Aztec stones of the Templo Mayor lie open to the sky a few steps from the Zócalo, where crowds cross the vast square all day. Some 28 km south, the city changes key. Painted trajineras drift along the canals of Xochimilco past floating gardens of flowers, and a boat of musicians pulls alongside to take requests.
Between those two moods sit leafy Roma and Condesa, with dog walkers in tree-lined parks and kitchens that stay busy late. At this altitude the weather stays mild, with dry, sunny winters and springs, then heavy afternoon rains from June to September. A Local Friend knows when to reach a museum at opening time and when to let lunch run into evening.
