Fodor's Expert Review Jardín Centenario and Plaza Hidalgo

These infectiously festive plazas function as Coyoacán's zócalo and are barely separated from each other by a narrow, slow-moving street. The Jardín, with its shading trees, an oft-photographed fountain with two snarling coyotes, and a fringe of lively patio bars and restaurants (of varying culinary repute), is the more commercial—but also arguably the prettier—of the two.

The larger Plaza Hidalgo hosts children's fairs, musical and dance performances, clowns, bubble blowers, and cotton candy and balloon sellers, especially on weekends and holidays. It's anchored by an ornate old bandstand and the impressive Parroquia de San Juan Bautista, one of the first churches to be built in New Spain. Each afternoon of September 15, before the crowds become suffocating at nightfall, these delightful plazas are perhaps the best place in the capital to enjoy Independence Day celebrations. More recently, they've become the city's must-go for Día de Muertos in early November, with throngs of people of all ages cavorting about in costume and face paint. Both plazas are filled with landscaped courtyards, public art installations, and dozens of park benches, and they're a memorable destination for people-watching. You'll see passersby of all ages and backgrounds, from multigenerational families and young couples of all sexual orientations cuddling, kissing, and holding hands, to tourists from all over the world, and locals walking their dogs (who are often gussied up in sweaters and bows).