This relatively quiet neighborhood in central Mexico City is known as the home of Frida Kahlo, but also for its many insightful museums, charming cafes, bustling bookshops and vibrant markets. It was once a separate village but is today one of the city’s 16 boroughs or delegaciones. Here’s how to uncover the many artistic, cultural and other delights of Coyoacan (“place of the coyotes” in Nahuatle).

How Do I Get to the Coyoacan Neighborhood?

Take a ride share service like Uber or the Metro, Line 3 to Coyoacan Station.

Museo de Frida Kahlo

Art aficionados will want to spend a few hours at this lovely museum in Kahlo’s former home – La Casa Azul, or The Blue House. The house, dating back to the 1950s, was donated by Diego Rivera, Kahlo’s husband and celebrated muralist, to make it into a museum in her honor. You’ll find artwork by Kahlo, Rivera and others, as well as photographs and personal items of Kahlo’s. As expected, this is one of the most popular museums in Mexico City, so book tickets in advance on the museum website.

Anahuacalli Museum

Having visited Frida Kahlo’s house museum, spend some time with her husband’s legacy at Anahuacalli Museum. The building itself is almost as striking as the work within – Rivera designed it as a pyramid made of black volcanic stone. Inside, you’ll find nearly 60,000 pre-Hispanic pieces showcasing almost every indigenous civilization.

Los Coyotes Zoo

This is the third zoo opened in Mexico City and is dedicated to the fauna from the Basin of Mexico, which is home to 2 percent of the country’s biodiversity. You’ll find two namesake coyotes at the zoo and learn about the zoo’s conservation program for the Mexican wolf, Xochimilco Axolotl and the Volcanoes rabbit.

Fountain of the Coyotes/Viveros de Coyoacan

Snap an Insta-worthy photo at the Fountain of the Coyotes at the entrance to Coyoacan’s verdant park, the Vivero de Coyoacan. The park offers a breath of fresh air and green space to picnickers, joggers, families are more, who want to relax amidst tropical foliage and several varieties of cacti. There are pine, oak, cedar, sweetgum, jacaranda, privet, apple, quince, pear and hawthorn trees here.

Museo Nacional de las Intervenciones

Visit a museum in a building that dates back more than 300 years. The Museo Nacional de las Intervenciones was originally a monastery atop an Aztec shrine. Today, the museum is in two sections: one that reflects that original time in history and one that showcases artifacts from conflicts on Mexican soil and how modern Mexican republics have been influenced by such conflicts.

Church of San Juan Bautista

You’ll find one of the city’s most beautiful churches in the heart of Coyoacan. The 16^th-century Church of San Juan Batista is one of the oldest sacred Catholic places of worship in the valley. The church, built starting in 1527, sits atop a Calmecac, a school intended for the children of Aztec nobles. Notice the Baroque architecture, the red cedar and gold leaf altars, the paintings by Juan de Fabregat in the vault, and the former convent, where you can find the ruins of the school.

Mercado de Coyoacan

Bring home treasures and souvenirs from the Mercado de Coyoacan, where you’ll find everything from local delicacies to handicrafts. There is traditional clothing, Mexican toys, plants, gifts, rich snacks and full meals, juices and costumes for all occasions. There are colorful Tehuana fabrics, fresh flowers and giant bowls of freshly ground mole powder. If you love seafood, stop at the sidewalk entrance at Malintzin and Ignacio Allende at El Jardin del Pulpo (“The Octopus’s Garden”) for incredible lobster and giant shrimp cocktails.

People-Watching on the Plazas

There are two plazas that comprise the lively center of Coyoacan: Plaza Hidalgo and Jardin Centenario. Relax and soak up the local atmosphere, enjoying street performances and shopping from various vendors. On Hidalgo Plaza, notice the large, 20^th-century, stain-glass gazebo, topped with a bronze sculpture of an eagle. If you see someone selling tamales or street tacos, definitely indulge – street food favorites include elote, corn with mayonnaise, fresh cheese, lemon, salt and chile) or papas de carrito (potato chips, churritos or fried pork rinds with lemon and salsa).

Leon Trotsky Museum

Walk in Trotsky’s footsteps – he and his wife were granted political asylum in  Mexico in 1937 and while they initially live in Frida Kahlo’s home, they eventually bought a home nearby. The house museum (where Trotsky was assassinated) showcases Trotsky’s belongings, family photographs and artifacts of his life as a revolutionary.

Museo Nacional de Culturas Populares

Learn about popular traditions and indigenous cultures at once at the small museum. All things Mexico have been carefully curated and complemented by workshops and cultural events to authentically celebrate the nation. The museum shop boasts a wide variety of handicrafts for sale.

National Museum of Interventions

This 17^th-century former Dominican convent is now, strangely, the home of a military museum. Long after its life as a convent, the building was used by the Mexican military during the Mexican-American war. Visitors can learn more about the country’s military conflicts. Combine this with a visit to nearby Church of San Juan Bautista.

Avenida Francisco Sosa

Walk along this 450-year-old street, which connects Coyoacan and the village of San Angel. There are more than 60 buildings along the road that have been designated as historical monuments. One of the most beautiful, and famous, is the Casa de Diego de Ordaz with a Mudejar-style façade, popular when the home was built in the 18^th century. Look for the incredible reliefs on other building exteriors, as well as the bright-white Moorish decorations of the Italian Culture Institute.

Parque Santa Catarina

This tiny pocket park is home to the marigold-hued Church of Santa Catarina. Peek inside to see well-preserved 16^th-century ornamental work and a 400-year-old mural. Just across from the park you’ll find the Casa de Cultura Jesus Reyes Heroles, a cultural center open to all. Sit for awhile in the little café or restaurant and feel like a part of the neighborhood life in Mexico City.