2 Best things to see & do in Mexico City

This ancient city, just north of Mexico City, was once the largest in the Americas, home to over 125,000 people at its peak. It flourished between the 1st and 6th centuries CE, when it became a major cultural and economic centre, influencing various cultures across Mesoamerica.

Despite its status today as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, much about the city’s origins, its inhabitants, and the reasons for its decline remains a mystery. It was seemingly sacked and burned by its own population in AD 550.

All that mystery, along with impressive architecture, makes Teotihuacan a fascinating archaeological and cultural site. The highlights are the two stand-out pyramids, the ‘Pyramid of the Sun’ and the ‘Pyramid of the Moon’, connected by the ‘Avenue of the Dead’ – a central thoroughfare lined with important structures.

Taking a hot-air balloon ride over Teotihuacan offers a breathtaking and unique perspective of the scale and magnificence of this extensive Mesoamerican site that you simply don’t get from the ground (though, of course, also visit on foot if you have the time).

Floating over the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon – and the so-called Avenue of the Dead – all bathed below in the soft light of dawn, is both serene and surreal. With nothing other than the occasional whoosh of the burner to distract you, it’s the perfect vantage point to contemplate the mysteries of this ancient civilisation, and to marvel at its architectural legacy.

Also, see travel blogger Cathys’ more detailed account on her blog post here.