There's a vast amount going on in Mexico City, which is the
nation's cultural and social centre as much as its political
capital. Dedicated bars are dotted all over the city and
range from dirt-cheap dives to the classy cigar bars of the swanky
hotels, but there's little in the way of comfortable moderately
priced bars. The bottom rung is occupied by pulquerías and
cantinas , from where it is a major step up to hotel
bars (most of which are in the centre) or to the established
night spots in well-touristed enclaves.
A lot of the obvious nightlife , especially in the larger
hotels, is rather tame in its attempt to be sophisticated, but in
recent years the live music scene has broadened appreciably.
Finding what you want can still be hit and miss, a process full of
disappointments but with occasional delights. Sometimes the
genuinely appealing stuff is tucked away in less visited parts of
the city, but by assiduous trawling of the listings magazines and
following our recommendations, there's no shortage of diverting
stuff to do in tried and tested areas. Rock and Latin music are
common with US chart music and Europop filling in around that, but
you'll also come across Cuban grooves, deep trance beats and even
live jazz. Many of the best venues are to be found in the south,
towards Coyoacán and San Ángel, but the Zona Rosa and Condesa are
also good stomping grounds, and if you want to hang with the
beautiful people there are several classy joints in Polanco.
Two attractions stand out from the crowd and shouldn't be
missed: the mariachi music in the Plaza Garibaldi , a
thoroughly Mexican experience; and to a lesser extent, the
Ballet Folklórico , which is unashamedly aimed at tourists
but has an enduring appeal, too, for Mexicans.
While Mexican theatre tends to be rather turgid, there
are often excellent classical music concerts and
performances of opera or ballet by touring companies.
Bellas Artes and the Auditorio Nacional are the main venues, but
other downtown theatres as well as the Polyforum and the Teatro de
los Insurgentes may also have interesting shows. On most Sundays,
there's a free concert in Chapultepec Park near the lake.
Cinemas are scattered all over the city, though there are
very few within easy walking distance of anywhere you are likely to
be staying. We've mentioned several in "Listings": some are in the
Zona Rosa, but the greatest concentration is along Insurgentes
where there are at least ten multiplexes. Most show all the latest
releases, usually very soon after release in the US and typically
in their original language with subtitles, though occasionally they
are dubbed. If you go to the cinema arrive early, as popular
screenings frequently sell out.
Listings for current cinema, theatre and other cultural
events can be found in the English-language daily The News ,
and more fully in local newspapers in Spanish, or you could try the
weekly magazine Tiempo Libre ( www.tiempolibre.com.mx
), found at most newspaper stands.