Mexico City's Neighborhoods, Broken Down

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Mexico City is the largest and most populous city in North America. That's right - more people live there than in New York or Los Angeles or Chicago. It is simply a ginormous city. A city home to so many people is bound to have interesting pockets of culture, cuisine, architecture and history. There are countless neighborhoods in Mexico City, but here are the top five must-see neighborhoods and their accompanying need-to-know attributes.

Centro

Mexico City Center is clearly the most important neighborhood in the city. It houses the National Palace, where the government of Mexico has been run for hundreds of years, and is also home to a thriving business center with some of the tallest skyscrapers in the city. The main plaza, or Zocalo, is reminiscent of Russia's Red Square in Moscow. It is a vast space where people can gather to see politicians make speeches and address the nation. In fact, the Zocalo can hold over 100,000 people!

Polanco

The Polanco District of Mexico City is very high-end and beautiful. It is worth visiting this picturesque neighborhood to get a sense of how Mexican celebrities, politicians and businessmen live. This neighborhood is home to some of the most expensive homes in all of Latin America. Since the great earthquake of 1985, many embassies have been rebuilt in the Polanco District, making it a very international neighborhood. Polanco is also well-known as a Jewish neighborhood in Mexico City.

Related: Most Romantic Hotels In Mexico City

Condesa

Condesa is one of the most southwest neighborhoods of Mexico City proper. It is known as the young, hip area and is a popular place for young professionals to live and go out. It is a beautiful residential neighborhood, with lush green gardens, but there are plenty of activities for tourists in the area - especially in the evening. The area has some of the most trendy and cool restaurants in town and is also home to a thriving bar scene. The neighborhood also has some lovely parks for those who are there in the day time.

Zona Rosa

Before the 1985 earthquake, Zona Rosa was home to many of the embassies and political offices of Mexico City, but since many of these were rebuilt in other cities, Zona Rosa has transformed greatly over the past 30 years. It has become the city's beloved LGBTQ-friendly neighborhood, with great shopping and nightlife. This area is absolutely bustling and has hundreds of fantastic restaurants - especially Korean restaurants since many Korean immigrants have moved to the neighborhood within the last decade.

Xochimilco

Xochimilco is a great place to start when learning about Mexican history. This portion of the city is home to many pre-colonial landmarks, but also has a great deal of colonial architecture, including beautiful old churches and the neighborhood's famous canal system. This is where tourists love to check out the colorful chinampas boats. This area has been mostly residential for a long time and is culturally unique from the rest of the city so it is an interesting place to explore and learn the deep, tumultuous history of Mexico as a whole.

Related: Best Markets To Shop In Mexico City

Cameron Bruns is the founder of BostonGreenBlog.com and co-author of Just Us Gals Boston. She lives in Boston's North End, where her goal is to promote ethical, stylish, and sustainable lifestyle choices to all Boston residents. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.