Zócalo, Mexico City - all you need to know

The Zócalo is the historical and symbolic centre of Mexico City.

It is around it that you will find the city's most important monuments, including the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Templo Mayor and the National Palace.

If it's your first time in Mexico City, you'll most likely pass through here at least once.

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Why is the plaza called the Zócalo?

The official name of the square is Plaza de la Constitución, but hardly anyone uses it.

The nickname Zócalo originated in the 19th century when a large monument was to stand here. In the end, only its stone base was built - zócalo in Spanish.

The monument itself was never built, but the townspeople started calling the whole square Zócalo. The name gradually spread so much that today Mexicans refer to the main square in many other cities as such.

So if you hear the phrase "meet me at the Zócalo" while travelling in Mexico, it is usually the central square of that city.

What you'll see here

one of the largest urban squares in the world
a giant Mexican flag in the middle of the square
The Metropolitan Cathedral
The National Palace (now a museum)
the archaeological site of Templo Mayor
the historic centre of Mexico City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The plaza itself is relatively simple and open. Rather, the main reason to visit are the important monuments in its immediate surroundings.

Zócalo Square, Palacio Nacional

Zócalo Square

Our tip

We visited the square several times during different parts of the day and liked it best in the morning. It is significantly less crowded than in the afternoon and the historic centre feels much quieter.

If you only have one day in Mexico City, the Zócalo is the best place to start.

Practical information

The plaza is open 24 hours a day and admission is free.

The nearest metro station (blue line 2) Zócalo/Tenochtitlan is directly below the square.

It takes about 15 to 30 minutes to reach the square itself, but you can easily spend half a day here with a visit to the surrounding sights.

Is it worth staying in the square? Is it safe here?

That depends on the situation and what you're planning to do in Mexico City.

We stayed here the first 3 nights because we had a trip planned to the Tolantongo pools that had a boarding point right in the center.

The historic center of Mexico City is generally relatively safe, but due to the huge concentration of people there is a lot of pickpocketing and a huge amount of homelessness.

After dark (around 9:30pm), the plaza and surrounding area completely empties out, giving it a rather strange feel.

However, if you want to stay in the historical part, accommodation right on the square is a good choice. I would recommend these hotels: