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CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE

Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco 2

Plan this ride

Recorded distance
68 km
Riding-time estimate
1 h 34
Journey
Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis

Ordered leg totals agree within rounding. Stop distances are approximate sums of rounded legs. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.

Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.

Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.

Open this ride in CurveScout

Why this ride

From Mexico City it runs 68 km to Mexico City; allow about 1 h 34 of riding. On the way it passes Central University City Campus of the Univ, Xochimilco 2 and back through Central University City Campus of the Univ. The stored terrain estimate reaches about 2,800 m; a measured road-elevation profile is not available.

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

  1. 1. Historic Centre of Mexico City

    The Zócalo, the vast main square of Mexico City, is one of the largest public squares in the world, and standing in it you are at the centre of over seven hundred years of history. This was the heart of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital, built on an island in Lake Texcoco and home to perhaps two hundred thousand people when the Spanish arrived in 1519. After the conquest, Hernán Cortés's men built their new city directly on top of the ruins, using the stones of the temples to construct churches and palaces. The historic centre, together with the canals of Xochimilco to the south, was listed by UNESCO in 1987.

    Read the complete Historic Centre of Mexico City write-up.

    Recorded stop-planning note

    May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

    Planning note

    Historic Centre of Mexico City is where the day begins. Next is Central University City Campus of the Univ.

  2. 2. Central University City Campus of the Univ

    The main campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, known as Ciudad Universitaria, is one of the great architectural achievements of the twentieth century. Built between 1949 and 1952 on a field of lava from the ancient eruption of the Xitle volcano, in the south of Mexico City, it brought together dozens of architects, engineers and artists to create a modern campus that would blend international modernism with Mexican traditions. Its most famous building is the Central Library, a tall block covered entirely in a mosaic by Juan O'Gorman, depicting the history of Mexico from pre-Hispanic times to the modern era. UNESCO listed the campus in 2007.

    Read the complete Central University City Campus of the Univ write-up.

    Recorded stop-planning note

    May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

    Planning note

    Central University City Campus of the Univ comes up about 16 km into the recorded legs. Next is Xochimilco 2.

  3. 3. Xochimilco 2

    Before the Spanish arrived, the Valley of Mexico was a land of lakes, and the people who lived around them developed an ingenious way to farm the water. They built chinampas, artificial islands of mud and vegetation anchored by willow trees, separated by canals, and grew maize, beans, squash and flowers on them. In Xochimilco, in the south of Mexico City, a remnant of that world survives, with a network of canals and chinampas that is still farmed and navigated today. It is part of the UNESCO listing of the Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco, and the most famous image of the area is the trajinera, a brightly painted flat-bottomed boat that carries visitors along the canals, often accompanied by mariachi bands and floating food stalls.

    Read the complete Xochimilco 2 write-up.

    Recorded stop-planning note

    May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

    Planning note

    about 33 km into the recorded legs you reach Xochimilco 2. Next is back through Central University City Campus of the Univ.

  4. 4. back through Central University City Campus of the Univ

    Return visit. Read the place description above.

    Read the complete Central University City Campus of the Univ write-up.

    Recorded stop-planning note

    May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

    Planning note

    back through Central University City Campus of the Univ, late in the day. Next is Historic Centre of Mexico City.

  5. 5. Historic Centre of Mexico City

    Return visit. Read the place description above.

    Read the complete Historic Centre of Mexico City write-up.

    Recorded stop-planning note

    May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

    Planning note

    Back at Historic Centre of Mexico City. That is the ride.

Leg by leg

Historic Centre of Mexico City to Central University City Campus of the Univ

Historic Centre of Mexico City → Central University City Campus of the Univ is 16 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.

Central University City Campus of the Univ to Xochimilco 2

Central University City Campus of the Univ → Xochimilco 2 is 17 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.

Xochimilco 2 to back through Central University City Campus of the Univ

Xochimilco 2 → back through Central University City Campus of the Univ is 16 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.

back through Central University City Campus of the Univ to Historic Centre of Mexico City

back through Central University City Campus of the Univ → Historic Centre of Mexico City is 19 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.

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