Mexico City Nightlife

Mexico City's nightlife is as lively and varied as everything else the city has to offer. All tastes are catered for, from gentle supper clubs with floorshows and loud, brash nightclubs to ritzy piano bars, rusticantros (or disco-bars) and bars specialising in traditional Mexican music. The chunk of city directly to the east of Chapultepec, formed of La Condesa and La Roma are still very much the places to find the best nightlife in Mexico City. However the Juárez neighbourhood, sandwiched between Avenida Chapultepec and Paseo de la Reforma, is being lauded as the hottest new thing in bohemian circles of late. Honourable mentions also go out to Zona Rosa and Polanco.

Bar-hopping at high altitude can have a dramatic effect on the body, from spells of dizziness and heightened intoxication to bouts of serious nausea. One drink in Mexico City can be the equivalent to two elsewhere in the world - so it pays to proceed with caution. Crime in the capital is another consideration after dark. Pickpockets are rife in crowded nightlife areas where wallets and bags should be well guarded.

Mexico City's rich cultural heritage boasts a colourful artisan tradition, from vibrant pre-Hispanic folk-art to the bold, brave works of the great muralists of the 20th century. A strong legacy of music and literature spans many centuries, styles and genres from hip-hop poets and graffiti maestros to Mexico's classic romantics. Perhaps the most typical Mexican music is themariachi, where roaming groups of trumpeters, violinists, guitarists and a singer peddle their tunes.
For details of what is happening across the capital, pick up Tiempo Libre (www.tiempolibre.com.mx), Mexico City's comprehensive listings guide, published every Thursday. The monthly programme, Guía de Programación, is available free from the Bellas Artes bookshop and tourist offices, while government website Conaculta (www.conaculta.gob.mx) provides an excellent detailed guide to a wide range of cultural events. Ticketmaster (tel: +52 55 5325 9000; www.ticketmaster.com.mx) sells tickets for most major events in Mexico City and publishes the monthly entertainment guide, ¿Qué hacemos? ('What shall we do?').