Xochimilco, San Ángel & Tlalpan

Xochimilco, San Ángel and Tlalpan lie in the southern boroughs of Mexico City, about 25 km (16 mi) from the center, and take 45 minutes to an hour each way. The usual transit route is the Metro to Tasqueña followed by the Tren Ligero to Xochimilco, while rideshares and taxis are quicker but depend on traffic. Xochimilco preserves canals and chinampas, artificial farming islands built by pre-Hispanic communities of the Valley of Mexico. The main activity is hiring a trajinera, a colorful flat-bottomed boat poled along the waterways, at an embarcadero such as Nuevo Nativitas, often with mariachi and food boats pulling alongside. The Mercado de Xochimilco near the landings sells plants, flowers and prepared food and is worth a walk before or after the boat ride. San Ángel, a former colonial village now within the city, has cobblestone streets, quiet plazas and the Bazaar del Sábado, a Saturday art and crafts market in and around Plaza San Jacinto. The Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo, a pair of functionalist studio-houses, is also in San Ángel. A workable arc is to ride a trajinera on a weekday morning, when the canals are quieter, eat from the market or the boats, then travel to San Ángel for a late lunch, the studio museum and a stroll through the plazas. On Saturdays the bazaar adds a crowded but lively afternoon. Tlalpan, further south, has a leafy historic center with a plaza, a parish church and cafes, and can be added by those with extra time. Weekends turn Xochimilco into a floating party, so the experience is livelier but louder. The area can be visited year-round. Trajineras are rented by the hour per boat, so the price should be agreed with the operator at the embarcadero before boarding, along with the total duration. Food on the water comes from passing boats selling tacos, drinks and snacks, and San Ángel has restaurants around its plazas.