Mexico City’s Aztec Origins: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. This self-guided audio tour starts in front of the Monument to the Mexican National Identity. On this walking tour, I’ll not only guide you in the right direction. I’ll also reveal the ways in which the buried city still impacts the modern one.

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2. Walk south Mexico City's Zocalo to find the most visited archaeological site in Mexico: a tiny round temple dedicated to Ehecatl, the god of wind, located inside a metro station.

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3. You’ll head into the city center where you can visit iconic sites like the ruins of Tenochtitlan’s Templo Mayor (the main temple). I’ll tell you about the most recent Aztec archaeological discoveries like the Tzompantli (the macabre skull rack) located behind Mexico City’s Metropolitan Cathedral.

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4. We'll explore Templo Mayor ruins from outside, where I'll tell you the story of its fortuitous discovery. Entry to the Museum is not included in this tour.

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5. Enter Centro Cultural España and discover the remains of what used to be an exclusive Aztec school for future priests and governors.

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6. Be surprised by the ancient remains in unexpected places like the ball game court, the Tzacualli Ehécatl (the temple of Ehécatl) and the beautiful Cabeza de Serpiente Mexica (serpent head) at Museo de la Ciudad (the city museum)

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7. As you stroll through Zócalo, the city’s beautiful main square, and iconic 5 de Mayo street, you’ll gain a better understanding of Mexico City’s transformation. I’ll tell you about everything from the astonishing Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, to the Spanish Conquest, and the modern capital it is today.

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8. Walk around the Historic Center of Mexico City, as I point out to you buildings that hide important archaeological Aztec sites, like the macabre Huey Tzompantli on Guatemala Street. Many of these are not open to the public yet.

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9. Stop outside this museum to appreciate how the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan emerges discreetly on the front of colonial buildings. Admission to the Museum is not included in this tour.

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10. Be surprised by the ancient remains in unexpected places like the ball game court, the Tzacualli Ehécatl (the temple of Ehécatl) and the beautiful Cabeza de Serpiente Mexica (serpent head) at Museo de la Ciudad (the city museum)

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11. By the end of this 1.5-2 hour tour, you’ll have a sense of how the ancient Aztec city of Tenochtitlan is still alive, emerging from the underground, and transforming the history of Mexico with every new discovery.

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Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Know before you go

How it compares in Mexico City

• Its from-price is 86% below the median of the 2360 experiences we list in Mexico City.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Mexico City

Mexico City is a vast, high-altitude capital built over the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, rich in museums, murals, markets and outstanding food.

The Zócalo, one of the largest squares in the world, is framed by the Metropolitan Cathedral and the National Palace, where Diego Rivera's murals tell the story of Mexico. Beside them, the excavated Templo Mayor reveals the heart of the Aztec capital, and the Palacio de Bellas Artes, with its marble exterior and Art Deco interior, stands a short walk west.

Top-ranked sights in Mexico City: Teotihuacán, Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Frida Kahlo Museum (Museo Frida Kahlo).

See all 2360 experiences in Mexico City