Alameda Central & Monument to the Revolution [CDMX]

We arrived in Mexico City after a week of driving across Mexico and we’re excited to be out of the car once again. We timed our arrival late in the afternoon on Saturday to avoid the worst of the city’s legendary traffic. The following day we went for a long walk. On Sundays, many of the roads in the middle of the city are closed to traffic and pedestrians are encouraged to walk around the emptied streets. These were pandemic times and the city has just exited a fresh lockdown, which means most of the tourist attractions in the city are off-limits.

This was our third time visiting Mexico City together, and we had seen many of the best attractions on our previous trips. We were still disappointed that most things were closed. We understood why, so kept our complaints to ourselves. Tourism in Mexico City was just awakening from its hibernation and many of the incredible museums and attractions we would have loved to explore were still closed. Many businesses and attractions in the center of the city had closed signs or military grade traffic barriers ready to protect the businesses from a riot. It might have been an overkill, but this was our reality on the ground.

We have a dog, and a desire to explore the city on foot. Our first day of “sightseeing” was on a sunday, and we made our way towards the historic center of the city and the Alameda Central, where the famous Palacio de las Bellas Artes is located.

It was eerie at times walking around the normally bustling metropolis.

What makes Alameda Central & Monument to the Revolution so amazing?

These are two of the most famous plaza’s in the heart of Mexico City, and their close proximity to the Historic Center and Bellas Artes means that most tourists visiting Mexico City should include both of these destinations on their itinerary. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much to see here during our recent visit in August. The city has adopted strict measures to counter against the rising cases of Covid and as a result many non-essential activities have been shut down.

Much of the life has been drained from the city, and wandering around on a Sunday (where there are traffic restrictions) only magnified this. We still found many ways to enjoy the city, especially as we spent a lot of time exploring on foot. This is also a good way to appreciate how big the city really is.

Despite all the restrictions, we enjoyed our time in the city. We ended up going for several long walks in the city with out dog, allowing us to explore the city on foot and snap some great pictures.

Where is Alameda Central & the Monument to the Revolution and how do I get there?

Even with most things in the city closed down, there is a still an energy that all big cities have, even during the worst of times. Mexico City can never fully switch completely off, even during lockdown. The city has many famous parks and plazas to explore, which are perfect destinations during the pandemic. Alameda Central & the Monument to the Revolution are two of the can’t miss destinations for first time visitors to Mexico City.

You’re in the heart of Mexico City, so there are many roads, busses and subways that will lead you here. We orientated ourselves with Paseo de Reforma and made our way towards the Bellas Artes, an attraction we have visited before. During out visit, most of this part of the city has been shut down because of Covid, so we didn’t get to explore as much as we would have liked.

The Alameda Central Plaza was pretty quiet, with only a few foot passengers and bikers that passed by us during our walk. The park was built in the 1500s, and is the oldest public park located in the Americas. There are many pathways, fountains and monuments located here.

The Monument of the Revolution was constructed in the early 20th Century, originally to become part of the Legislative Palace, but its construction was disrupted because of the revolution. It was later converted into a monument celebrating this important event, and the heroes of the revolution are located inside the mausoleum.

Alameda Central & Monument to the Revolution [CDMX]