Things to do in West Of Mexico City
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Casart
You’ll find quality arts and crafts in more peaceful surroundings at the state crafts store, Casart. There’s a big range, and the crafts are often top-end pieces from the villages where the craft styles originated. Prices are fixed, and higher than you can get with some haggling in markets; gauge prices and quality here before going elsewhere to buy. Craftspeople, such as basket weavers from San Pedro Actopan, often work in the store.
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A
Ambar
On the upper level of the new Museo Modelo de Ciencias e Industria building, Ambar is laid out in a massive, appropriately industrial space with exposed beams and piping, two-story-high ceilings and sleek wooden furniture. Sports matches are projected on the stark white walls. The food, however, compensates. Dishes like salmon in asparagus sauce, giant shrimp with pistachio salsa, and duck with hibiscus sauce are a delight.
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Museo de Arte Moderno
The Museo de Arte Moderno is the least exciting of the three museums. It traces the development of Mexican art from the late-19th-century Academia de San Carlos to the Nueva Plástica and includes paintings by Tamayo, Orozco and many others, but frankly there's little to be excited about beyond the impressive spherical mural of people fighting against slavery, which makes up part of the building itself.
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La Gloria Chocolatería y Pan 1876
You feel lucky just to be here, and you’ll almost certainly be the only foreign visitor when you are. This wonderful, friendly, family-run snack spot and café serves up a tempting, changing menu of local cuisine, from tacos al pastor (spicy pork tacos) and tortas stuffed with oven-baked pork or shredded chicken bathed in red or green mole poblano.
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Los Placeres
This artsy new restaurant on Malinalco’s zócalo serves international fare (Niçoise salad or chicken curry) alongside creative takes on traditional Mexican, like omelets with poblano sauce, trout with ancho chilies or fondue al tequila. There are elaborate murals, tile mosaic tabletops and the likes of Robert Johnson on the sound system.
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Museo de Antropología e História
The Museo de Antropología e História is the stand-out museum, and presents exhibits on the state's history from prehistoric times to the 20th century, with a good collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts. It also traces pre-Hispanic cultural influences to the modern day in tools, clothing, textiles and religion. Sadly, nearly all the labels are only in Spanish.
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Beto’s
At Beto’s you’ll get the best seafood in town by a long way (the fresh trout is superb), as well as ice-cold beer served with salt on the rim. The friendly owner-chef couple will fuss over you until you’re stuffed and then bring you a beso de ángel (coffee liqueur and condensed milk on ice, dusted with cinnamon) with the check.
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C
La Vaquita Negra del Portal
On the northwest corner of the arcades, smoked hams and huge green-and-red sausages hanging over the deli counter signal first-rate tortas. Try a messy toluqueña (red pork chorizo sausage, white cheese, cream, tomato and salsa verde ), and don’t forget to garnish your heaping sandwich with spicy pickled peppers and onions.
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Cosmovitral Jardín Botánico
Just northeast of Plaza de los Mártires is Plaza Garibay. At the east end of Plaza Garibay stands the unique Cosmovitral Jardín Botánico. Built in 1909 as a market, the building now houses 3500 sq meters of lovely gardens, lit through 48 stained-glass panels by the Tolucan artist Leopoldo Flores.
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El Lobo
This friendly outdoor terrace across from the wharf is a popular local hangout. Try the delicious shrimp empanadas. Choose from three sizes and 10 degrees of hot sauce, and mix several ingredients: shrimp, octopus, oyster, crab and sea snail. The beer is cold, and they also fry up fresh fish fillets a dozen ways.
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Museo de Culturas Populares
The Museo de Culturas Populares has a wonderfully varied collection of México's traditional arts and crafts, with some astounding 'trees of life' from Metepec, whimsical Day of the Dead figures and a fine display of charro gear. There are also mosaics, traditional rugs, a loft and a gift shop.
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Ehécatl
A beautiful space with a gorgeously verdant courtyard, Ehécatl is named after the Aztec god of the wind and rain and is one of Malinalco’s best choices. As well as good breakfasts (M$40 to M$50) and a large range of fresh fish, it also offers a complete list of traditional Mexican cooking.
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Hostería Las Ramblas
On a pedestrian mall, one of Toluca’s best and most atmospheric places to eat and drink (there’s a full bar) serves full breakfasts and a variety of ambrosial antojitos, including sopes (soup) ,mole verde and conejo al ajillo (liberally garlicked rabbit).
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E
Museo Modelo de Ciencias e Industria
The new Museo Modelo de Ciencias e Industria is one of the odder museums you’re likely to encounter in Mexico. Devoted to the corporate history of the Modelo beer company, the museum feels like an edifice for propaganda; it is, however, good for a laugh.
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Mercado Juárez
This gigantic daily Mercado Juárez is behind the bus station. On Friday, villagers swarm in to exchange fruit, flowers, pots, clothes and plastic goods. The market may be colorful, but it’s also chaotic and not a great place to buy local handicrafts.
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Restaurante Paraíso
With fantastic lake views and a huge menu full of seafood specialties and including a large selection of imaginatively cooked trout, this is definitely one of Valle’s better upmarket choices. Reserve a table on the upper terrace to get the best views.
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Restaurant El Puente
Just after the tiny bridge as you leave the zócalo for the ruins, this atmospheric colonial house has two smart dining rooms as well as a great back garden where you can try a selection of antojitos, pastas, soups and steaks.
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Café La Fé
Between the museum and zócalo, this coffee shop and juice bar is a great place for a drink after having scaled the cliffside to visit the Aztec ruins. Everything sold on site is 100% organic, including locally grown coffee beans.
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Plaza de los Mártires
A block north of the Portal Madero, the large, open expanse of Plaza de los Mártires is surrounded by fine old government buildings; the 19th-century cathedral and the 18th-century Templo de la Santa Veracruz are on its south side.
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Centro Cultural Mexiquense
This large cultural center, 4.5km west of the city center, houses three good museums (which all keep the same hours). It’s a worthwhile diversion for visitors interested in local arts and crafts, local archaeology and modern art.
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Museo de Bellas Artes
The ex-convent buildings adjacent to the Templo del Carmen, on the north side of Plaza Garibay, house Toluca’s Museo de Bellas Artes, which exhibits paintings from the colonial period to the early 20th century.
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Koi
With its artful, Asian-inspired touches and creative menu, Koi is an unexpected pleasure. Offerings include pad thai, fish tempura and asparagus teriyaki – all of which are tasty but scarcely resemble their Asian namesakes.
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Aztec Temples
A short but bracing hike up the mountainside above Malinalco takes you to one of the country’s few reasonably well-preserved Aztec temples, from where there are stunning views of the valley and beyond.
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Augustinian Convent
A well-restored 16th-century Augustinian convent, fronted by a tranquil tree-lined yard, faces the central plaza. Impressive frescoes fashioned from herb- and flower-based paint adorn its cloister.
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Portal Madero
The 19th-century Portal Madero, running 250m along Av Hidalgo, is lively, as is the commercial arcade along the pedestrian street to the east, which attracts mariachis after 21:00.
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