A Spotlight on Coyoacán, Mexico City’s Hidden Gem
Mexico City is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, home to over 300 distinct neighborhoods with rich histories. Coyoacán is one such neighborhood, a vibrant memoir of the city’s bohemian past and present.
But despite the city’s size, most CDMX tourists typically stay within the confines of Roma, Condesa, Polanco and El Centro – only venturing to the likes of Coyoacán for a quick visit to the Frida Kahlo Museum. As I discovered though, there are so many secrets and treasures worth exploring in this vastly under-appreciated neighborhood. Discover all I found below as I shine A Spotlight on Coyoacán, Mexico City’s Hidden Gem.
Skip to my Coyoacán Mini Guide here.
A Walking Tour Itinerary
Jardín Centenario and Colonial Architecture
I began my visit of Coyoacán at Fuente de los Coyotes, a fountain with two bronze coyote statues in the middle of Jardín Centenario. It was an early Sunday morning, so the park was relatively quiet, wit the surrounding restaurants only just being set up for the day.
Wanting to explore while the quiet lasted, I took off toward the 16th century Parroquia San Juan Bautista before turning left toward Plaza Jardín Centenario.
From a kiosk in the center of the plaza, I looked on at the colonial architecture that completely surrounded the park.
The nearby Old City Hall Palace, which is popularly believed to be the former home of Hernán Cortés, was painted a vibrant red.
Continuing on, I took toward Higuera Road – getting a bit off the beaten path from the more typical sites of Coyoacán. The street was calm, being an early Sunday morning, lined with cobblestone sidewalks and bright storefronts.
Casa de La Malinche
Near the end of the street, I arrived at Casa de La Malinche. There are at least two spots with this name in the CDMX, one in El Centro and the other here in Coyoacán.
The red adobe building that I had just stumbled upon was originally built by Cortés for La Malinche, or Malintzin, who was Cortés’ interpreter and, later, wife. Both lived in the home while construction of a new city took place over the ruins of Tenochtitlán (now El Centro).
Plaza and Iglesia De La Conchita
From Casa de La Malinche, I ventured into the neighboring Plaza De La Conchita, another calm neighborhood park.
Like Jardín Centenario, Plaza De La Conchita was charming with its beautiful greenery separated by brick walkways and lined with colorful old buildings.
At the center of the park stood a mysterious old Baroque chapel, Capilla de la Conchita. The intricately detailed façade was absolutely spellbinding and later learned that the chapel is believed to be the first European church building in all of Mexico!
Colorful Homes and Vintage Cars
I circled the church until I found myself edging closer to the back left side of the park I had spotted a bright cluster of homes and let my eyes guide me to that spot.
Sky blue and golden yellow paint occupied me until I caught side of a vintage red VW bug parked alongside the plaza. I’m normally not one for cars, but I do love the occasional vintage sighting – and this one was stunning!
The Frida Kahlo Museum
Next up, I made my way to Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s former home turned museum.
Address: Londres 247, Del Carmen, Coyoacán, 04100 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Being a can’t miss CDMX attraction, the Frida Kahlo Museum was a spot that had been on my radar for some time. And good thing too – the Museum is quite popular, so much so that I strongly recommend buying tickets in advance! Tickets are only available online and tend to sell out quickly.
The first part of the museum contained a large collection of Frida’s paintings and family photographs, along with a few works from Diego Rivera. Being able to see her Viva la Vida painting up close felt like a dream!
Next up I visited Frida’s former living quarters, followed by her garden and then a special exhibit from Vogue.
At the Vogue exhibit, I gushed over Frida’s wardrobe and jewelry! Seeing historic clothing and vintage furniture has always been the best part of museums for me. I feel like I get a much stronger sense of how someone lived, what the conditions were like, what they loved and valued.
Mini Guide
Overall, my visit to Coyoacán was quite a treat! One that I hope to indulge in even more on my next visit to Mexico City. See below for my mini guide on all things Coyoacán:
Where To Go
Frida Kahlo Museum – The former home turned museum of famous Mexican Arists, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera
Fuente de los Coyotes – Fountain with a bronze sculpture of coyotes in the center of Jardín Centenario
Parroquia San Juan Bautista – 16th Century Spanish Church
Old City Hall Palace – Rumored to be the former home of Hernán Cortés
Casa de La Malinche – A home that Hernán Cortés built for his interpreter and eventual wife, La Malinche
Plaza De La Conchita – Beautiful and quiet park. Less touristy than Jardín Centenario.
Capilla De La Conchita – Believed to be the oldest European Chapel in Mexico!
Residential Streets around Higuera Road and Jardín Centenario– For Colorful Houses!
Where To Eat
- Located next to Jardín Centenario
- Located inside Mercado de Coyoacán
- Located on the other side of Jardín Centenario
