcanic rock structure, has a feeling of austerity as well as beautiful harmony with its past and present.

Stop by one of the city’s only 24-hour flower markets

Market

See Markets

A delightful quirk of life in San Ángel is the presence of one of the city’s (in fact, perhaps the only) 24-hour flower markets. A little down from Plaza San Jacinto, on Avenida Revolución, you can pick up lilies and roses, amongst other pleasantly scented floral treats at all hours of the day or night. Even if you don’t pay a visit on foot, it makes a great place to whiz past at night when all the surrounding area has been plunged into darkness. Recommended by Lauren Cocking

About the author

Paula Zamorano Osorio

Born to Chilean parents in London, but brought up in Buckinghamshire, Paula has benefitted from a multicultural lifestyle. An inexplicable love for even the most complicated grammar motivated her to study French and Russian at the University of Oxford. She had the opportunity of spending most of her year abroad in Yaroslavl’, Russia, but also of travelling around Belgium and France. Although devoted to world literature, there isn’t a moment where you won’t find Paula either listening to or playing music, whether it is rock, metal, classical, South American folk or Latin. This little addiction however does allow time for Paula to enjoy other passions, including fencing and chain-watching detective TV series.